What helps you enjoy your life?

[CapitanSandy]

Just that really.

After an incredibly tough 2 years and a few months experiencing burnout I woke up this morning with the feeling that I really want to start enjoying my life again. I’m mid 30’s with no DC.

I also want to retrain and study again but I’m not sure if I’m ready.

What helps you?

Getting up and having a nice coffee, food your enjoy, gym/exercise on a regular basis, clothes you like. Treat yourself well. Give yourself purpose. Read.

Get out and walk! Every day.

My lovely, kind and caring husband.

Keeping fit so that I can do activities I enjoy, climbing hills and similar.

A couple of niche hobbies.

My friends.

A non-negotiable slice of chocolate cake every afternoon.

Not being sick and not having any serious illness. I am grateful for that every day and it motivates me to appreciate it.

Seeing my extended family especially at gatherings like birthdays, especially in Summer when we can be outside. We have some fun together, especially with the toddlers and young kids.

Being lucky enough to have enough income to enjoy most things I enjoy like travel etc.

I enjoy baking I just don't do it anymore (unless it's Christmas or someone's birthday). I used to bake every weekend, even as a student at university.

I found an old recipe (it popped up on my Facebook memories) for vegan banana bread so I did that today. It's given me the bug again.

Next week I'll make a Victoria sponge or a malteaser cheesecake I think.

I've done a Spring To Do list, it's giving me a focus to do things.

I've also set myself a task of doing one new thing or going somewhere new once a month. It doesn't have to cost anything.

I work with teenagers in secondary school and that is rewarding and fulfilling. Maybe digging into what really matters to you in life and what your values are could give you a sense of what you might retrain as?
exercise is my tonic though. I’m always happy after training and preparing to go to the gym energises me too.

Doing a job that I adore (primary teacher)
Dinner and cocktails with friends at least once a month
Being in nature - hiking, running, walking or even just sitting on a park bench enjoying the view
Daily yoga
Shopping for new clothes
Coffee with a friend
Spending time with my sister and my gorgeous niece and nephew
Trying something new - my goal this year is to do one new activity each month. I did Thai boxing in January and I’m going kayaking next week
Meeting new and interesting people
Cuddling the cat in front of the tv
Reading
Swimming
Lighting a lovely scented candle and listening to music in the evening

My home
Daily little rituals like making a coffee in the moka pot, taking out and sitting on the bench outside my back door and drinking it whilst watching the birds on the feeders and splashing in their bath.
Having a little adventure planned - every month this year I'm going by train to a place I've never been before.
Cooking and eating well. Making my own bread.
Gardening.
Creative projects.
Swimming in the sea.

Me too (three!)
I’m not diagnosed with autism, but have a historic ADHD diagnosis and wouldn’t be surprised if I were autistic too. I have obsessions that last for a few months (skiing, avalanches, yes, serial killers, missing person cold cases and yes, Orlando holidays (I researched them so much I don’t even feel the need to go any more 🤣)
Current obsession is the supernatural. I don’t even believe in ghosts

Other things for me
Being outdoors, especially with animals
Baking
Crafting
Planning short breaks and day trips
I think volunteering can be good too, I don’t do anything formal due to time constraints, but doing the odd bit of fundraising, or even just checking in on elderly neighbours gets me out of a funk

At the start of the year I printed a year to view calendar and put it on my desk, along with a red, orange and green pen. Every day, I evaluate whether it's been a good, middling or bad day, all things considered (I sound like Arkwright in Open All Hours here!). Then I colour in the date accordingly,

So far, each day has ended up green. Even a few niggles here and there - some decent sized - haven't been enough to make it overall awful. It's actually been quite eye opening in a good way.

Doing stuff. Especially outdoors, but anything really. Walking, cycling, swimming. Art galleries, museums, cinema, theatre. Eating out. Wandering around the second hand shops. I like to do something every day that I'm not working. Today I did a sauna and sea swim. Tomorrow which is a bank holiday here, probably a drive somewhere nice to walk. And once in a blue moon, a lazy day at home with a book or Netflix.

Seeing friends
Exercise - mainly walking atm
Good food
family if they’re not annoying me in some way

Great sex with handsome men. Walks in nature. Working out. Retail therapy. Planning fun things with friends.

Having no plans

Spending a lot of time alone or with my dog and DH

Getting out in nature

Living rurally

Having enough income for the things I want/need/enjoy

A good box or tv series

Cooking and baking

Living a healthy lifestyle

Running

Thank you very much for the replies. I want my world to feel a little bigger while still being realistic so this has been really helpful.

It’s just been a case of being in survival mode so I’ve forgotten what I like and that life can be enjoyable too!

Getting fresh air every day, even when the weather is crap.
Exercising regularly (I love Zumba and step, they really cheer me up)
Seeing friends as often as possible (I walk with them as well as socialise)
Spending time by the coast
Watching live music (doesn’t have to be big expensive gigs, local pubs have live music round here)

Good luck OP
The start of a new you
Something good is coming:)

My mother is always obsessed with going for a walk. I've found I need to reframe it, because I don't actually enjoy the walking itself. So I'm going to see some beautiful scenery, or enjoy the autumn colours, or hear the birds, or feel the sun, or enjoy the light, or find a shiny conker to hold, or smell the pine forest, or see the stars. Campfires. For me a campfire is very restorative.

So nature calms and restores me. Music and experiences feed me. I can't commit to a weekly choir but will go for a day or weekend.

Yoga, meditation, walking, listening to music. I am doing an art degree and I really enjoy visiting art galleries and also enjoy online workshops (London Drawing Group run them amongst others). I go to gigs and comedy nights with my husband. I do pilates and have coffee with the group afterwards. I'm in a book group. I'm quite an introvert but it's important to do things with other people sometimes and get some exercise. I work part time and am happiest when I'm up to date with things.

• Enjoying good coffee at home (freshly grinding the beans and using a French press) makes me feel like I have a treat to look forward to every morning and afternoon.
• Eating healthily (with lots of yummy foods) and keeping my weight under control. I lost all my pregnancy weight in the last year and am determined to keep it off as I feel and look SO MUCH better. I enjoy dressing the way I can now and get a huge dopamine hit from that alone.
• Doing my hair and makeup. I wake up an hour before everyone else in the house so I can get myself ready for the day in peace and quiet while watching/listening to a programme I enjoy.
• I work part time (3 days) so I can spend more time with my young family (three kids: 14, 8 and 4). It also allows me to keep on top of the house, chores, etc without feeling overwhelmed. This is a huge thing for me as I have OCD and standards of cleaning are very high for me. It helps me manage this well.
• Games night every week with our extended family. We order takeout, the kids enjoy catching up and playing with their cousins and we do the same too.

These are just some of the things that I feel like help me to genuinely enjoy my life 😊

At your age it was clubbing and music festivals and shagging anyone who would have me. Plus sci fi fandom and horror films. Now it’s mostly parenting and the latter two.

My family, my cat, my friends, not working on Fridays, running, reading, sleeping, travel, looking after myself.

Running a couple of times a week
Yoga
Having a pleasant, clean and tidy home - no clutter, scented candles and throws. Clean sheets once a week etc etc
Planning regular catch ups with girlfriends. Doesn’t have to be expensive - coffee somewhere ‘nice’ (an independent not Costa) or a walk somewhere green. Everyone’s got their own worries and challenges and it helps to set your own in perspective.
Knitting - it’s really meditative
A bit of chocolate every day after dinner
A bubble bath
A good book on the go before sleep

What a lovely thread. For me:
Swimming in the sea (not in the UK though, has to be warm!).
A countryside walk on a Sunday with family and dogs, even better if there’s a pub lunch and a glass of wine at the end.
Music and dancing with friends at gigs and raves.
A cosy night in on my own with a dinner I’ve cooked to please no one other than myself followed by a good book in front of the fire.
Savouring the times that I know those I care about are happy and doing well. Life is full of ups and downs and I try to look for and recognise and appreciate when my family is “up”.

Wishing you all the best OP.

I'm lucky enough to live a few minutes walk from the coast and I sea swim every morning - I go early before everyone else is up - bar maybe 10 days out of the year. I do have to force myself a lot of the time, this morning being one of those occasions as it was baltic😬 but I am always so so glad afterwards that I did as it is amazing for clearing the head and setting me up for the day dealing with my mad brood!!
I'm also very proud of the fact that, having worked hard at it, I don't give a shiney shite about what anyone thinks/says about me - unless it's either true or said by someone I care very much for, then I may reflect.
We have 5 kids and unless the weather is dangerous, we are outdoors as much as possible at least 4 days a week, day goes quicker, they tire themselves out with the walking/running and the fresh air is good for all of us.
I do something nice every single day for myself, from meeting friends for coffee with no kids in tow to lying on my bed alone with a face and eye mask for 20 minutes in the evening.