What do you do at times like this?

[DVS]

We all have hurdles in our lives. We all have bad days. It's just a fact of life. To put it a little more succinctly, shit happens. We deal with it as best we can. Some are able to cope better than others, and some have it worse than others, so the coping is more difficult.

So, what do you do at times like this? What works for me, or at least what makes a bad situation feel better is usually a song from a musical. Something from "The Sound of Music" or "West Side Story" can work. But, a movie that I've always loved is "Dirty Dancing". Yes, I'm a heterosexual male. I love the whole movie, but that final scene is special. It's a feel good movie for me and that last scene is a great finale. It's great to have the Internet and YouTube at the ready, just for those times.

So, do you have something you do to get yourself out of the slumps?

 

[Sir_Winston54]

I visit Lit and smile - and sometimes get exasperated or confused - at the thoughts of my friends turned into pixels.

Or go to the casino and play blackjack, poker and/or slots.

 

[marieR19]

*will try not to ramble*

This is a fairly big deal for me, the whole "shit happens, how do I deal?", because I'm depressive-bipolar and.... well, shit always seems to be happening.

I have specific things that can help, although not usually pull me completely out, at least help. Specific cds that I'll listen to on repeat for a full hour or so (right now it's Alexz Johnson, awhile back it was Kassie DePaiva, etc). I have a poem (specifically, this poem) that, for whatever unknown reason, never fails to help me when I read it outloud (or just recite it since I know the whole dang thing by heart by now). Sometimes throwing myself into my writing can be very helpful as well.

 

[kiwi_submissive]

I fill the car with petrol (gas), put on some White Zombie or Slayer and just drive as far as the tank will get me and disappear for a couple of days.

I will go skydiiving, bungee jumping or white water rafting.

I also think about people in my life and if they are part of the problem and if they are I get rid of them. For some reason people seem to make their dramas mine and I am over the whole emotional vampire thing.

 

[ecstaticsub]

I go shoe shopping. If I can't find shoes that fit I go jacket/coat shopping, or dress shopping.

That used to work. It seems anymore that everyone I know is super stressed out and at their upper limit of what they can handle.

I've made a couple of choices in the last couple of days that I am hoping will reduce some of my stress.

What I think I have figured out over the past two years is that just managing my stress is a short term solution. I have to go to the source of what is causing the stress and make changes. Some changes are very, very hard. But I am hopeful they will work.

There are stress sources that can't be changed themselves. Mostly this is the people in my life--kids, spouse, job etc. Recognizing that I only have a certain amount of control over a given situation and I have no control over how another person feels and what that person chooses to do and then stop stressing about it. I have to let it go.

Back when my husband was deployed I used to keep in mind that all I needed was for him to come back to me and nothing else would matter. Remembering that got me through many stressful times. He came back. He is still in my bed every night. My life is really very good.

I had forgotten about that until right now. I'll add that to my daily mantras. I think that will help too.

 

[OzoneRed]

I spend an evening at a strip club.

Honest to Pete, nothing cheers me up like watching naked boobs bouncing around.

The next day, I'm in a better mood, and can tackle whatever needs to be done.

 

[Scentofawoman]

I depended on what's bringing me down.


But music helps. Classical music, Hindi music, or dance. I end up working out and the endorphin rush helps

Mostly now I call up a girlfriend and just get out if my house. They usually are good to get me out if my funk

 

[lovecraft68]

Writing helps relax my mind, I escape into whatever dirty little world I create at the moment.

When I'm too hyped up for that a good long run or a good work out settles me down

And no shame to the OP, I also enjoy "Dirty Dancing"

But my best mind numbing movie is another Swaze film: Roadhouse.

 

[KatherineAlex]

Music always helps. (The Cure is a staple). I have been struggling with depression all my life, trying not to push or fight against it helps a lot just allowing it to be.

Going for a long walk and disconnecting from the barrage of information, opinions and such helps too.

I also second the shoe shopping.

Watching Jaws, a good spanking I could go on and on and on.

 

[Sweetdaisymae]

Loud grungy music helps, it gets me singing which lifts me.
Food, I have habitually used food as a crutch to get me through the bad times (and before anyone can smart mouth, yes there have been many)

Immersing myself in a good book
Most of my coping strategies rely on me withdrawing a while.

 

[knot_sweet]

But, a movie that I've always loved is "Dirty Dancing". Yes, I'm a heterosexual male. I love the whole movie, but that final scene is special. It's a feel good movie for me and that last scene is a great finale. It's great to have the Internet and YouTube at the ready, just for those times.

So, do you have something you do to get yourself out of the slumps?

I don't often get down in the dumps as long as I dance regularly.

And if I can't get to the floor, I watch 'Strictly Ballroom" or "Dirty Dancing" or pretty much any dance movie I can find.

Or I hit up Youtube for clips from any dancesport comps...

This one is currently a favourite...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC3TVR6c_LE

Gosh I wish I could do that!!


If all else fails, get out of the house, walk around the corner and down the street and get a great cup of coffee.

 

[minette05]

Negative energy brings more negative energy. So when I find that something or someone is bringing this into me, I focus on what it is that is causing me to feel in a funk and then try very hard to replace that negative thought, feeling, whatever you want to call it, with positive energy. I go for a very long walk with my German Shepherd, who's unconditional love always pulls me out of a funk. I listen for the mockingbird that sings raucously in the trees near my backyard and absorb the sounds of the River which is close by. Music is a tonic, and I will listen to my favorites or sing as loudly as I feel like singing to release the pent up negative energy. Also, remembering that the key is that whatever bad feeling or circumstance is happening, I'm the only one who can change how I respond to the bad feeling or circumstance.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

"Unslumping yourself is not easily done."

~Dr. Seuss


When I'm slumped, I'm usually not taking good care of myself. I've gotten off of my exercise routine, I've been eating poorly, not getting enough sleep, aren't taking my goals seriously, or haven't had much fun lately.

I also find that my thinking may have become distorted. Things that are clearly manageable have become titanic explosions to my SFX brain.

In the extreme short term, I have a wealth of go-to music that is unslumping: They Might Be Giants and Sum 41, for instance, loud and on repeat, while I shower or drive or lift. I'm always on the lookout for unslumping music, and it usually goes on my workout playlist.

In the long run, I usually need to take a hard look at what I'm thinking, and whether those thoughts are realistic. They often aren't. If my gullible brain is accepting things as true that clearly aren't, that also usually means I'm avoiding things and not moving forward. Nothing slumps like avoidance, and nothing unslumps like forward motion.

 

[Keroin]

I love your de-slumping movie choice, DVS.

Me? First I rent Pride and Prejudice and bawl my eyes out. For reals.

When it's all OUT, then it's time for a run or some activity, anything funny (30 Rock & Daily Show are my go-to laughs), martini and/or coffee with girlfriends (if possible).

If that doesn't help, then I am in BIG trouble!

 

[DVS]

I love your de-slumping movie choice, DVS.

Me? First I rent Pride and Prejudice and bawl my eyes out. For reals.

When it's all OUT, then it's time for a run or some activity, anything funny (30 Rock & Daily Show are my go-to laughs), martini and/or coffee with girlfriends (if possible).

If that doesn't help, then I am in BIG trouble!

As for my de-slumping choice, I just watched the clip I had linked and found out it wasn't the one I wanted. I've changed it to the correct one. The previous clip stopped long before it should have. The correct one shows to the end and that involves so much more of the emotion of the scene. I should have checked to make sure I had the correct one, before linking. My bad. It's fixed now.

 

[DVS]

I often get strange looks from my guy friends, when I tell them I love musicals. I also like some Barry Manilow songs. And it's not just that I'm a musician, because I have male musician friends who don't like musicals and turn their nose up at Manilow. I guess it all comes down to taste, no matter what you are talking about.

Sure, he's had some strange looks over the years. His windshield glasses, big hair, flashy clothes, but I've always looked past that crap. So, I'm coming out a little bit here, to add another song that brings me out of the slumps. Barry Manilow and Marty Panzer wrote a song called "All The Time" that really says it for me. And I think it might fit into some other people's lives here, too.

Oh, I know there are some people here who will wonder what has happened to me, but I haven't changed. I've always enjoyed a good song, be it the chords, the orchestration, the lyrics, or a combination of it all. If I like it, it doesn't matter to me if it makes me appear more feminine. Good is good. And trust me, my masculinity is safe.

 

[Trolltroll420]

I roll a fatty

 

[DVS]

I roll a fatty

There was a time when I'd do that, too. But for me, those days are gone.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

There was a time when I'd do that, too. But for me, those days are gone.

Maybe this then?

 

[sheablue]

During the day: wild kitchen dance parties with my kids to some awesome music. I'm not a very good dancer, but they think I'm amazing! Our current favorite is "Harlem" by New Politic.

At night: a ridiculously long hot bath with a good book and a glass of whiskey. Turn on the jets. I love to hold myself under water and just block out all my thoughts with the sound of the roiling water in my ears and the heavy sound of my own breathing.

 

[Ahlam]

Exercise or fucking to the point of muscle failure and mental oblivion is the surest solution for a bad day. Sprinkle a bit of absurd laughter--Monty Python, anyone?--on top, and things are really starting to look up!

Of course, there's a lot to be said for smashing the hell out of something with a baseball bat.

 

[sweepthefloor]

It’s like falling off a bike, and the moment you know that breaking the fall is impossible—so you fall better. I let it happen because when you get stiff, you get injured. Falling better is placing yourself in a position that will hurt less.

I might be going head first over the handlebars but I ain’t going to let the bike crash on top of me too.

I get to writing and it hurts but I roll off the keyboard bike before my neck breaks. And then I get right back on it and start peddling even faster up the hard hill of life because I know at the top of Main Street comes a cool break, and I coast down easy with my legs spread wide on the bike.

Now I write—but sometimes the words actualize the pain so I delete them. I used to paint. I miss doing that. Sweeping the floor helps. Taking good care works but I am not good at doing that. I will put on red lipstick and go to sleep.

I will distract and benefit myself. I will wax my legs because big physical pain negates little emotional pain. I will go to work because helping others with problems larger than my own puts my life into perspective, and I am grateful.

I will tear the house apart and move the furniture around. I will hoop with my hula-hoop. I will run two miles before fucking myself. I will watch a movie if one is referred to me.

 

[Curious_in_Cali]

Something about salt water seems to soothe me.

Sometimes what I need is time with the ocean... Standing in it, going for a swim, or just sitting beside it, resetting my breathing rate with the tide, and reminding myself how insignificant it is, whatever "it" is that has me draggin.

Then some days, all that I need is a languid skin poaching herbal salt soak with either a hot cup of tea, or bourbon... Depending on the nature of the problem at hand.

And then there are the days that all that really helps is a really good, chest heaving ugly cry with a Neti pot chaser. Yes, I have been known to watch a tear jerking movie quite intensionally a time or 2.

And sometimes, on a really super tough day, I need and do it all.

 

[sweepthefloor]

Sometimes I will pin my hair up in victory rolls, and go wash my sheets and blankets at the laundromat.

 

[devinity7]

I'm there now and I feel I need some time alone, to read, listen to music, be lazy, go get a pedi, whatever I please. Yet, that isn't' an option right now.