Calm Fun: Some Ideas
Television/Movies
- For Humor: Comedies/Stand up
- For Light-hearted: Animation/Kid programming
- For Emoting: Dramas
- For Distraction: Anything
Reading
- Join a book club
- Overdrive (free audible library books)
- Audible (paid subscription for audio books)
- Substack (online platform for writers)
- Stroll a bookstore
- Inspirational/Religious texts
- Fun magazines
- Book about a hobby
- Work/Educational
- Graphic Novels/Comcis
- Poetry
- Children’s books
- Workbook/Guided Journal
Podcasts/News/Music
- Spotify
- iTunes.com
- Stitcher.com
- YouTube
- Ted.com (Ted Talks)
- Make a personal playlist for different moods
- Nature sounds
- ASMR sounds
Phone Apps/Games
- Board games
- Sudoku/Crosswords/Puzzles
- Words With Friends
- Online/SIMS games
Creativity
- Hobbies
- Writing
- Cooking/Bake/Canning & preserves
- Meal prep, freezer meals
- Make pet food & treats
- Crafts/Art
- Adult Coloring Book/Mandalas
- Holiday Festivities
- Learn/Play instrument
- Photographing
- Knit/Crochet/Needlepoint
- Make cards/Write letters
- Woodworking/Refinishing furniture
- Setting up home gadgets
- Collage/Vision Board/Pinterest/Scrapbooking
- Self-Portraits
- Memory Box (Loss)
- Inspiration Box (Quotes, Letters, etc)
- Hope Box (Goals)
- Legacy Box (Yours)
- Redecorate your living & work spaces
- Painting rocks & leave for others to find
- Altars for meditation
- Gardening
- Paint Nails/Haircut
- Courage jewelry/Touchstones (symbolic objects you carry with you)/Crystals
Learn a Skill/Hobby
- YouTube
- Master Class
- Udemy.com
- Coursera.org
- Community College course or audit a college class
- Language app/class (e.g. Lingoda, Verbal Planet, Rosetta Stone, DuoLingo)
Home
- Use your vacation/sick days to rest. If possible, plan a mental health day one day every month.
- Start a collection of anything you delight in
- Prune and donate any unnecessary items
- List simple joys/favorites (e.g. meals, restaurants, places to relax or have fun)- and do more of them
- Plan a trip to the mountains/forest/where seasons change
- Create a daily decompression routine; Make a plan to sleep in and rest; Make a plant to wake up early to get a jump start
- Create slideshow on your watch/computer of happy/inspiriting pics/memes
- Set up a tent, fort, curtain inside or outside to create a new space
- Rocking chair, sit on porch, hammock
- Read to a loved one or read the same book as someone to talk about later
Going Out
- Go on a date with yourself
- Take off your shoes & walk in the grass or beach sand
- Visit theme park during slow season
- Go for a drive (e.g. windows down & music up)/Mini-travel/Travel
- Window shop
- Simple Task/Errand
- Buy some new clothes (within budget)
- Get a professional hairdresser/makeup artist for a new look
- Spa: massage, manicure, pedicure, facial, etc
- Gun range
- Fishing
- Go on a picnic or to your favorite restaurant
- Shoot pool
- Art/History museum/Aquarium/Zoo
- Bowling
- Arcade
Backpack of supplies:
For when away from home or if you need to leave home to calm down
- Books
- Downloaded Music/Podcasts
- Journal/Coloring pencils
- Gym clothes/Outdoor gear
- Blanket or comforting sweater
- Water bottle/Snacks/Etc
