Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Mental health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

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:
Thread gallery
5
hotcrossbun4321 · 16/05/2019 22:20

Hi all,

Hope it's ok for me to join. This week I've gone hugely out of my comfort zone and gone swimming twice - I have huge body image issues and didn't swim for around 10 years because of it in my 20s, so I'm not a strong swimmer anymore but want to stick with it.

I'm going swimming agin tomorrow. I'm also going to drive to the post office tomorrow, which involves taking a route I'm not confident with

LonelyTiredandLow · 17/05/2019 05:17

Morning! Love the worry dolls - had them as a child and have kept them for dd Smile

Well done with all of the new things! Swimming is great; I keep putting it off because I'm scared of dd's swimming teacher who seems to watch when I'm in the pool at the same time Sad It's probably paranoia but I keep thinking "I've forgotten how to swim!" as I do a hybrid of breast stroke and doggy paddle (don't like head under water any more!).

I asked for help with taking dd into school yesterday as I've got a horrid cold, keep sneezing and was up all night. I'm bad at asking for help so that was a bit of a step for me.

PowerBadgersUnite · 17/05/2019 11:14

Hello, I have been lurking around the thread a bit and would like to join if that's OK. I think I need to focus on some positive things for a bit.

I used to go swimming a lot when I lived right near a pool, but then we moved further away and I haven't been for ages. Maybe I should give it a go.

Today I had a GP appointment and have some new medication to take, which I'm hoping will help me kick this bout of depression. I have also just written a poem which I haven't done for ages so am feeling quite pleased with myself about that.

Original poster
woodcutbirds · 17/05/2019 11:31

Welcome hotcrossbun and Powerbadgers
Swimming and writing poems are both great.

I was feeling really down this morning. Got woken up at 4 am by the cat and then couldn't get back to sleep. Being tired always makes me worse. Too tired to work, which then makes me anxious (I work from home) so I decided to make a carrot cake. Never made one before. It's just beeping to come out of the oven now. Will have to go and investigate!

OP posts:
PowerBadgersUnite · 17/05/2019 12:36

Thank you woodcutbirds.

Carrot cake is my favourite cake to make. It is delicious and you can pretend you are eating healthy vegetables. Grin

CoffeeChocolateWine · 17/05/2019 12:42

Hi all and welcome @hotcrossbun4321 and @PowerBadgesUnite. Really hope you find this as helpful as I have been. It really has given me a much-needed boost to focus on something positive and a very welcome distraction from a lot of the not so positive stuff going on at the moment.

Yesterday I made my baby DD a new lunch offering. She’s a great eater but we’ve got into a bit of a rut of sarnies, something on toast or an omelette. So yesterday I found some puff pastry in the fridge and made some pizza pinwheels with tomato sauce, dairy-free cheese (she’s allergic to dairy) and ham with a sprinkling of oregano on top! She loved them!

Today I was meant to be biting the bullet and taking her to a baby group with a mum from school who has a little boy the same age. DD is almost 1 and I’ve never done it as it’s easier just to stay at home when confidence is low. But she’s gone down with a cold and we had the most dreadful night last night...she couldn’t settle as too bunged up and couldn’t suck her thumb for comfort. I didn’t sleep in a bed at all last night...either snoozed with her in my arms on a chair or eventually she fell asleep in her bouncy chair in the lounge and I slept on the sofa. So we cancelled the playgroup as we were both too tired and my new thing was taking a mid-morning nap while she slept Grin

Original poster
woodcutbirds · 17/05/2019 13:48

Hope she gets over it soon Coffee.

you can pretend you are eating healthy vegetables.

That was my plan exactly. I was craving cake but thought if I make something with carrots, almonds, eggs, spices and mascarpone at least it has some goodness in it, not just pure sugar.

OP posts:
BloomedAgain · 17/05/2019 15:51

I'm still a bit afraid of water Blush but I know swimming would do me good.
My consultant appointment went OK in the sense I said everything. Not entirely sure what the outcome will be. She's great but very unreadable. Hope everyone has a great weekend Flowers I'm going to bed for a couple of hours.

PowerBadgersUnite · 18/05/2019 09:38

Morning everyone. I hope you are feeling a bit better today woodcutbirds and your carrot cake was delicious.

I'm feeling a bit yuk this morning from starting sertraline last night but there is a plant sale at the church at the end of the road today, so I'm hoping I'll feel well enough to get to that as my new thing. I'm planning on getting some herbs to start a little herb patch to go with the veg I started growing this year.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 18/05/2019 09:42

I like this idea! I'm going to start it too I'll think. I'm going on a picnic tomorrow with a group of people I've never met before, so that's Day 2 sorted. I think today I will do a crumb coating on the cake I'm baking - never bothered before and was happy with the rustic look.

Original poster
woodcutbirds · 18/05/2019 13:28

Morning Badgers and Gretchen. feeling a bit brighter today after a good night's sleep.

Went for a walk around a new area with DS2 and DH this morning. It was beautiful - really sunny with gorgeous heathland and lots of friendly dogs.

A picnic with strangers is a good one. I wouldn't know how to begin to organise that.

OP posts:
Original poster
woodcutbirds · 18/05/2019 13:29

Badgers hope the sertraline side effects wear off quickly and that it kicks in soon. I've never tried it but a couple of friends have and it worked for them.

OP posts:
AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 18/05/2019 13:51

I've not organised it, it's a meet up of members of the Widowed and Young forum. I'm bricking it to be honest, I am very shy. I'm hoping to meet some new friends.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 18/05/2019 13:51

That walk sounds ace Smile

PowerBadgersUnite · 18/05/2019 16:03

Wow. Hope the picnic goes well Gretchen. I would be terrified as well. Good on you for going. Smile

Your walk sounds lovely woodcutbirds. So far I've just felt a bit nauseous all day, but not too bad. I have IBS anyway so I'm pretty used to a funny stomach. Hopefully it will clear up over the next few days.

I made it to the plant sale but it was mainly flowering stuff and shrubs whereas I'm all about the herbs and veg at the moment so I didn't buy anything. It got me out the house though so that's a good thing. I've mostly just been snuggled on the saga for the rest of the day.

PowerBadgersUnite · 18/05/2019 16:03

Saga?!....snuggled on the sofa I mean.

Original poster
woodcutbirds · 18/05/2019 19:57

Gretchen - sorry about your DP. Sounds like the picnic is just what you need. Some situations demand people who have been through the same thing so you can bypass all the inquisitive questions and just 'get' what each other are talking about and feeling. I really hope it goes well and you meet some lovely people.

OP posts:
RuffleCrow · 18/05/2019 19:59

Yes please!

Original poster
woodcutbirds · 18/05/2019 20:03

Hi Ruffle and welcome. We are all trying to do one new thing each day however small, just to focus on something fun or exciting or to improve our lives or learn to take good/useful risks etc and generally get more curious about the world.

As you can see from the thread we are trying new recipes, walks, crafts, meeting new people, revisiting favourite childhood music, doing self-care beauty treatments etc. Whatever takes your fancy.

OP posts:
RuffleCrow · 18/05/2019 20:21

thanks woodcutbirds.

The trouble i have generally in life is choosing just one thing.

Hmm... i definitely need to meet some new people. And i used to be quite creative but seem to have lost the habit.

BrightSpells · 18/05/2019 20:36

I would love to join you guys, if that's okay? It's a brilliant idea.

I'll start with a song tonight and see what comes up tomorrow.

Original poster
woodcutbirds · 18/05/2019 23:07

Hi BrightSpells and welcome.

Ruffle you could make a big list with sections for self-care. exploring, learning, new tastes etc, then cross off something each day according to what you fancy doing.

OP posts:
AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 18/05/2019 23:30

I did the crumb coating on the cake. It looks OK, i ended up making a gin and tonic drizzle cake but didn't have any plain gin so used Tanqueray Sevilla. Hope it works! I decorated it with crushed lemon sherbets, silver stars, and fairy lights.

Not sure it was worth the effort though of the crumb coating. It didn't really firm up in the fridge as much as I expected before I put the final layer on.

RuffleCrow · 19/05/2019 07:50

That cake sounds delicious Gretchen!

Thanks Woodcutbirds, I made a sort of general list last night just before I went to sleep:

Get on a bus to somewhere local I've never been.

Knit a throw for the front room (bound to be quite 'rustic' lol)

Have a singing lesson / do an online one

Trip to Ely because i've been meaning to go for ages but never have.

Join a hiking group (and actually go on hike!)

Go on a date (single for ages!)

Take cat to vet (not currently ill or anything thankfully, i've just never got round to taking her for a checkup)

Teach kids to play chess

Go swimming

Apply for a job I actually want to do.

LonelyTiredandLow · 19/05/2019 08:10

Morning!

Yesterday we went to a beach I've not been to for ages - it was so empty and quiet! Then we found a lovely shop whilst trying to find the public loos. I need a new house for all of the stuff! Unfortunately no extra cash to buy anything with but an enjoyable 15mins browsing and a nice chat with the owner. I find I sometimes panic and say strange things when strangers talk to me which adds to the anxiety of going out if I am low.

You've all got me wanting cake now Grin

Weirdly I was looking at visiting Ely to see Oliver Cromwell's house - dd is a fan of Horrible Histories Grin so do tell us all about it!

Am full of cold here but I really want to go for a seaside bike ride after yesterday. I just need to get dd on board...