Great idea, this.

And also good to see what some others do to manage their bad times...

My coping box has different things to deal with different stages of my lows.

One thing I do is always make my bed as soon as I get up. I'm less likely to get back into a bed that's made up.

(Except for the very worst days that I don't get up)

Breathing. Just big  deep breathing. Now that I've learnt about mindfulness exercises I try to do one of those..

A small job around the house. Usually it's to wash and hang out a load of washing. Gets me outdoors even if only for a few minutes and helps give the feeling of having accomplished something for the day. Or clean out a drawer. Just one.

Sometimes I find sound so unbearable, even my favourite songs. For these times I have made up a list in Spotify of acoustic guitar...very soothing. And if even that is unbearable I wear earplugs. I'm curious to know whether other people find sound so unbearable? 

On better days I try to get out of the house. Op shopping salvos vinnies etc. Local shops for a coffee. Also gives a feeling of having done something.

I do like arts and crafts,  drawing etc the last couple years I've lost my energy to do this but working to get back to this now as I'm having some time away from work.

The beach. Always soothing. I love that first glimpse of the water as I'm getting close. And that feeling as I step on the sand and look out, and draw in that first deep breath. 

I've lost my energy for the creative type things I used to do- at the moment im away from work for a few weeks and trying to get back to drawing. Which will hopefully help get back to the other things I used to enjoy doing.

On some of the really bad days I sit in my recliner and my cat Dora joins me and sleeps on my lap. She's not a very affectionate girl but she does love to curl up with me now and then..

The garden. I'm not really much of a gardener but pulling out a few weeds gets me outside and occasionally I might stay out there a bit longer..

That's all I can think of for now. But the overall idea of it is to keep it small. Simple things. Sometimes can lead to bigger things but something small is something. 

💖