There are times when one or more things are not going well in our lives. I went through a time like this recently. You put on a brave face, and try and get by. Yet, it feels hard to escape the thing that is causing you pain.
So much has been written about how such periods can be growth periods in our lives. Periods that can teach us a lot, that can help us push ourselves and discover new parts of ourselves. And that certainly is true - the work that you put in to get through to the other side, helps us grow and become better versions of ourselves.
And yet, there are days when really all you want is something that can put you in a better frame of mind. So much of performance is about managing your mental state. While it's easy to escape into a movie or mindless scrolling through social media, these activities often act as mere distractions, leaving you feeling empty and sometimes worse at the end of it. These activities do not replenish you.
What you need is an activity that replenishes you mentally and emotionally. Something that puts you in a positive frame of mind for a sustained period of time. Exercise helps. Good nutritious food helps. Things like meditation can help if you're into it. I have a found that a hobby is another thing that can help.
A hobby allows you to exercise your creativity and helps you feel productive. No matter what your hobby is - cooking, sewing, photography, painting, gardening, collecting rocks, coding - whatever it may be. Instead of feeling that you've wasted a bunch of time watching videos, a hobby helps you come out feeling as if you've done something useful, no matter how small. This feeling can be therapeutic, especially when you're going through a tough time. When feeling low, the most important thing is to find ways to feel "good" and "positive" again, so that your mind can help you find a way out of whatever situation it is. An engaging hobby is one way of doing that.
For me personally, bookbinding has been a great creative outlet for me. I enjoy making journals and the occasional sale on Etsy feels awesome! Not to mention the experience of learning a new skill and trying to make something of it, which can be very fulfilling in and of itself.
If you don't have a hobby, it is worth considering getting one Hobbies can have many benefits, emotional support being just one of them. You won't regret it!
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