What do you do daily/weekly that you knows helps your mental health…

[Headismush789]

I’ll go first, I try to get out of the house at least once a day. I know this makes me feel better and gives me perspective. I try to exercise once a week and I know that eating healthy makes me feel good. What do you do for yours?

cleanse and moisturise routine
appreciate my socks
drink PLJ in fizzy water
crosswords
eat Something Nice
do a sociable hobby
don't think about work out of work
listen to music
read a book
talk to H (not just about the household tasks)
walk somewhere
keep up with my administrative commitments I can't in all conscience put this down, having just sent off some minutes nearly 2 weeks late, but it would help if I did...
edit: ooh yes, candles, and Listen to the Universe which again I don't do as much as I would benefit from

Absolutely definitely get out once a day.
Have a hot shower once a day, and a hot bath once a week (with really, nice-smelling bubble baths/shower gels/shampoos etc).
Try not to eat too much crap.

https://www.everydaymiracles.love/ It takes some commitment to stick with it but it really pays off.

If it's not raining I like to stroll around a lake near to me. I have to sit frequently because I have a bad back so I couldn''t walk around it without sitting 3 or 4 times. I try to take deep breaths and look at the hedgerow for different plants, the water for different birds and geese. It takes me an hour when I know others can do it in less than 30 mins but I always feel calm afterwards. If I feel stressed it helps me feel calmer.

I own a dog, I could never not own one because my life is just better with a dog.
We go on lovely long walks, she follows me around the house, I find the warmth and weight of her curled up on my knee or next to me comforting while I sit and read my book or watch tv, she knows when I'm sad or unwell and tries her best to make it better and she's a right little character that makes me laugh every single day.
I adore her and making her happy makes me happy.

I also love to read on my Kindle every day even if it's just a chapter.

I have a fancy espresso machine and grinder, I find the whole process of making good coffee therapeutic weighing my beans, grinding, levelling, tamping, weighing/timing the espresso as it pours and steaming my milk.

The best part of my day is when I make my coffee. The dog sits and waits/watches while I make it then we go into the living room and she curls up on my knee for a nap while I sit and read my book and drink my coffee. It's bliss

Walk every day
Park run
Take the dog for a walk twice a day - thats different walking to clear my head walking
Keep in the day
See a friend at least 3 times a week, even if its just for a ten minute walk or a quick coffee
Sit and drink a cup of green tea and relax for 20 mins when I finish work, instead of pouring a glass and pushing on
Keep my clothes clean, pressed and put away. After a huge long lasting depression where all self care went by the bye, keeping on top of my wardrobe makes me feel good
Sing along to music no matter that there isnt a note in me

Smoke and drink 🤷‍♀️ might not be the best answers I know! But that's my genuine answer to your question! And yes I know alcohol is meant to be a depressant an all but I am no more depressed now than I was when I was teetotal. Plus a glass of wine is a pleasure to me. Going on long walks while drinking copious amounts of water does not compare to a glass of wine and a couple of cigarettes for me.

On a more positive note, spending time with my cats. Living in the moment. My version of self care, which means making time to do the things I love like reading and my hobbies.

Not to derail but those who swim, do you use underwater headphones to listen to music while swimming? If so, which do you recommend?

I crochet, read and I always have a shower and do my hair. DS1 bought me some posh skincare for Christmas so I’m trying to get into the habit of using that too.

I go for a walk. On one route I even know where the point is where I can feel my spirits lift.

I try to involve a coffee, too. Mostly going via Waitrose for a freebie.

Sorry it's taken so long to respond!

It's a local coach to me, called Chameleon Coaching. I'm hoping to sign up to the next 5 week course which is in person, but it seems like she does something online too

@Youmeandacupoftea

Sorry, forgot to attach the pic of her Facebook page

I leave the house every single day without fail. Even if it's just to sit in the garden, or to walk to the local corner shop. Just to get outside. The only time I don't is when I'm really ill.

I walk as much as I can and when it's pouring with rain or freezing cold outside I do one of Leslie Sansone's YouTube walk at home workouts. She is very chirpy and American but I find her enthusiasm quite infectious and I never, ever regret doing it.

I read my Kindle every night before bed or if I am just too drained I listen to an audiobook..... it's like someone reading me a bedtime story and feels like a treat somehow.

I keep to a pretty consistent bedtime and wake up time. I'm normally in bed by 10.30pm and up at 7am, including at the weekends.

I have two days each week when I just leave the house to walk my dog. I don't see other people. I am an introvert, and I need those days to recharge.

A friend of mine has 2 'bed' days each week.

Walk the dog every day in nature, not on pavements. Nature always grounds me.

Listen to the Calm app every night

No Alcohol

Allow myself some chocolate every few days

Sleep as much as I can - I like to
escape into dreamland

My MH is still shot to bits but would probably be much worse if I didn’t do the above things.

I don't- I count lengths (and sometimes strokes in a length.) I find the counting can be quite meditative, a bit like counting breaths in yoga.

I do the crossword every morning and puzzles like quordle and wordle. Mentally stimulating.

Walks

Reading - escaping into other worlds

Meeting up with family and friends. Probably not daily or weekly but at least fortnightly. There's nothing like a good laugh with some friends.

Watching my favourite TV show.

Gardening in good weather, but I wish I lived somewhere with a better climate. Last summer was a washout. Visiting show gardens and admiring the perfection (how do they deter the slugs?) and indulging in a coffee and cake in the coffee shop.

Lighting candles and sitting by an open fire.

Painting my toenails (I don't bother with my fingernails). They look pretty and I feel like I'm pampering myself. And I can experiment with mad colours and nobody will see them.

Talking to my cats and petting DCat1. DCat 2 doesn't much like being petted. However, she sits beside me on the sofa most mornings, if I'm not rushing off to work. I feel very privileged that she has elected to grace me with her presence.

Lithium.

Daily meditation
Yoga most days
Walk in nature
Laugh and dance with my children
Try and be in moment and remember to try to not take things too seriously.

Oh and more recently as children are older, make a real effort to spend time with the people I love.
I have a set day for each person, once a month on the calendar that we commit to meeting.
Has really helped to re-strengthen bonds after the last decade or so spent focused on kids.
I find the day is different depending on who I meet but it always makes me feel happy. More sense of community and love and future in me.

Stopped reading the Daily Mail.

As pp have said, walking the dog - you have to get outside every day which can feel like an achievement (when you're low these little milestones really count!)
Summoning the mental capacity to read - as above with the feeling of achievement (I used to read LOADS and thanks to an ex it became something selfish and I conditioned myself to feel guilty about it)
Listening to audio books or podcasts while walking if I feel overwhelmingly sad and getting spiralling thoughts
Having a long hot bath - especially if the heating has to be off for cost purposes and I've got numb hands and feet and zero energy

Yoga - I struggle with my hands and wrists so I only do hands free yoga ATM. It really helps me.

Minimal social media and news. Not too much phone time in general.

No dieting - controversial one I think, especially on here! But it has helped my MH a lot and I haven't piled on weight since quitting dieting.

I've just left a bloody awful job and feel like a new person. That isn't weekly, I know, but has made the absolute biggest difference to me lately

Put loud music on when every goes out and dance round the kitchen like I’m a fucking Mega Star.

A swim in the sea every Saturday morning with 2 friends