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Original poster

Anyone fancy a Do something new every day thread?

371 replies

woodcutbirds · 03/05/2019 08:01

Been discussing how much it helped kick me out of depression to do something - anything - every day that I'd not done before or not since childhood, or something I was scared to do. It made more difference than anything else.
Does anyone fancy having a go at doing something new every day for a week?

OP posts:
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5
Wintersnowdrop · 13/06/2019 14:59

What a lovely idea for a thread :) Can I Join you? I tried a tai chi class today. I belong to a leisure club at a hotel and it was like a taster session. Was nice to try something different.

growlingbear · 13/06/2019 15:42

Hi @Wintersnowdrop Welcome. (OP with name change here)
Tai Chi sounds like a good one. I might look that up.

PowerBadgersUnite · 13/06/2019 16:05

Hello wintersnowdrop. I'd love to try tai chi, maybe I'll look up some classes in my area now you mention it. :)

Today I attended and spoke at an event related to something I've been helping out with. It was really important it went well and I've come out of it feeling pretty happy I said all the things I needed to say. It was definitely a new experience but really interesting.

How was the open mic?

PowerBadgersUnite · 15/06/2019 14:37

Hey. How's everyone doing?

growlingbear · 15/06/2019 15:31

Hi Badgers (OP here, name changed)
I've had a bit of a dip this week so not done much over the last two days. Though I did take DS to get his first grown up suit yesterday and he looks gorgeous in it. So that's a first of sorts.

Open mike went fine in the end. Got an OK response (not wow but good enough). Was very nervous beforehand but held it together at the time. Glad I did it though, I think.

And I applied for a new job too - a proper full time office job, not my usual freelance contract gigs. Been realising that all these small things are very well, but in the end, trying a new flavour of tea isn't going to make the changes I need. I need to do some bolder stuff and I am such a chicken - but job app and open mic are steps in that direction.

How about you Badger? What have you been up to? The public speaking sounds brave.

PowerBadgersUnite · 15/06/2019 18:51

Nice name change :)

Wow! A new job really is a big change. Good luck with the application. I'm really glad the open mic went well.

Yesterday I confirmed with uni that I am returning to my course at the end of August (I had to defer a year because of my mental health). I'm really looking forward to getting back. At the moment it sort of just feels like I'm killing time so small new things are good for me.

Today I made a lemon drizzle cake though we are saving it for tomorrow so I don't know what it tastes like.

growlingbear · 15/06/2019 21:22

Good luck with your return to uni Badgers

8FencingWire · 16/06/2019 08:17

Glad the open mic went well, you’re so incredibly brave, I would have been a mess. Or very drunk. Good luck with the job application Flowers

badgers, so exciting! Going back to uni! What course are you doing?
I went to Uni 13 years ago. Since then, every 2-3 years I am back, I am specialising within the speciality and I’m piling on the post grad qualifications, till I’ll become a specialist in being a specialist 🙄😂.
But it feels like I’m never finished, like I’m yet to ‘fly the nest’ as it were. I might as well bite the bullet and do my masters, then they really won’t have me anymore, cause I would have done them all. But it’s weird going back yet again.

I’m struggling still with new things.

LonelyTiredandLow · 16/06/2019 09:23

Good luck with the job applications Growling. I'm in awe of all of you doing classes to keep fit. My friend has finished her placement recently and has started doing the same and I feel I need to join her. I did go swimming alongside dd last week which I haven't done for ages.

Also walked instead of using the car to collect dd yesterday. My metabolism isn't what it once was Wink and i'm noticing the wobbles.

Going to look at that recipe lemon and see if I can get dd to try one (the mince with apricot).

PowerBadgersUnite · 16/06/2019 10:07

Thanks guys. I'm currently studying mental health nursing of all things. This is my second degree and like you fencing I just can't stay away from uni. I have a masters in a very different subject and I would absolutely recommend doing one. I loved studying for mine. Then, of course, you can go on and do a PhD. Wink

Well done on the walking lonely. I always mean to walk places and then somehow accidentally end up on a bus. I really must do better as some of my meds are notorious for causing weight gain and I really want to keep it under control (she says having just made a huge lemon drizzle cake).

I'm not sure what new thing I'm going to do today. We have a friend coming round for lunch and as the weather is so awful we're all just having a bit of a lazy Sunday.

SeaSidePebbles · 16/06/2019 18:30

I found this website helpful :)
Part of my ‘new thing to try’🤗

growlingbear · 16/06/2019 19:42

Hi @SeaSidePebbles

Thanks for that link.
Badgers I admire what you are doing. So worthwhile.

Fatasfooook · 17/06/2019 01:17

F

growlingbear · 17/06/2019 08:02

Hello and welcome @Fatasfook - care to add to that? Grin

PowerBadgersUnite · 18/06/2019 07:53

Morning all. Yesterday I went to a talk in London. It was really good but exhausting. Any new things today will be small and simple I think.

growlingbear · 18/06/2019 07:59

Badgers That's a good one. Are we allowed to ask what on or is that too outing?

I'd definitely like to add that to my list. I went to a talk in London in March and came away exhilarated with new ideas. I put my email n their mailing list but never heard back. It's a name that's so easy to misspell, so I should have followed them up. You've inspired me to chase the talks programme.

growlingbear · 18/06/2019 08:02

Went back to Body Combat this week and LOVED it again. If I look in the mirror I see a wobbly middle aged woman with no grace at all. But if I don't, I feel like the super-fit twenty something I used to be!

Booked with friend to go kayaking next week. That's something I have wanted to do all my life. Kayak along the Thames. Really excited to be doing it.But nervous too. Apparently you have to learn how to capsize! Shock

PowerBadgersUnite · 18/06/2019 11:39

It was mental health related growling, but more useful for my course than for my own stuff. It was really interesting though and the person leading it was very good.

Kayaking on the Thames sounds amazing! I hope the weather perks up a bit for you.

I walked to my yoga class today as my new thing. I usually get the bus. It was raining when I came out though so I did get the bus home.

growlingbear · 21/06/2019 13:56

How is everyone doing?
This week I've:

  1. witnessed both DC win a prize on prize day (bit of a stealth boast but it's never happened before and they were very happy)
  2. tried a new Lebanese restaurant
  3. set up an online group for people with a shared interest
  4. gone to check out very cheap local office space as I am going mad working from home. Some days I never leave the house or speak to anyone except grunts from DC!
SeaSidePebbles · 23/06/2019 11:54

growling, sounds like you had a really delightful day :)

I tried a new cafe yesterday, I loved it so much I think it’s becoming a favourite!

EggAndButter · 23/06/2019 12:13

Not back for a while as I havent done many things 'new'

In the last couple (?) of weeks i have

  • tried a new lovely restaurant with friends
  • carried on setting up new behaviour/boundaries with 'interesting' reactions from other people (Basicaly not respecting said boundaries or showing a total lack of care/compassion).
  • been to a functional medicine practitioner/nutritionist. I found it amazing how she relates my ME to the PND and AND I had with the dcs..... Add that the comment from my counsellor (aka about trauma being lodged in the body), maybe my ME isnt that much about physical stuff and more about emotional stuff/depression....

I have one more week at work before I start a long 3 months break. My aim is to do all those new things then (as I will have more time to try them all out) to find new things I enjoy and new ways of working/structuring the day and week that works better for me.

ComeAndDance · 23/06/2019 12:14

growling I love your idea of looking for a new space to work. Making our work fit around us rather than us fitting around work is so important isnt it?

PowerBadgersUnite · 25/06/2019 11:41

Hi everyone, how's things going? Have you managed to find a new workspace growling.

I love a new cafe seaside :)

The nutritionist person sounds really interesting Egg. I hope she helps.

Over the last three days I've

  • been to a dance show dd is in,
  • booked tickets to another contemporary dance show for my birthday in October,
  • made a nut roast,
  • joined the 50 book challenge thread (I'm never going to read 50 books this year but it's really encouraged me to focus on reading more which is something I really want to get back into).
  • today I walked to and from my yoga class, I usually get the bus at least one way so that's a good bit of exercise.
growlingbear · 25/06/2019 12:46

Hi everyone.

Yes, I have found new workspace, rented from 1st July.
And I've also done something that has been on my bucket list for about a decade: I went kayaking on the Thames. It was incredible. Paddling around the islands of quaint summerhouses, past coots on nests and fluffy goslings. It was amazing. I want to do it again.

Badgers - dance shows! I used to love contemporary dance shows. Used to go to them a lot. Haven't been in years. What a brilliant idea.

seaside it's so lovely to discover a new favourite cafe, isn't it? Small things like that can really add to the quality of everyday fun in life.
egg I agree that some ME could be emotionally rooted, as it has so much in common with depression. Just as depression is a far more physical illness than people realise if they don't suffer from it. Whatever the root cause, it is so important to give time and focus to self-care and healing.

lemonbalmtea · 26/06/2019 18:04

Powerbadgersunite I love the Spanish accent! I would love to pick up learning Spanish again. There is a Language Café near me - those who speak European languages (usually Italian, Spanish, French) meet with English speakers to have a mutual exchange. On my list!

Dance shows are such an inspiring thing to go and see too - Sadlers Wells has some great ones.

Lonely The great thing about picking up swimming, walking etc. is the strength builds up pretty quickly. Well done.

growlingbear Night Kayaking in the Thames has been on my list for ages! Also Stand Up Paddle Boarding. Really impressed with your open mic too. There was a night I used to go to - reading aloud from teenage diaries. It was hilarious. Unfortunately (or thankfully) I threw my teenage diaries out when I reached adulthood as I decided I'd outgrown them!

I quite like the idea of giving a talk about my condition and what I've learned about life/positivity/resilience since diagnosis. I'm not sure though - it sort of just sits in my head and I think do I have something to say? I'd have to organise what I've learned and it's not really going to be anything ground-breaking, but then it's my voice. One to think about.

Have to dash to the gym but well done 8FencingWire, Eggs WinterSnow and anyone else I've missed.