PLS INSPIRE me & give me yr ideas, if you had a healthy budget & needed distraction

[whattodofordistraction]

what one day events, life experiences or courses or anything at all would you book on to?

I've had a recent bereavement and feeling very down about the future.

I'm looking for ideas for distraction - literally anything at all - but something you would be thinking "if I had the time and the money I would LOVE to do that..."

Ideally things that are fairly short or short time spaced out (so like a one day class/event or a short course comprising a couple of hours a week rather than a whole month in Spain for example).

I'm open to anything really but not hugely sporty (no running and nothing requiring a high degree of fitness). Would prefer smaller more intimate things - like a masterclass with a celebirty X for 10 people rather than attending a big lecture.

Something with a wow factor. The kind of thing you might be thrilled to get for an extravagent birthday or Christmas present

Any ideas?

Sorry for your loss OP 💐

I think I'd go to more book tour events, and then read the books too. I always see the talks etc advertised and think I don't have time.

Musicals! And theatre. As many as I could ~ maybe one a month?

A good Asian cookery course, I love cooking but Japanese/Chinese/Indian always allude me. Possibly a pricey one, or getting someone to come teach me and friends, at home.

A really fancy gym membership at Third Space (or any of the super luxe ones) ~ start going to a class, maybe Pilates, and get really good at it. Become an effortless gym goddess 😂

Possibly a Soho house or similar social club type membership, so I could peruse their events and pick and choose what sounds interesting to me.

You've definitely given me food for thought there, as I can afford most of mine and could carve time out for one or two - so need to get on that 👌

thank you @LittleRedRidingHoody book tour events is a good one.

I think musicals is a bit too solitary for me at the moment. I'd just cry at being alone plus alot of musicals have emotional songs/story lines that I can't deal with at the moment.

It's a challenge even to find a feel good film without death or romance for me at the moment

No problem.

Ahh I understand that dilemma a little - a good friend recently lost a family member, and had a divorce at the same time. I'm sure not as traumatic as your loss, but I definitely gained skills in picking movies/things to do that avoided romance or death! We watched lots of game shows, which gave us something mindless to do and luckily the subjects often avoid both! You often end up yelling at the screen totally enamoured with the average price of ketchup in the 90s (or we did anyway!)

Something that's just sprung to mind as well ~ guided tours of different countries? There are more and more groups of 'friends' (flung together by those who book, and nothing else) travelling. Slightly less difficult than trying to do/book/manage a trip solo! Lots of options and ages, and plenty in Europe that are just a few days.

Any random hobbies/things you've always been interested in? I've been shocked in recent years about just how many conventions there are for different hobbies. I attend a weekend away every 3 months for board gaming, for example.

I'd go on a yoga retreat somewhere lovely.

@5128gap thank you for your suggestion but I'm too non-stretchy for yoga. It's not really my thing.

@LittleRedRidingHoody
but I definitely gained skills in picking movies/things to do that avoided romance or death!

If you have any suggestions I'm all ears!

anyone got any other thoughts please?

If it's your sort of thing, I did an embroidery course. It was just a day in London in a small class of about 8 I think. We learnt all the basic techniques, and I found the whole process strangely cathartic.

I also now have the basic skills to put names or little images on jumpers for kids gifts which I really enjoy doing for my friends

There are some active Facebook groups for singles holidays, focused on community/ friendship rather than relationships. Similarly there are walking groups for all abilities if you want company and to be outdoors. I think I'd take unusual tours locally, boat tours with small groups or a friend, guided swimming and kayaking tours, that kind of thing. I live near some nice vineyards, so I might do some of the wine tasting groups/courses. Cooking and book tours sounds like good fun. I'd love to learn about interior design or go on a writing retreat.

Hay Festival
WOMAD festival
Glyndebourne
Montreux jazz fest

(haven’t been to any so can’t vouch, but want to and sounds good with friends)

Also dying to do the rug making thing in London

tuftinglondon.com/ tuftinglondon.com/]]]] looks soooo fun and satisfying! There’s a 2 day workshop for £250 so not megabucks but also not everyday.

Also, money no object - private cruise of the med?

@Dramallama91 @TrippTover yes thanks I'll look at both of these.
this is the kind of suggestions I was hoping for - courses I'd never heard or would never think of.

A cruise is too much of a whole block time commitment for me though - shorter things is what I'm looking for. So weekends, week long courses, evening courses, random events.

The Glasshouse retreat? I convalesced through a hard time there. It was absolutely the right thing at that time and I am so grateful for it having been there.

Rough idea of where in the country you are and you might get some really good suggestions?

We were in Norfolk during the summer and visited a few stately home type places. A lot of them had special events once a month or so where you could do small tours of the attics or private areas. Some sounded really interesting but we would be long gone.

I'm not a fan of zoos but quite wildlife places have day long look after the giraffes experiences, that sort of thing.

Clay pigeon shooting. Have no interest in hunting but would be fun to be a crack shot 😀and you don't have to be fit and sporty. Just need some wellies and some cord trousers I think.

I can't bear spas but there's a foot clinic Margaret Dabbs in London that's supposed to give you feet like a newborn. There are a few others around the country too.

iPhone photography course [if you have one]. Learn all the features.

London or Gloucestershire mostly but anywhere in the sort of central circular area bordered from stoke on trent to Nottingham to cambridge to oxford to cheltenham is fine.

I'm also prepared to travel to Scotland, wales or Ireland for a long weekend/ week for anything interesting or unusual that sparks my distraction curiosity Very open minded

What about something like this? https://www.coldatnight.co.uk/glow-midsummer

I did similar after a pretty horrible time in my life and it was lovely x

@Betteroutdoors that looks really interesting but it's a long time until June! definitely something for me to look at though.
:)

I did think that, I was hoping there was one sooner, it might be worth having a look to see if Gemma who is mentioned on there is doing any of her workshops sooner, she is Bristol based usually so may be a bit far, but she is lovely and pretty active on Instagram at thequietheart.

The other gentle thing that has worked for me are some of Beth Kempton's courses. There is a free winter one starting soon https://dowhatyouloveforlife.com/course/winter-writing-sanctuary-2024/ so you could have a taster

ooooooooo @Betteroutdoors a writers sanctuary sounds interesting. would never have thought of that.