When you're down, what do you do to pick yourself up?

[Abigail Crabby]

I get in my car and play *The Gaga* think about what is bothering me and sing as loud as I can along with her.

Usually by the time I've listened to the whole Cd twice I find myself able to work thru what is bothering me and I either shop or head on home singing at the top of my lungs

[T4Texas]

When I'm feeling depressed, I usually paint or do something creative. Its the best therapy for me. Years ago when I left a 15 year relationship and moved from a house into an efficiency apartment, I felt like I was bottoming out. Two of my friends came over with a set of oils and some canvas and said, You can have the paint but we get the painting. So I did them a desert scene which took me about a month to finish and after that time I had a better handle on all the things that were bothering me. Creativity is a life saver sometimes.

[Soft*Silver]

short term things dont work on me..like showers, retails therapy, cookies. When I am down, its usually because something is not working in my life and I have to get a handle on it. So I have to take steps toward that..no matter how small. The exception to this is, the one thing that ALWAYS picks me up is being around horses, tho.

[Rockinonahigh]

I normaly just meet the problem head on and get that sucker out of the way,if that dosent work or I just feel steping back from it for a bit I head off to the gym.There is a kick boxing dummy up stairs,I give him a good work out,then im fine afterwards.One of the hardest thing I have had to learn is the art of soft talk...im pretty direct and to the point wich most folks just dont understand,its not that im mean or pushy or even in anyones face,I have a dry sence of humor when needed.Very often I dont say much unless ask about something..heck most folks I work for or hang out with wonder why I dont get into convos about things,I mean im not intrested in the local drama club gosip and it also is a way to avoid drama all togeather.

[1QuirkyKiwi]

Originally Posted by Rockinonahigh

One of the hardest thing I have had to learn is the art of soft talk...im pretty direct and to the point wich most folks just dont understand,its not that im mean or pushy or even in anyones face,

I've been trying the 'art' of tact and diplomacy for years and I still fail spectacularly at it, lol! I rarely mean to offend anyone, it's just that many people can't take the truth that well, thus, accuse me of being hurtful. I'm at that stage now where I just say I'm 'elegantly blunt' and leave it at that, lol! At least you know where you stand with me, lol!

[suebee]

I see I'm not unique in my coping skills. lol

Listening to music is one of my favorites. "I Can See Clearly Now" (any version) probably saved my life a couple of times when I was in the worst of my depression. Escapism in a good movie works well too. A walk on the beach or in the woods is great for body AND soul. Kitten or puppy therapy is good if I can resist the temptation of bringing yet another one home. Oh - and bunnies. Baby bunnies are the cutest creature on the planet!

Cleaning is great too. It's got a good end result, and gives me a sense of having a little bit of control.

But the absolute BEST is snuggling with my Sweetie. Can't beat that!

Sue

[iamkeri1]

I put on a brightly colored outfit. (hot pink or fire orange work best), and get myself out in the sunlight (pretty easy most of the time in FLorida.)

And the song that works best for me is ...



Smooches,
Keri
Don't like this video though!

[Rockinonahigh]

Originally Posted by 1QuirkyKiwi

I've been trying the 'art' of tact and diplomacy for years and I still fail spectacularly at it, lol! I rarely mean to offend anyone, it's just that many people can't take the truth that well, thus, accuse me of being hurtful. I'm at that stage now where I just say I'm 'elegantly blunt' and leave it at that, lol! At least you know where you stand with me, lol!

I couldnt have said it any better,my thouhgts exactly.

[WingsOnFire]

I suffer from seasonal depression so I try to get out in the sun as much as I can. If I am having a bad day at work, I go outside and just soak up the sun.

I went to the 2 dollar movies 10 times to watch Twilight when I was really down a few years ago.. LOL.

I love to scrapbook.. So sitting down at my table and making a huge mess always helps.

Peppa.. my holy terror beagle who is my most cherished child... always makes me laugh. She is a crazy azz dog. Its hard to not smile around her especially when she is "braining" me.. which is when she shoves her forehead to mine and pushes my head back.. and wont let me talk.. still have no idea what she is doing but its funny as hell..

Disney movies always make me laugh..

[Starbuck]

Talking with my gf usually helps, her voice is very soothing.
If she's not available, I'll talk with another friend of the "family".
Music to me has always seemed to calm me, you know what they say about the savage beast?
And I'm rather fond of retail therapy even if it's just to buy a new shirt to make me look nice, it makes me feel better.
Going to church and singing praise and worship songs does wonders for me also!.

[tapu]

If I'm just in the house and don't want to go out or do anything special, I just follow my dog around. Fairly closely, like he will me, you know? Wherever he goes, there I am, right behind him. He starts to get nervous pretty quickly and he's, like, looking around at me, left and right. Then his ears go down and he slinks around, trying to shake me. That just always cheers me up.

[Dominique]

I don't get down very often. I have moments of crankiness, but that passes quickly. If a storm is brewing, I reach for the music. Music and a walk is a cure all, but I can't sing loud and off key while taking a walk....so
if it's soul searching, deep into my vulnerablity time, I'm in the house with the sterio loud enough to drown me out.....and I'm singing away! Rock star I'll never be.....(I play a mean set of imaginary instruments)...

[cuddlyfemme]

I suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) when I'm bummed out what helps me is talking to friends, cuddling with my kitties and playing music...loud

[asphaltcowboi]

i usually take on a dare..(one that scares me) or ill go for a drive or a motorcycle ride until im completely lost.

[Gina]

I call around to find volunteer work that needs to be done..works for me..

[msW8ing]

Take a long drive while cranking up my favorite cd's...go visit my grandbabies..or make quilts for my grandbabies or friends kids..baking something for someone special works to...scrubbing my house from top to bottom..even if it's winter it will get a spring cleaning. lol

[tapu]

I steal stuff.

[Talon]

Punk rock on the ipod and an intense, sweaty, oh-god-I'm-going-to-puke workout....
Or
A nice spot of tea, and an old movie.

[tapu]

OK, OK, I've been fooling around, but here's what I honest-to-god do sometimes when I'm down: I give blood.

All the Red Crossers are so nice to you, and you feel like you're doing something good, and afterwards you get to sit at the long tables and eat as many snacks as you want and talk to the other donors.

If you really feel like shit, give platelets! It takes, like, 3 hours but they show you a movie and sometimes the women come around and feed you chocolate because you can't move your arms. I'm always like, More chocolate please.

Really, this one was not a joke. But I bet people who know me on here will suspect it is.

[tapu]

Another day, another thing I do when I'm down. Hm, might this indicate that I spend a lot of time feeling down? I'll try not to think about that.

This is something I really have done, not just a joke, but it's not nearly so noble as giving blood.

Not so long ago I had this job that absolutely stifled my little self. It was pure management and nothing at all in the realm of creativity, where I've always fit best.

Well, in the kitchen at this job, where on my floor probably 100 people were, I would hear everyone complain about not having enough flatware available if you took lunch too long after noon.

So I gradually started removing flatware from the kitchen until people were, like, practically screaming about the lack of spoons every day. I'd hear, "People are taking the forks to their desks and then just leaving them there and now the rest of us can't use them!!" and such.

I had a pretty strong collection by about New Years so when we came back after the first, I started insinuating all the flatware back into the kitchen. I even gathered up an old set or two I had at home and added those in.

The whole office seemed happier within a week or two and I felt really happy and entertained, too.


You know... I always thought it a bad idea to make me a manager since, basically, I'm why they need management, but this seems like I ultimately had a large, positive effect on the workplace after all.