• LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    I got into a funk like that semi-recently. I broke my ankle/leg and had to have surgery and ended up laid up at my parents’ place for 3 months. I decided, while laying in a bed feeling sorry for myself, to start acting on all the things I’ve been wanting to do/achieve. That’s how I signed up for horseback riding lessons and have a long-term goal of getting a horse. Life is too short to just dream of owning a horse again(I had horses fory entire childhood). I’m going to make that dream happen, and get back in the saddle before I get my own critter lol.

    I’ve also started going out with friends more and treating myself to things like eating at a new restaurant, when funds permit of course. It’s the little things that are also important. Like the tiny cactus I got for my desk at work. Lil dude is smaller than my thumb and it livens up my workspace. Best $5 spent recently lol. Can’t wait to see if it is a flowering cactus. I have no idea what kind it actually is lmao.

    I used to just go home after work and hang out inside, which was NOT fulfilling. I’m much happier now that I have fun things to look forward to and an attainable long-term goal.

    • Cataphract@lemmy.ml
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      6 months ago

      Sweet! So I just need affordable healthcare, born into a well off family that has horses and can provide shelter in bad times, have enough disposable cash to enjoy going out, and afford an extremely expensive long-term goal! lol of course I’m kidding, as sarcastic as I might be I am happy that you’ve found what’s important to you.

      If anyone is struggling reading this and can’t do the above, my only simple suggestion is to force yourself to sit in the sun for 10 minutes a day (I close my eyes and relax, lizard brain will thank you) and/or just stare at something natural (in person) for 20 minutes. The sun can help develop and regulate chemicals in your body and helps break your previous routine. With nature, most studies find you need only 2 hours out of a week to find benefits.

      I know not everyone has a backyard or nearby local park, but there is nature close to you where it tries to bust through (empty lot, crappy sidewalk or overgrown lawns), I found a crappy public fishing spot recently (mercury signs posted warning the fish are bad but people keep fishing there) and just kinda park out there and wander around (there’s no trails, but the electrical lines running nearby had growth under them so I just walked down it a ways and back). I try to leave my phone in my pocket (or at home if you feel comfortable doing that) and play a game of memorizing a singular plant so I can try to identify it when I get home (resist the temptation to pull out your phone for the millionth thought). Has also helped me find some wild herbs and edibles in my area which I’ve propagated so I can grow at home (don’t eat wild food, at the bare minimum there might be piss on it or worse, extremely toxic chemicals). Kids and pets definitely enjoy the trip, even if they complain they’ll eventually come to enjoy the time being spent. Kids especially are trained for more hyper focused entertainment so there’s some push back, but it’s not their fault and just explain it’s for yourself (they understand selfishness lol). It can be as simple as leaving for something 10 minutes early so you can stop and check out a spot you like.