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What do you do to relax?

I like sewing & knitting too....really depends what mood I'm in as to what I find relaxing....walking the dogs when it's still & quiet and looking at all the different wild flowers & birds...

Just happy being me
 
What splendid pursuits.
For me, gardening, allotment, walking, all by myself. Walking with Mrs DeeJay demands Constructive Conversation, which is useful but not always relaxing.
 
centaur68 said:
sounds stupid but weight training/ exercise helps me relax.. trying mindfulness but mind wanders too much !! lol.. recently started kayaking & that really helps relax me, esp on rivers / sea around Dorset.
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Exercise here to , always relaxes me.
 
I dig, I luv digging the allotment. In winter I like all the planning with graph paper and seed catalogues. *moves in close to whisper*.. I also like digging when its really cold and windy cos then I can have a good sing and no one can hear me...
 
centaur68 said:
sounds stupid but weight training/ exercise helps me relax.. trying mindfulness but mind wanders too much !! lol.. recently started kayaking & that really helps relax me, esp on rivers / sea around Dorset.
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Nothing stupid. Only thing that keeps me sane and stress / tension free is weight training exercise. Miss a few days and I feel awful. I guess it's not relaxing at the time but afterwards most definitely.
Also looking after our 2 grandkids, definitely not relaxing but puts me in a different place, hard to explain, but it's a feeling of total joy which ultimately makes me really chilled out.
 
My dog now or therapeutic arts or activities in the community. Helped set up community table tennis, Patients Group, help to my cancer therapy group, attend talks.

Oh and do crosswords with hubby everyday with a fresh ground cup of coffee.

Oh and dog training lessons.
 
Heavy or energetic work in the garden - gets rid of all tension, stress, anger, frustration, irritation - everything. Very calming as well as productive.

Try to get out most days for a walk in the woods and parks locally, enjoy watch the wildlife and changing seasons, and sometimes just sit looking at the water. I've met all sorts of interesting people on my jaunts, and always return home feeling fully refreshed and relaxed.

Still trying mindfulness occasionally but haven't learnt to keep my thoughts in line so not very successful.
 
donnellysdogs said:
My dog now or therapeutic arts or activities in the community. Helped set up community table tennis, Patients Group, help to my cancer therapy group, attend talks.

Oh and do crosswords with hubby everyday with a fresh ground cup of coffee.

Oh and dog training lessons.
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I do crosswords also off and on , got to keep the mind sharp.
 
Grumpy ole thing said:
I dig, I luv digging the allotment. In winter I like all the planning with graph paper and seed catalogues. *moves in close to whisper*.. I also like digging when its really cold and windy cos then I can have a good sing and no one can hear me...
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When I was still able I used to love digging. I used to say that double digging cleanses the soul. All my worries would melt away... sigh.
 
These days I love to just lose myself in a good book. I have a lovely bench in my back garden and my lads will bring me anything I need so I sit and read but it is funny, after a while the garden birds come quite close and feed from the trays and I notice the sqirrels darting back and forth, the sound of the breeze in the shrubs and buzzing of insects but all this is going on in the background even though I'm totally immersed. Bliss.
 
I have found a totally conterintuitive manner to relax. I am trying to learn the piano, but I have stopped to take lesson from a teacher. I am following the Beyer 101 book - edition Peters (the one with Schlager music excepts).
If there's a Formula 1, DTM or cycling race I'll watch on the telly.
I also make some gardening in the weekends at my parents' house.
I take also some long walks to take a coffee and sometimes a beer or a glass on wine in a distant pub listening to the radio. Sometimes, like twice a month, I do the same and go to ice cream parlors.
 
Guzzler said:
These days I love to just lose myself in a good book. I have a lovely bench in my back garden and my lads will bring me anything I need so I sit and read but it is funny, after a while the garden birds come quite close and feed from the trays and I notice the sqirrels darting back and forth, the sound of the breeze in the shrubs and buzzing of insects but all this is going on in the background even though I'm totally immersed. Bliss.
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The animals coming around would be all I needed to relax , glad you have a place like this.
 
I love visiting my local botanic gardens and feeding the birds and other animals there. Also playing boardgames (with my mum - we have a collection of at least a hundred games). I play chess competitively, and although the game is one of my interests, I wouldn't call it relaxing - whenever I play a tournament my blood sugars always spike due to the stress! (Currently taking a break from tournament play to try and get my numbers under control again). I enjoy listening to music, mainly classical or 50s/60s stuff. I used to really enjoy walking around my neighbourhood (we live in a quiet place with lots of trees and birds) but since I had a scary low on a walk once, I've given up on that and just exercise on a treadmill these days. I wouldn't call that relaxing though.
 
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