Our coping toolbox 🧰

[Former-Member]

Hey forumites,

This is a post inspired by the wonderful @Shaz51 who created a similar post in the carers forum.

So, what do you when everything feels like too much, you’re worried, feeling down, annoyed or just generally yuck???

While these self-care strategies might not solve everything all at once, but they remind us that there are things we can do to bring us back down to earth when things feel like too much.

And remember, it's a toolbox for a reason. Sometimes a spanner won't do the job, so we need to try a hammer! What that means, is sometimes we need to try a few different strategies to find the right one for a job. And that's ok. So I can't wait to look through here when my usual strategies aren't working.

Tagging out CGs to kick-start the convo!

@Anastasia  @AussieRecharger  @BPDSurvivor  @Faith-and-Hope  @HenryX  @jem80  @Judi9877  @NatureLover  @outlander  @Shaz51  @ShiningStar  @Snowie  @Hams  @wellwellwellnez  @Zoe7  @Aniela  @Boo13  @maddison  @pinklollipop15  @Eve7 

[Former-Member]

oohh so for the longest time I felt like the usual eating well, exercise, good sleep felt waaayyyy beyond what I was capable of doing for self-care.

Something I've been thinking about is that if I can't be bothered, maybe it's not the right self-care activity for the time. To me, self-care can feel like a chore so I'm giving myself options. I'm still figuring it out, but maybe others will find it useful! 

My tank is low: Low energy or very enjoyable self-care	My tank is half-filled: medium energy and neutral self-care	My tank is full: higher energy and sometimes a chore self-care
1 minute dance party A hot drink alone while I listen to a fun song (ideally in the sun) A hot shower while I do some breathing exercises video-games Walk around the block Watch my favourite movie or TV series Doom-scroll for distraction Play with my cats	Journal Talk to a trusted person about how I'm doing at the moment Go for a coffee by myself Do some gardening  Cook a yummy meal or snack Do a familiar hobby	Go to yoga A big, long walk Go out to an event or music gig  Try a new hobby

[wellwellwellnez]

I think I need a 13mm coping-spanner if anyone's got one. It's hard to get the right grip using my coping-pliers for everything. We've all been there, I'm sure.

[wellwellwellnez]

More seriously, the grading system is working for me. Makes me think of gears systems for driving. Both gearing up and gearing down.

[Shaz51]

This is great @Former-Member 😃:ok_hand:👍

Hello @wellwellwellnez 

[Little_Leopard]

@Former-Member  These are really good. Thanks.!

[Former-Member]

@Former-Member if I'm feeling run down I have a couple of strategies.  One of them is using a Taoist Arts technique called "recharging the dan tien". All your energy enters through the dan tien. If you open the area more energy will flow through so you feel rejuvenated again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_LukgHImcQ&t=2s

Another thing I do is use a crystal called "Petalite" it is a wonderful stone that creates a marvellous cocooning effect when you feel drained and tired. It has to be seen to be believed. Its like floating in an ocean of calm and serenity.  You have to know how to cleanse and charge the crystal for it to work effectively however

[Kat75]

Great advice. Sometimes I don't have the energy for self care and then I feel guilty and sad because I didn't do self care 

[Former-Member]

heya @Kat75 welcome to the forums! I'm one of the peer-moderators here and it's so lovely to meet you! 

And thank you for sharing that you feel guilty about not doing self-care. To be honest, I feel really similarly. I wonder if there are ways you could think about self-care differently?

For me, I used to think self-care was just boring and hard things like cooking fresh food and big, long walks. But I've tried thinking about self-care as things that I enjoy or that distract me. Are there things you enjoy doing which you could think of as self-care?

PS. We have a Welcome! Introduce yourself here 🙂 thread where you can introduce yourself if you like! If you haven't already 

[Kat75]

HI TuxedoCat. Thank you for your kind welcome. I am suffering Depression badly atm so can't find a way out just now. I usually find work as solace, days off can be hard because I have to much time to overthink things 🙃