Self Care

What is it to you?

Nobody owns a corner on hardship, we each just rent a space for a while. So what do you do to get yourself through tough/dark times? Do you consider the basic necessities of eating a decent meal, getting enough sleep, etc your self care? Or maybe the Sunday morning run/bike ride? Time at the gym? New/young moms often consider it just getting to eat and shower without kids making demands. Seeing a therapist to help sort shit out in your brain? Something spiritual? Yoga? A holiday?

What do you do to keep on an even keel?

I find woodworking to be relaxing pastime. Sometimes I'll grab a few things and my cameras and hit the road to look for an inspiring image to capture. The great outdoors is the ultimate elixir for what might ail me.
 
What is it to you?

Nobody owns a corner on hardship, we each just rent a space for a while. So what do you do to get yourself through tough/dark times? Do you consider the basic necessities of eating a decent meal, getting enough sleep, etc your self care? Or maybe the Sunday morning run/bike ride? Time at the gym? New/young moms often consider it just getting to eat and shower without kids making demands. Seeing a therapist to help sort shit out in your brain? Something spiritual? Yoga? A holiday?

What do you do to keep on an even keel?

Withdraw and reflect. I do things that keep my body busy while allowing my mind to sort out where it needs to go, where it needs to be: A motorcycle ride, not with a group or even one friend, but just me the bike and the road. A trip out to the fishing grounds. There's something about being miles from land all by yourself, the salt tinged wind in your face, the waves rocking the boat to center my mind. A hike along the creek that runs through my property. The sound and sparkle of the running water soothes me. If I sit quietly and wait the river voices will come. After a time the rush of the water blends and begins to sound like a group of people around the bend talking, but their words are just below the level of intelligibility. The First Nation legend says they are river spirits trying to communicate with us. Perhaps. All I know is it helps me to put things in order, to put my mind in a frame to do what needs done and understand where I need to go.


Comshaw
 
I generally get high, and by that I mean, high on one of the hills behind the house. Sit down on a patch of moss or a rock and contemplate the issue. On a good day, I can see from Augustine volcano to Denali. It doesn't take long to figure out that my issues are tiny in this huge world.

If I'm just pissed off, a good sweat is the best, be it a hike, a bike ride, or an xc ski. Best done in a place where there are no other people.
 
I learned that self care is very important. I have a habit of doing for everyone else and not taking me time, especially during the pandemic.
Sometimes it can be a treat: getting my hair and nails done. Sometimes it’s getting take out and not cooking for a night. I also enjoy my bubble baths and a good book.
 
Withdraw and reflect. I do things that keep my body busy while allowing my mind to sort out where it needs to go, where it needs to be: A motorcycle ride, not with a group or even one friend, but just me the bike and the road. A trip out to the fishing grounds. There's something about being miles from land all by yourself, the salt tinged wind in your face, the waves rocking the boat to center my mind. A hike along the creek that runs through my property. The sound and sparkle of the running water soothes me. If I sit quietly and wait the river voices will come. After a time the rush of the water blends and begins to sound like a group of people around the bend talking, but their words are just below the level of intelligibility. The First Nation legend says they are river spirits trying to communicate with us. Perhaps. All I know is it helps me to put things in order, to put my mind in a frame to do what needs done and understand where I need to go.


Comshaw

Waves and running water...the sound is very similar to the sound a baby hears in the womb. It opens the senses
 
I really use food a lot when I am stressed or not. If I am happy...food. If I am sad...food. I joined overeaters anonymous. You don't have to believe in God just a higher power. Just realizing you are not in charge of the universe. There are people you get to know. Literature to read. There are so many meetings online now. Fun.
I also like to read and work on putting pictures together to remember.
 
Lunch out in the open air, a breeze and a water view. I just returned and it always helps. Add wine for good measure. And my lady.
 
That’s a pretty decent list.

Do you have to get up during the night to write?
i have done before, when those ones arrive justabout fully fledged and i know if i don't get them down i'll probably lose them by morning. they might need a little editing but otherwise they're usually about right. it might be just a line or two and i might get out of bed to jot it down, but too often i'm too lazy to do that and so it's hit and miss --some i'll remember, some not :eek:

Read books, listen to music, long bubble baths, light murder….probably the same as everyone else.
now there's a list i can get behind!
 
What is it to you?

Nobody owns a corner on hardship, we each just rent a space for a while. So what do you do to get yourself through tough/dark times? Do you consider the basic necessities of eating a decent meal, getting enough sleep, etc your self care? Or maybe the Sunday morning run/bike ride? Time at the gym? New/young moms often consider it just getting to eat and shower without kids making demands. Seeing a therapist to help sort shit out in your brain? Something spiritual? Yoga? A holiday?

What do you do to keep on an even keel?

I suggest yoga or something of that nature. Unless you're in combat fighting for your life or starving and homeless, most of us suffer from physical attachments to things that aren't a necessity.

But, what do I know, I'm just some guy on a porn board.
 
I'm one of the lucky ones; straight and level is my default configuration. It doesn't take much to make me happy.
 
i do my best to listen to my body and give it what it needs. as i get older, i see more of what it wants is not always what it needs, and what it needs is not always what it wants.
 
I go through a whole process. I've done it for so long now it's automatic.

The first thing I do is define whose problem it is. If it's not mine I forget about it.

If it is mine I then determine what I can do about it. Now? Later? If now I take care of it now and let it slip into the past. If later I make a plan and quit worrying about it.

If it's none of the above but still bothering my mind I go out to the range. I do long range rifle and to do it right requires that you devote your entire focus to the sport. Mind and body alike. And I have some meditation techniques that a Hindu oncologist taught me long ago.

To me the trick is to eliminate stress at every opportunity.
 
I find woodworking to be relaxing pastime. Sometimes I'll grab a few things and my cameras and hit the road to look for an inspiring image to capture. The great outdoors is the ultimate elixir for what might ail me.

Any good train pictures?
 
I need some kind of outlet for my frustrations. Usually that comes from talking to strangers on the internet. It helps me feel like I'm not going crazy.
 
I need some kind of outlet for my frustrations. Usually that comes from talking to strangers on the internet. It helps me feel like I'm not going crazy.
I need to get back to writing, and my hobbies which rather fell by the wayside during the early stages of Covid-19. They were always an outlet for frustration. I suspect that would complete the process of improving my outlook on life which started when I pulled the plug of MSM a year ago. I also need to work out what to do about my muse, she takes up way too much of my thinking time, though I suspect she would be less of an issue if I could get a decent night's sleep.
 
There were some good ones in here. 🙂

I identify with the ones that get you outside and clearing your head through physical activity/work. It’s the beauty of working with livestock - they keep you in the now.
 
I need some kind of outlet for my frustrations. Usually that comes from talking to strangers on the internet. It helps me feel like I'm not going crazy.

I hope you have found what you needed for this. If not on Lit, elsewhere.
 
Back
Top