What do you do to calm yourself?

[Wicked Blue]

There is so much stress going around that I have a permanent knot in my stomach.

I re-read old mystery novels
Sleep
Play computer solitaire
Watch SNL skits that my daughter compiles
Look at bronxiteforever's beautiful posts

[Aviation Pro]

1. Lift weights

Then I put them back down.

Then I lift them again.

[Ocelot II]

2. I paint and sing (not simultaneously).

I'm in a couple of choirs, and it's calming to sing with people and forget about the other shit. When you're doing music or art you don't think about other things.

[enid602]

3. Massage

Foot, hand and scalp massage.

[KarenS]

4. Crochet, watch YouTube Music Reaction Videos and Crochet Videos,,,,

I still come to DU to see what's going on tho

[hlthe2b]

11. Yes. Youtube relaxation videos are good. And, Tubi (free streaming service) has a lot too...

I usually sleep okay but I have to have some noise as background and I can no longer sleep through repeats of MSNBC shows on Tunein or BBC because the news is just so stress-inducing. So, these videos have helped a lot. The beautiful scenery has minimal motion so that can be mesmerizing too if you choose to watch and not just listen.

Number one for me is spending some time with my dog and my pre-dawn walks with her and some dog-loving friends.

[wryter2000]

28. YouTube is great

My favorite is Pasta Grannies. An English woman finds older women (mostly) in Italy who make pasta by hand. It’s amazing how they do it. The food looks so good.

[yellowdogintexas]

18. what are your favorite crochet shows?

I like Creative Grandma and Bag O'Day the best. They both give really good demonstrations.

[KarenS]

19. ahhh I love those two!! Plus,

Mikey at the Crochet Crowd

https://www.youtube.com/@TheCrochetCrowd



and Crystal just started a new channel

https://www.youtube.com/@nerdycrocheter

[bif]

5. I spend waaaay too much time watching comforting tv shows.

And I paint.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. Do whatever you can, and then let go. If you've done your bit, then what will be will be.

(I'm Canadian in Canada, though I lived in the US for many years. There is not much I personally can do.)

Vote.
Write blogs, social, letters to editors.
Talk, inform, persuade where possible.
Donate.
Teach, tutor, educate about civics.
Organize.
March.
Make signs. Display signs.
Resist where possible.
Deploy legal resistance as needed.
Do not obey in advance. Make them fire you illegally, then sue.
Support enlightened media, for example Maddow, The Guardian, CBC News and Radio.
Make memes, share memes.
Support and work for candidates.
Run as a candidate at whatever level.
Win.

Doing something, however small, helps a lot in being able to let go of tension and stress.

When you have done as much as you can -- however little or pitiful it might seem it is not -- when you have done what you can then rest, relax, enjoy life outside of strife, see some nature, meditate, have a hot bath, see friends, let the strife stay where it needs to be while you are living a life with friends and family and the natural world.

Living well is the best revenge.

[synni]

7. Paxil

.

[livetohike]

8. Hike. We're retired and out there hiking 3-5 times

per week. I like to I.D wildflowers and birds. It takes my mind off the craziness for a while.

[Ferryboat]

31. Same here

My dog loves the forest. Destination not so important as the walk itself.

[livetohike]

43. We have two cattle dog mixes. They need to hike

out the crazy too .

[Diamond_Dog]

9. Paint or Draw. Listen to music. Sometimes both at the same time.

[Aristus]

10. I listen to this, over and over:

[some_of_us_are_sane]

12. Beautiful, Aristus!

I do online jigsaw puzzles and crosswords.

[Aristus]

13. I love crosswords. My favorite kind of puzzle.

I haven't done a crossword while listening to Vangelis's Reve, but I should definitely try it.

[love_katz]

36. This reminds me of Pink Floyd.

My favorite album is Meddle, with the great song, Echos taking up all of one side.

Thank you for sharing this.

[sunnybrook]

14. Lately I have been binge watching

The entire Dick Van Dyke show. Its up on youtube. I cannot stay buried in the news.

[lucca18]

15. Go for long walks.

Yesterday, I took a beautiful walk to Phoenix Lake, located in the town of Ross California.
I sat on a bench overlooking the reservoir. It was beautiful and calming.

[mwmisses4289]

16. Just a few things.

Sit in the recliner with some of our cats, watching you tube videos that catch my fancy or binge watching true crime shows.

Make handcrafted cards.

Read (mostly on tablet, but do have plenty of real books).

Listen to music.

Just a few things I do.

[wryter2000]

33. I wish I had a cat

My apartment is just too small.

[yellowdogintexas]

17. I read a lot! All kinds of genres

I watch videos about elephant sanctuaries, especially the orphanages with the babies

I crochet which is very relaxing, there are so many stitches which are called "mindless" meaning you can sort of lose yourself in them. Only flat things though - trying to fit a garment is over my pay grade

Baking also relaxes me.

Occasionally play computer solitaire but my favorite is computer canasta. I haven't tried it with live opponents but the system does OK One thing, the system won't let you break the rules so it has been a great refresher course.

Mr YD and I binge watch TV. We like British, and quirky shows with good dialogue and likeable characters. Currently we are watching "Surrealestate". It's funny, intelligent and has a great cast.

[3catwoman3]

20. Rewatch Downton Abbey for the umpteenth time.

Last edited Fri Feb 21, 2025, 06:04 PM - Edit history (1)

I call it my mental comfort food.

[Dem2theMax]

22. This!

And thanks for reminding me. Nothing else is working, so I need to go back to my happy place, Downton Abbey.
For probably the 150th time. (I'm not joking.)

[3catwoman3]

23. I believe you. I haven't counted, but I must be right up there with you.

I have both the movies, too, and several books about it. And, a friend and I went to the Downton Abbey exhibit last year when it was in the greater Chicago area.

Right now I'm also reading Downton Abbey fan fiction on line.

[Dem2theMax]

42. I have the movies as well. Can't wait until the next, and last one, 'cry,' comes out.

Very jealous that you got to go to the exhibit!
Fan fiction? Point me in the right direction!

[quaint]

21. Garden read, music.

?si=qc4aU6xAAwQJDN7p

[OldBaldy1701E]

24. Laugh.

I laugh at everyone who voted for that orange gibbon.

I laugh at everyone who thinks our current societal model is sustainable and should be maintained.

I laugh at everyone who thinks having all that money will make people like you.

I laugh at everyone who fell for the lie, from those who do have it, that having all that money would make people like you.

I laugh at everyone who fell for all of the propaganda we were fed for the last one hundred years.

I laugh at everyone who thinks the rest of the world respects us.

I laugh at the approaching destruction because it could be stopped but it won't be.

I could go on, but as you can see, there is plenty to laugh at.

Of course, the laughter is hollow, as I have no joy in me anymore, and these horrors do not instill any in me.

But, it is either laugh or cry, and I have already spent enough time crying. So, I wanted to switch it up some.

[Clouds Passing]

25. Meditation and Belly breathing.

And sometimes letting shadow side out when I’m alone 😵

[no_hypocrisy]

26. I watch DVD's of both seasons of

F Troop. I’m serious.

[TexLaProgressive]

29. My usual is to:

Read
Watch mysteries
Bike ride
The last is the best. Untold number of times I have been stressed by an unresolved problem, after a an hour or two not thinking about anything the problem was resolved.

[RandySF]

30. I take meds to avoid giving too many fucks.

[Deuxcents]

32. I watch the videos Catbyte and a couple of other posters put up about animals or kids. Delightful 🥰

[wryter2000]

34. I always watch those, too

Very relaxing 😎

[Borogove]

45. I love watching them too.

[KT2000]

35. Watch cat videos

play YouTube mix while I play online scrabble
get together more often with neighbors because we are like minded and don't know what to do about all of this.

[in2herbs]

37. Take a nature walk. I have also found Bach Rescue Remedy to be very effective but at higher doses

than listed on the bottle. But, that's OK it's not addictive or toxic.

[wendyb-NC]

38. I do any one of a number of things

I enjoy reading both fiction and nonfiction along with magazines.

I like to paint, with acrylics, and I am working to get better at it.

I have 2 cats and hang out, a lot of the time, with them.

I enjoy baking quick breads for breakfast or snacks.

Jigsaw puzzles are another distraction, as are some games on my tablet and phone.

[Polly Hennessey]

39. Read, do word puzzles, listen to soothing music, watch old TV shows, and breath deeply.

Can’t forget Deb55 and catbyte; cooking and baking, pets, and fiction forums.

[Golden Raisin]

40. Listen to a lot of Mozart and take daily walks.

[Emile]

44. Eat Casey's Gas Station Pizza

[Xolodno]

46. Drink wine.

But I've been doing that too much recently...

Need to go back to a FPS (first person shooter) game and start shooting people.

[Comrade Citizen]

47. Slowly savor a fruity cocktail and a cigarette every evening

Watch Busby Berkeley musical numbers from the early 1930s
Eleanor Powell and Esther Williams films
ASMR makeup artist and head massage videos on youtube