Interests and Hobbies

What do you do to relieve your MI symptoms? How and why do they work for you?

The very best thing for me to do is to read a light fluffy novel. I have had to put down many a book as they be too emotional or go into trigger areas for me. I even threw one away once.
I love reality shows..not all of them but it is another hour away from my real life and into other people's.
I definitely am into escapism.

How about you?

Golf is the best reliever. I have never experienced something so relaxing than golf. It helps keep you focus on your swing and the nature around you. It's like a walk in the park but this time you are actually exercising. I have lost weight from playing golf. It's a very nice hobby that I love to play.

I like to play video games and rpgs like Dnd; nerd stuff

I've actually been struggling a lot with this lately because so many of my old hobbies just don't interest me anymore. Working out is always good as long as I can get into a routine and not have it get interrupted (working on starting over, again, now).

I've decided to take up photography, if nothing else, it will give me a good excuse to spend time outside. I also really want to learn how to cook, so I'm gonna do some experimenting there, and maybe take some classes if I can find the time and spare money.

I liked taking walks with friends, and I've taken up knitting, but knitting things for my brother even though winter is over. It forces me to concentrate (something I actually find difficult as my mind either zones out or wanders) and I've gotten really good at it. I think doing things for other people in general, whether it's cleaning to help my Dad or cooking for my family makes me feel better. The "sense of accomplishment" (as my dad puts it) makes me forget all the things wrong going on and lets me focus on what I've done, or what I can do with my own two hands.

Playing and agility training with the dog, woodworking and refinishing/building furniture that people need and toys for kids, volunteering, cooking, reading, and exercise. Now that the physical illness has passed and am getting my strength back, I can start to do some more of these things again and am really looking forward to it, in moderation though, small steps. It's amazing how much relief there is doing this stuff and the difference in stress not being to do them has been.

Being active in my church, and in my support group. I have found great people, amazing people there, with so much heart, and so much to offer, and learn from, even model myself after. It means so much that I am seen for who I am there, an outgoing, and giving person. Dont know what I would do without such outlets.

I love knitting even though I can only do basic stuff.
I like playing my harp, and I'm learning to play the guitar.
I like reading books about mental illness and recovery.
I love listenning to music.
I like hanging out on line.
Volunteering (although I'm taking a break from that at the moment)
I go to a lot of support group meetings.
Reading trash fiction.

Now I mostly work on my genealogy, especially online. I have a lot of online stuff I do, sites I'm heavily involved in, interactive stuff. But I also enjoy "inventing" real activities and projects and working on them for a short time, mostly related to health interests or managing my household.

I like to scrapbook....even though my husband jokes that he thinks my real hobby is collecting and organizing the supplies. He doesn't care and lets me get what ever stuff I want, but it amuses him that I can spend hours organizing the paper.

I also like to play computer games - WoW is a current fave. Good way to get out aggression when scalloped edge scissors just aren't enough.

But I had to giggle...genealogy would remind me of a bunch of the people who annoy me, so I should stay away from that one, eh? My dad was into it big time and I have boxes and boxes of info from his house. Maybe someday...