What do you do to help improve your mental health?

[Kurosaki]

My six year old has tried all sorts of activities, ballet, gymnastics, dance but has not liked any of them. She said she wanted to do karate so of course we said yes. She loves it and we love where she is studying (Bennati’s in Auburn).

Awesome. Love it. :thumbup

Your kid sounds like me when I was that age. (Well I'm still that way). I did almost every sport available. None of them held my interest longer than a year or two. Karate kept me coming back.

Hope she sticks with it. Don't let her quit if it gets rough on her. Keep going back.

 

[carries an axe]

Meditation is key to keeping one attuned to ones true self and nature. If harmony is sustained with that, the world cannot break you.

Yes

Schedule or clear everything as soon as it comes into your life. Your email, your schedule, your shopping EVERYTHING.

Limit the places that information or tasks can enter your life to seven.
Text, email, snailmale, twitter, phoncall, work inbox, barf (these are made up, just limit them to seven)


New email:
Schedule, respond, or deleat. your inbox should be clear.
It's clear:

Scheduled emails:

Eat on a strict schedule every day.
Meditate
Find a discipline that works for you. Self help, jiu jitsu, freemasonry, kyudo, church WHATEVER. Just find consistency in your life that you can adhere to.

 

[Abacinator]

Linty is an inspiration. I for one am glad he is still posting.

Thanks, and agreed! Perseverance in the face of adversity requires balls of steel

 

[Mike95060]

I used to ride......


Now a good surf session or mountain bike ride really hits the rest button just right.

 

[NorCalAthlete]

Went and read the post about your accident since I don't venture into General much and didn't see it. Sounds like you still have use of your arms?


youtu.be/W8u2zYXL6DI

ASMR videos might help you relax and de-stress.

The other stuff that's been posted about creating and adhering to a schedule definitely helps - I start going nuts when I procrastinate too much, go the polar opposite direction and get a ton of shit done, then relax and "reward" myself by...slacking off again. Rinse, repeat. Not the greatest and something I'm working on. Taking on extra stretch projects at work helps, volunteering for a nonprofit helps, helping others helps. I feel great when I'm able to spend some extra time helping someone else accomplish their goals, learn something new, etc. Maybe look into something like that?

 

[72SBC]

Pornhub

 

[Linty]

I hit walls all the time. Mostly work shit vs real life stuff so not much help Linty.

I have thought about options, but a couple of completed things leads me back to a better place. I work to hard. 6 days a week 49 weeks a year with Sunday’s thrown in takes away my mental balance at times.

Procrastination is my enemy and my enemy is strong.

I understand. My old life was like that, between commute and work, I'd leave the house at 6am and get home at 8 or 9pm. Only 5 days, but close to 60 or over every week made me run thin often. Then, on my days off, I'd sleep until noon or later.

Now, I have more free time than ever. I spend the majority of the day in bed, trying to either sleep or find a comfortable position that doesn't cause pain. My spasticity and pain management medication takes so long to work, I dread waking up every day. I've literally been out of work for well over 2 years, and my distractions are now the only thing that keeps my mind from a dark place. Even then, I spend so much time in bed because being up is so difficult. Only leave the house to go to the doctors and groups every week, it's hard to want to do things when you're in pain pretty much all the time & can't go anywhere without help.

I've dumped myself into computers now, tweaking everything and working on custom liquid cooling and overclocking & stupid shit. I have no idea what I'm going to do when my leave is terminated. It's a kick the can down the road thing. This is something I work on.

Someone said it's hard to say things because it's like giving yourself advice or something - I get that, because most of the things in my post I don't even follow myself.

 

[Linty]

Linty, I cannot imagine what it's like to be paralyzed. The fact that you are aware of your mental state is a huge step in the right direction. Reaching out for help is yet another huge step of awareness and speaks to your character again.

Good on you. Keep coming back here, we'll keep engaging you. You can overcome this. Look up one of our moderators carries an axe. Like you, he was paralyzed in a motorcycle crash. He went on to found a really cool drone company that is focusing on agricultural pollination.

I appreciate the thoughts

I've talked to Adam a little, but I'm still pretty off about pigeon holing myself even though it's literally defining now, it's just an obstacle I've yet found a way to cross (maybe there are stairs). I know it sounds odd, but hearing encouragement often invokes the inverse reaction - almost leaving me envious of them and the contentment they've perhaps found or adjusted to that I haven't. I recall one thing in recovery, watching a video of a guy like me managing to put on pants. Just put on pants, nothing more. Stuff that anyone can do in Olympic time if they're late for work. It was meant as a method of encouragement, a way to say, "look, it'll be ok", but it left me feeling more upset and angry at the fact that this is life now. The last 2 years has only hardened that stance (lol phrases are great aren't they). The mentality and attitude that I'm even ok with what they or other people were showing and telling me.

This isn't about me, though I am interested in the thoughts of others and appreciate anyone willing to share things like this.

 

[lefty]

What a great thread OP!!!

Exercise and Meditation.

 

[Melissa]

So many great posts here!
I want to highlight 2 main items.
1-compassion, compassion, compassion. Through meditation and medication-compassion for self is necessary for this state of mind.
All things are as they could be at this moment in life. To look back or forward too much will create longing and madness. It is only this moment that counts and you are alive!

2-Reach out to others! Make commitments to continue to participate in your group and expand with other agreements to hang out with someone once a week. Talk and listen. You have great wisdom to share and company can create belonging.