What is your favorite way to relax? OT
 

Its spring now...yet I'm still stuck in my winter routine. This winter wasn't the best for me, and I want to change my rut in all ways. What are good (and fairly cheap!!) ways to relax? What are some your favorites? I'll take anything, no matter how oddball :)

Anything to do with water has always relaxed me. Sitting by the Chesapeake Bay (rather cold this time of year!), driving down the Outer Banks, spending a long weekend in Sea Island, GA (FANTASTIC marshland on the Intercoastal Waterway) on one side of the island, Atlantic Ocean on the other side.

I don't know what to tell you regarding water. There are tons of 4-day cruises (last minute) on Expedia where you can save up to 70 percent. You may not get the cabin of your dreams, but you'll get to be on warm, sunny beaches. This time of year, south Florida is warm. I lived in Miami in the late 80's and it was WARM this time of year. The Florida Keys are spectacularly beautiful and there are plenty of inexpensive places to hang out.

I hope those suggestions are somewhat realistic. If you're not a water person, I'm sure some mountain people will be along shortly with their suggestions ...

FISHING !!!!!!!!!!! Or a nice long hike in the woods maybe looking for mushrooms.....these are my favorite....

I start my seeds inside this time of year. Seeds are cheap and youcan plant in any old cans of pots. The morning sun is bright in the windows this time of year.
There is something about seeing those seeds pop through the soil that feels good. If you plant now, the flowers or vegetables will be ready to set outside by May.
What can make it fun is to plan a flower bed or a yard of flowers all in one color. All white, all red, all purple. I buy my seeds very cheaply from ebay and have had good luck.
This year I am doing all perennials. I have been browsing through all the perennial seeds during the winter and now have a whole coffee can full of seed packets to start.
I chose perennials because usually I am too drawn to the bright annuals and don't have the patience to grow perennials.
I need to develope patience and I like the statement that perennials make. I was here and I'm staying.
I think it's good mentally as gardening in samll areas of the yard is so relaxing and you really get a sene of accomplishment.
It is a good an simple lesson in starting something and seeing a beautiful result.
This is also the time of year I take down my heavy winter drapes and hang fresh crisp summer curtains that allow the sun in. This may sound weird but, there is something revitalizing about sparkling clean windows, freshly laundered curtains and seeds planted and soaking up the morning sun. Just my own seasonal tradition.

Visiting a State Park:)

Gardening

Reading

Walking

Shovelling around in my compost pile.

Eathworm

Hi there,
When I relax I usually turn off the phone, turn off the lights/T.V.. put some nice relaxing music on light some candles, and have a bubble bath.. total heaven to me......

I garden, usually barefoot!

I also like "night gardening" when it is quiet and still and nobody else is around but me and the night critters!

I find gardening therapeutic in many ways. Here is Southern Cal. it is possible to grow things almost year round. I know...people in other parts of the country, please, don't hate me for saying that!

It feels good to smell the earth. Gardening teaches trust and faith and patience. When I am alone in the yard I feel my closest connection to God. I guess you could say it is an almost spiritual experience.

Seriously, as I write this I am again pondering if there is a way to make gardening somehow part of my "life's work". What will I be when I grow up? Hmmm.

Thanks for the question. It has provoked some thought.
-K

socalgal,

love how you put it. it is spiritual to be alone and with nature. hey, who says you have to grow up? I'm in my 50's and i'm still a young man in my mind. Of course when I was drinkin', i was a legend in my own mind.

Gardening can be part of your life's work. Both outside, and in recovery. You can tend to your flowers outside that bring you joy, and you can tends to the little buds in recovery and watch them blossom.

There seems to be a gardening consensus. Maybe I should clear out the sad bushes and weeds in my little strip of dirt on my patio. I can plant catnip and have a 'calmed' cat who will stop yowling at the birds!

I wonder why I forgot about gardening, when I have extra pots and some seeds laying around.

Mallowcup, sparkling windows sound lovely...its the nice clean feeling of an ordered house :)

Prodigal, I never thought of a cruise before. Water vacations are the best when I don't have to swim (I'm working on floating).

State parks and hiking are something I haven't done in a while. Mushroom hunting sounds fun Janitw!

Thanks for all the wonderful ideas!! :)

Cuttlefish, watch out if you plant catnip! Our yard became the "hangout" for all of the local cats when we had catnip. Plus, the catnip always looked terrible. Apparently, the best way for a cat to enjoy catnip is to lay right in the middle of it! (catnap?)

Now, we have a big German Shepherd. Not a cat in sight.

-K

Cheap ideas....hmm....the bubble bath thing, I've been known to do on occassion. But since you mentioned spring and the winter having had a bad affect on you, I'm thinking that perhaps you need to get out of the house. I get that way in the winter too where I feel trapped and want to get out.

Taking walks, exploring the parks, woods, etc. Go to the park, eat lunch and read a book. I'm not so good with gardening and sometimes that just seems like to much work - lol - but I'm an odd duck because I really enjoy mowing the lawn (love the smell the scent of freshly mowed grass). Shopping can also be another cheap thing to do (If you stick to the clearance areas and whatnot) and I tend to want to shop for new clothes and things that are season related. It gets me out of the house and helps with that new season/new beginning feeling that spring usually brings out in me.

I'm not sure what it all available in your area, but I'm sure you can find things to do. I found a few years ago, a book that had things going on in my area that I had never even known about and I've lived here all of my life (other than a year). That got me to really looking and being creative!

Hope you can find something to do to get you out of your rut. I know how depressing it feels to feel "stuck".

socalgal, I want the cat to do exactly that! Wish I had a dog, but that will have to wait until I find a place with a big yard.

standingstrong, I wonder if there is some sort of book for my area. I've lived here most of my life and I know I haven't seen most of the surrounding areas. And I'm waiting for payday, then its shopping time! My favorite heels broke at work, and I had to superglue them...that is a sure sign for new shoes :)

frizzylynn, meditation is an idea...I've been trying to figure that one out. My version is finding interesting trees, and studying the bark and leaves...for whatever reason this calms me down.

So many good ideas here! I like to spring remodel, I clean all winter. If you don't rent, I would paint. Bathrooms are smaller and easy, or just pick one wall in a room to change. I like shopping to relax as well. My favorite is thrift stores. The really cheap ones. Consigment shops are OK by me but generally I like salvation army and stores that get donations. It is cheaper. I try to go once a week or two weeks. Sometimes I find clothes that I like on other people and try them for myself. It is a cheap way to get a new look and if you don't like it you only lost a few bucks. It makes me happy. I also keep a lookout for different things that I can make out of junk. Like I took and old lamp, just kept the bulb part, hung it from a hook on the ceiling upside down and poked a whole in the bottom of a basket for a lampshade for a hanging lamp (now my dogs and cats can't knock it over. I also watch lots of DIY TV and trading spaces, ect. Little stuff like that makes my house look different with little money. It is fun, I love it.
Gardening is my favorite outdoor project too. I also like to mow so StandingStrong you are not alone, I love that smell too. I like doing it barefoot (I know that is a no no) but I think it feels good and it makes my feet green!
Let us know what you try OK, I want to hear what you decide and how it goes! B

Did anybody bring up Fish Tanks?? I read that if you sit and watch fish swimming it calms your heart rate.. I had tanks before and the sound of the pump kinda humming sitting there watching the fish as they get right up to the glass as if to say.. "Hey.. Where the food Bub"??? It's cool..

But long walks are really relaxing. Just sitting outside on a warm day taking deep breaths and listening to the earth. Oh ya.. My favorite.. Go to the beach and sit and listen to the surf. I always said it sounds like Mother Earth Breathing..

I like these topics on relaxing, fun, cheap, ideas. Bjen, I have been going to thrift shops for yrs, they are so much fun. Sometimes church rummage sales are places for good finds. I find things, that I think I probably wouldn't find otherwise. It seems as if you wait & look enough, just about whatever you want, will be there. I also like to make things out of other things. Sometimes take pieces of one outfit and add it to another. I just got this spring/fall jacket made of black velvet w/leopard spotted velvet for collar and buttons. It doesn't have pockets (I really like pockets), so I looked for another item made of similar black velvet and will use that for the pockets. website apartmenttherapy also gives plenty of ideas and just fun to look at. Now that I have been on my own again for a while, my fun funds have begun again. All this I have been thru, has taught me how to be even more thrifty, but then the savings can go to something I like to do, or save for a better car, etc. Guess that saying necessity is the mother of invention, really applied for my past few yrs.
Then this past week around here, the veg & flower stand is starting to show signs of getting ready to open :) I have a list of herbs that I want for my small outside windowsill garden.

kids asleep, other half asleep, and just me and my dogs head in my lap, reeeeal early in the morning while I have my coffee. Thats one of my most relaxing times. I pray during that time too. Just my lil corner of relaxtion. Other than that time, it seems like mostly Im your typical nutcase busy busy busy! Just like today, just now havin a minute to stop by here.

My dream relaxtion??????

THE BEACH
being there for hours and hours and hours.

I love the ocean...I especially love the ocean on a nice foggy day, maybe a foghorn in the distance......my little doxie with me. It's very soothing. That's what I did yesterday, it was very calming.