To ask you what do you do to cheer yourself up

[proseccoandbooks]

When you had a bad month day?

Recently I've not had a great life. Quite a few bad news, arguments with DP, etc

On the bright side, it's almost 3 weeks since I've quit smoking! Yay me.

So what do you do? How do you keep your head up high and most importantly, how do you give yourself credit? I noticed I have a tendency to put myself down and to be kinda evil to myself....

Thanks, lovely mumsnetters!

Good work giving up smoking OP - not easy!!

To cheer myself up, I usually watch old black and white films, the Joan Hickson series of Miss Marple, or old Midsomer Murders episodes (John Nettles only). I also watch loads of tennis. And bake. I've ticked a few of these off today already as I am feeling the need to keep my chin up at the mo as well.

This morning I made some lemonade scones (an NZ recipe) and watched Brief Encounter which was extremely enjoyable. Lemonade scone recipe in case anyone's interested (nice with cream and lemon curd, which I didn't have today, but butter was also good).

3 cups self raising flour
250ml lemonade
250ml cream

Mix wet ingredients into flour to form a soft dough and tip out onto floured work surface. Knead gently for a few seconds. Press out to about 3cm thick and cut into squares (or use a round cutter). Bake at 220 (200 fan) for about 10 mins.

Well done on the smoking front, comrade! I am not smoking since January.
Your question though asks for a long philosophical answer which would bore everyone out of their bras, but I'd say this, what worked for me:

• I used to take anti-depressants (20 years, most of my adult life, till now) - in stressful and relatively peaceful times equally
• I used to drink a lot and smoke, and listened to angry loud music (strangely the neighbours didn't hear a thing, they said) in particularly bad times.

How do I give myself credit? I guess I do, because I'm a faulty, imperfect bastard who still respects herself and also any previous experience of achieving something/overcoming fear means to me now that I can do it again. As in "you managed it once - you'll manage something similar again, the skill is already there".

Finally, I am not afraid to ask for help (medical, at work, any sort of help). I also don't have any guilt complex.

dontdribbleonthecarpet

I wish mine were yoga/running/going to the gym but unfortunately it’s more eating rubbish / reading mumsnet and lounging around.

I buy a new nail varnish

This is what I do too! I'm addicted. It makes me fresh for a little while and like I've taken time for myself even if for 5 minutes just to paint my nails.

I also watch old Disney movies (yeah I know they are for kids..!) The Lion King in particular never fails to cheer me up a little and remind me of simpler times!