What do you do to support your own wellbeing?

[IShallConquerThis]

I'm looking for ideas, big and small, wacky and wonderful.

I'm on a mission to improve my overall wellbeing after a very difficult year last year and some ongoing challenges that I'm dealing with.

So far, I've started counselling sessions and joined a wellbeing choir. I'm looking into a local walking group and a book club. Trying (but not yet succeeding) to meditate daily. Trying (but failing miserably) to declutter and sort out my house. Trying (and occasionally succeeding) to eat more healthily and get more sleep. I already volunteer in my local community and have been doing this for years.

I'm interested to know what other people do to proactively manage their own wellbeing. I'm interested in anything that might improve my mental or physical health, enhance my home environment or help me to make new friends and connections/feel part of a community.

I am quite time poor as I work full time in a demanding job and have significant caring responsibilities. I'm married with grown up dc. Very unfit and overweight, I need to exercise more but don't enjoy it. Have adhd so struggle to organise myself. Have a couple of very close friends - would like more but don't know how to make them. I'm always better at prioritising other people's needs over my own.

Please share your tips, strategies and ideas with me! Or if you don't have any, then join me on my journey and hopefully we can learn from other people!

I am sick atm and think it has hit me quite hard as I am run down, so I am also trying to do more for my wellbeing.

When I feel better I am thinking I will get back to the gym for gentle exercise. I am a member but haven't been since Christmas! I like yoga, walking and swimming.

I am also trying to get more fruit and veg into my diet and mkre nutritious food in general. I work and have quite little kids, so I tend to not eat all day and then attack the snack cupboard after school pick up.

I seem to have accidentally quit booze as well as I just don't want it, which is probably a good thing.

Ultimately, I am considering finding another job. Mine is quite stressful atm. I am scared to take time off as I know the work will just sit there till I get back and I will have a huge backlog

I’d try to find a way of incorporating more movement into my life in a way that doesn’t feel punitive t’ai chi? I find gardening incredibly grounding.

I have to say, if you can afford mounjaro and qualify for it, I would seriously consider it. I was in a similar place, and losing weight was like a snowball effect on the rest of my life. It gave me more willpower to eat healthier and drink less, which meant exercise became so much easier and honestly more fun. It also gave me more willpower in other things besides food, I have no idea why - easier to stick to a skincare routine, to pack a healthy lunch for work instead of buying lunch daily, to take vitamins daily (used to always start with great motivation and then let it slide after a few weeks).

Even if mounjaro is not right for you, I’d consider just targeting one habit and trying to snowball other positive habits on top as you see results. The book Atomic Habits describes it well. I think the mounjaro gave me results in one area, and that helped me snowball to other things as well.

Thank you for the suggestions. I think I do definitely need to move more, and will have to give some thought as to how I can do this. Tai chi sounds fun.

I'm trying to improve what I eat as well - particularly fruit and veg, more fibre, less sugar and less UPF etc. I already drink very little anyway - a bit like you @SeasickSusan, I just don't feel the need.

I will give some thought to mounjaro @Xiaoxiong. I kind of feel like I should be able to do it without turning to medication but perhaps it would be worth it to help get me kick started. I'm a bit anxious though that I would put the weight straight back on again once I stopped.

Quit booze.Walk miles and do wejghts take magnesium vit D and iron.
Declutter regularly.Keep my weight at an optimum level.
Sleep and wake times same all week and weekend.
Limit difficult people.

Massages + Sol de janeiro body butter.

In the process of cleaning up and clearing my cluttered home. Cut down/cut out alcohol.

Yes this.

I've just had a long bath, now in bed with my heated throw, all cosy. Got the 'fire' on the tv and a good book

Next week I'm going to a sound bath.

Week after a fire and ice session

I avoid stressful tv and read heartwarming books . I’ve also chosen a less stressful job and balance my weekends with some chill time . I also bought a soup maker and am Increasing my veg and water intake x

Don't know if you've already seen it OP, but there's a thread on the same sort of theme, "Things you have done to make your life better/calmer". Sorry, not sure how to link to it.
It's been going for just over a week and is now on page 17. Lots of good tips and a very supportive read.

Thank you, hadn't seen it but I will search for it.

Yes good point with avoiding the stressful TV. I try to avoid best I can any films/programmes now that might make me sad or upset.

Enjoy your sound bath - I did this once and it was wonderful!

No idea what a fire and ice session even is!

Thank you. I will think about supplements.

Waking and sleeping at the same time each week will be quite challenging for me, but I can see that this would probably be very helpful.

Heartwarming books sound good... any recommendations?

Thank you all for the suggestions.

I’m also trying to improve my quality of self-care this year. For me it’s reading more rather than looking at my phone, more exercise, early nights, using hand cream before bed, jigsaws, puzzle books, a magazine susbscription, being more “finished” in my look like wearing jewellery more and taking care with hair. Am also being honest with people about how I like to spend my time - saying no to evening meet-ups and doing lunch/coffee instead.

I'm fundamentally selfish.

Nice skincare
Nice clothes
Art/theatre
Bubble baths
Perfume
Free time
Clean, crisp sheets

I had pnd after ds was born. I thought counselling might be a good idea. Saw a lady in a v expensive house and paid her £25 30+ years ago. Came away thinking spending it on myself rather than giving it to her would make me happier.

I recently read a book about the feel good hormones - dopamine, oxytocin, seratonin and endorphins. It explained what they each do and how to boost them. As someone who relied on Mumsnet and chocolate for my little lifts, I’ve found the steps I’ve taken have really helped. I also listened to Alan Carr (the give up smoking man, not the winner of celeb traitors) book about ditching emotional eating.
Having made a routine around a morning workout with weights (just 15 minutes, light weights, whatever I find on YouTube), prioritising daylight exposure and contact with loved ones near and far, I feel a million times better. More energetic, less achey.
All I need to do now is keep it up - I’m great at abandoning things after 6 weeks, even if they’re doing me good!

That's a great list. Love the idea of doing jigsaws... haven't done them for years but I've always liked them.

Inspired to hear that you're feeling so much better.

Do you happen to remember the name of the book about the feel good hormones?

I use a sports watch (Garmin VivoActive4) and it's like a personal trainer that follows me around:

Tells me if I haven't moved for a while
tracks my water and fluid intake and sets me daily goals
tracks my walks, steps and cycle rides and gives me badges for meeting goals
gives me metrics on my sleep pattern and quality.

I use the app on my phone to look at how I've done, it's much clearer than trying to read it on my watch.

it has genuinely changed my wellbeing, especially the fluid intake.

For me it's time offline so being present with my loved ones and I love to read books, I feel so much better when I've been reading than when endlessly scrolling in my down time. Having good routines so getting to bed and up at regular times, eating lots of veg (currently doing Zoe) and getting some exercise and routines with the housework so it never gets so bad I feel overwhelmed.

Thank you. I have a fitbit but got out of the habit of using it. I will dig it out and start again.