Favorite Strategies For Fending Off Misery?

[kjc]

I'm feeling a lot of self-loathing these days.

What's your favorite way to fend off the BADNESS? (Doesn't matter whether it's the blues, the blahs, or the screaming meemies...)

My usual strategies ain't workin.

Comments

[tcb]

Yoga, or other exercise.. While I generally hate going to the gym, I also feel better having gone. During the nicer weather, going for a bicycle ride always helps.

Working on crafty, creative projects. Something to wrap your brain around that you can enjoy doing and feel proud of.

Good luck..

[rmd]

depends. depending on specifics, some things that help me:
- doing a little bit of cleaning or otherwise decluttering my space -- it fends off the 'OH GOD I AM SURROUNDED BY CRAP' feeling that sometimes adds to the badness. even just fighting a little bit of entropy, like the crap i walk by a dozen times a day where i think "i should pick that up and throw it out" this can range from doing the dishes to sweeping the floor to laundry or taking the trash out.
- distracting myself with something fun -- video games, puzzle-type games, etc.
- bringing myself to do a thing i've been dreading and avoiding or just endlessly procrastinating around. because it feels really good to have done it (as long as i can avoid the "i should've done this a long time ago" variety of kicking myself). this can range from making a phone call i've been dreading to putting together a box of books to outcruft to finally hauling that box of recycling downstairs.

what i do

[klingonlandlady]

Long walks outdoors
Call up a friend and talk
Go out drinking with a friend, and talk
Hard workouts at the gym
Put on loud music and clean the house

[dpolicar]

Agreed with practically every suggestion mentioned.
That said, I often end up just riding the badness out, reminding myself that when it's done I will still be here.

[catness]

I'm not very good at fending off misery. It fucking sucks.

However, reading ultra-engaging fiction can pull me out of my own shit as long as I don't read something super heavy. Dark literature is *not* good for this, and I've been avoiding that kind of stuff for about 18 months now.

Also, as someone mentioned above, exercise. Man, I hate it. Really really hate it. But when you've worked your body, really *worked* it, it definitely helps quiet the monkey mind. (I'm at my mentally healthiest when I am at the dojo three times a week or more.)