How do you sustain a good mood through these times?

[Sundiamond]

I feel grateful that we are well and working. Every day I am thankful for this. I know how much worse things can be.

But I still feel low. I work at home, and despite dog walking and exercise and eating/sleeping well, I feel really low.

I wondered what things other people did to keep their spirits up? It just feels dark and relentless at the moment. And the loom of such an incompetent Brexit, spelling disaster for so many, fills me with horror.

I keep reminding myself that it won't be like this forever, and the longer it goes on, the closer we are to the end

Booze. I’ve never been a big drinker but I’ve got overly interested in alcohol this year. I have a beer every night and make cakes every week and make a big song and dance about both. I walk off the calories with nervous energy. I don’t know how long I can string it out for...

@notanothertakeaway, yes that's good

@RhodaDendron - yes, booze helps and I am not a big drinker either, but I get up very early so it's not always that helpful

The belief that this time next year things will be almost back to normal. Think how quickly the last year has passed, the next year will pass just as quickly. I think we will appreciate the things we took for granted so much more when this is over.

It’s hard isn’t it?
I’m struggling more at the moment because I’m having to isolate because of a case at work. I struggle when I can’t take proper exercise.
I find having a to-do list helps. Yesterday I decluttered and cleaned some kitchen cupboards and I feel pretty good about that.
I play some silly games on the Switch.
Me and DH are enjoying that Queen’s Gambit programme on Netflix.

Rewatching The IT Crowd has been really good - so many hilarious moments.

Walking, running, being with the dc which has much more joy in it now they’re at school. We’re in outer London but can get to countryside ish areas really easily for walks - getting a lot of joy from woods and forests just now.

I’ve just got an adult scooter which is fun and means I can keep up with Ds.

We’ve just got a fire pit for the garden and that can be really mesmerising.

Also, though, tv! Strictly is on, the crown has a new season as does His Dark Materials. A bit of TV is nothing shameful right now!

There was another thread on this recently:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4072517-To-ask-for-what-youre-going-to-do-through-this-new-lockdown-to-survive-or-even-thrive

I find it hard too.

Personally I bought a crappy second hand bike in the summer and getting a chance to go out for a ride at the weekend gives me something to look forward to. I'd not had a bike for about 30 years before this and have discovered I love it.

Also watching a lot of comedy on TV.

Very hard, I don't know the answer. I am accepting being more low than usual. I don't feel depressed, just not as jolly as last year.

How else is one supposed to feel??

I do plan.nice activities where possible, even if just stargazing or walks.

Getting the kids to a park after school to make up for the loss of their activities and break the evening up.

Meeting up to walk with a friend on furlogh early in the week to get it off to a good start.

Being active on daylight and trying to maintain social connections.

I’m just trying not to over think it.

The proper lockdown earlier in the year was super tough with the schools shut and I keep reminding myself that as long as DS gets to go to school we can get through whatever else happens.

Like yourself we are well, working and very fortunate so I’m embracing the chance to slow life down and watch box sets, scale back the Christmas obligations and sort of ‘write off’ the year.

Equal amounts of cynicism and alcohol. So vast quantities of both.

I find it hard, too. Going out and travel are very important to me. I’m exercising, eating well and sleeping enough, but wake most days feeling low.

I tell myself daily that a vaccine is around the corner and this won’t be forever, and sometimes the sentiment sticks, sometimes it doesn’t.

It’s the long evenings I’m finding a struggle. I’m bored by about 5pm. Don’t drink Mon/Tuesday but other nights a few glasses takes to edge off.

I get out in daylight as much as possible, so running and walking the dog. It’s hard though.

No alcohol, cutting down on sugar, fresh air and exercise every day, regular bedtimes, vitamin d, enjoying being in the moment with my kids, avoiding the news and generally focussing on the positives. All of these things make me feel better.

Oh, yeah, and the antidepressants that allow be to do the above and stop me disappearing into wine soaked wallowing, which was the first five months of this shit.

I learned several years ago to acknowledge and accept the slowing of my body in the winter like a sort of near- hibernation. I make a point of changing my wardrobe for the season, pulling curtains to cosy the house, light candles, snuggle with blankets, hot water bottles, find good books to read and seek out films to watch (which is a very different thing to surfing Netflix or scrolling on mumsnet). It’s really important (for me) to be purposeful rather than drifting aimlessly. I also try and do things with my hands- a small bit of sewing or crochet, nothing brilliant.
Getting outside everyday helps hugely and bringing the outside indoors with flowers and greenery helps too. Taking pleasure in small things - the feel of a hot mug in my hand, the first sip of tea, the fresh air when you open a window, clothes hot out of the drier... mundane stuff, but it probably does more to lift me up than planning big holidays or days out.
I think it also makes a difference to choose your indulgences - picking nice wine, nice chocolate, nice ice cream or taking time to bake. It’s not about it being expensive as much as being deliberately chosen iykwim.

I’m struggling this year, but I think I’ve got a head start because I’ve been dealing with anxiety and depressive tendencies for years now.

Reducing my alcohol intake has improved my anxiety levels and overall mood. A glass with Sunday lunch rather than a Friday/Saturday half bottle + odd glasses through the week. Getting out for fresh air most days Making lists and doing Christmas prep in leisurely time. This year we've all had nice advent calendars, not something we usually bother with but thinking we won't be spending on the usual markets/events and dos. Advent calendars aside not getting pressured into doing a Perfect Christmas e.g Christmas Eve Boxes, Family PJs. Nothing wrong with those things specifically but I was starting to get stressy about doing those things, then realised my family would really just prefer a takeaway and a film and not give two hoots about us having matching PJs and Instagram worthy Christmas Eve boxes! Realising that was a massive relief. Anyway, I digress, appreciating the small things, looking forward to the prospect of a more normal life post lockdown and fresh air are probably what it boils down to.

That should say more normal life post vaccine, not lockdown. Hope on the horizon.

Alcohol, running, cuddles with Ddog and how she has no idea what's going on so needs me to keep going, mumsnetting, counting my blessings that I don't have major money worries, eating nice food.

I know this sounds really trite but thinking of others less fortunate than myself really gives me a mental “ shake”
Reading..getting lost in a good book.
Enjoying good wine
Watching easy programmes like Friends repeats
Jigsaws and crosswords
Thinking of things I DONT miss ..like the commute, spending a fortune on travel and crap coffee, getting up at 5.30 in the freezing winter

Lots of exercise, 2 hours a day of high intense cardio or circuits, lots of outside time in the sun when possible, valuing my time working with others, lots of sex with dp and lots of quality time with the kids walking and cooking

This sounds wanky but exercise.
Reading endless books that I love - especially re-reading books I've loved previously.
Forcing myself to phone people for catch ups.
Baking cakes.
To-do lists of stuff I can tick off daily.
Dog walks whatever the weather - there's nothing more cheery than watching my dog run around with his mates even when I can't.
Accepting that this year is just shit. It's not about comparing other people's shit with mine - I'm lucky in a million ways. But it's alright to acknowledge the shitness.