What are your soothing hobbies?

I think it’s important for everyone, especially people with CPTSD, to have something they do to relax. I’m setting up an aquarium for a plakat betta, they remind me of myself It’s been soothing picking out plants and arranging the decorations. What do y’all do to unwind?

- Nata

Hi Nata,

We like coloring-- mandalas or kid's stuff usually, as long as it isn't super intricate details. Watching cartoons the kid parts like is also soothing, as is reading out loud but only stuff that isn't intense or such. Playing 'cozy' games is too, or listening to softer music, though whether the music has lyrics or not depends.

Jealous of your betta fish - I love bettas and I'd love to have one, but I can't maintain the tank. What color is the betta? Do you have a name idea yet? (:

- Wolf (?); I think others are around too

It depends on who is out or close to the front. A lot of us like gaming, but each of us like different types of games. Bri likes strategy games. Violette can get lost in 'looter-shooters' like Warframe. I get lost in RPGs. Beyond that, we listen to music. Pippa wants a guitar, but that might be next year. A lot of also love to read or watch cartoons. We have a lot of activities like that.

Take care,
Lilith

Puzzles online at jigidi.com. Great for littles, especially colorful cartoon puzzles.

Alot of us like video games, different genres and we use physical games for physio (wii fit, yoga etc), though we've had difficulty finding the energy and have missed exercising for weeks. Must get back into that!

When we have the energy to get started we also enjoy watercolour painting or colouring in. But we tire quickly then whoever started stops coming out for a while and we end up with lots of half started projects/pictures!

We have a dog to walk daily regardless of what else we do or don't manage and find early morning walks to watch the sun coming up relaxing or visiting the lake to take photo's of the wildlife is nice and relaxing too when its just us and nature!

Jay

companionwolf wrote:We like coloring-- mandalas or kid's stuff usually, as long as it isn't super intricate details. Watching cartoons the kid parts like is also soothing, as is reading out loud but only stuff that isn't intense or such. Playing 'cozy' games is too, or listening to softer music, though whether the music has lyrics or not depends.

We listen to a lot of music too when we need to take it easy, and we have a few go-to games as well. We should get some more coloring books

companionwolf wrote:Jealous of your betta fish - I love bettas and I'd love to have one, but I can't maintain the tank. What color is the betta? Do you have a name idea yet? (:

I actually haven't adopted the betta yet, the tank is still cycling (: He's gonna have a planted tank, and the substrate is taking forever to settle lol. He's gonna be a plakat named Sharkbait once I get him though

lostincyberspace wrote:I actually haven't adopted the betta yet, the tank is still cycling (: He's gonna have a planted tank, and the substrate is taking forever to settle lol. He's gonna be a plakat named Sharkbait once I get him though

That's so awesome! I tried getting betta fish at some point but I did not have the energy to clean the tank often enough, it got invaded with snails and the betta got sick from all their waste. So sad. I'll try an aquarium again in a few years, this time I'll have the energy for it.

__

As to my soothing activities: "ambiance" music on YouTube, some come with nice nature videos. Knitting. Sewing. Embroidery. I'll try to learn to crochet in the upcoming year, wish me luck. Reading. Audobook reading. Decluttering. Drawing/painting. Coloring (either on paper or on phone apps). Documentaries on YouTube or other plateforms. Walking. Petting my cat. Being sat on by my cat (he's such a lacat it's unbearable in summer lol). Journalling.

Wow the betta fish sounds super nice. Um i have been going on a lot of walks and a lot of walking. it just barely contains my energy. i think i walked like 5 miles today. In the summer I like gardening and seeing the bugs and nature around.
I feel like I need to relax more but I struggle to relax sometimes, so I am gonna work on this some more.. (heh work on relaxing..) nm

Well one of us is a boxer so we have a punch bag and jump rope. Jump rope is especially soothing for us.