What brings you comfort.... What's your solace?

Sometimes i enjoy painting. I take some white paper. Some brushes. Some coulours - easy to use, small boxes with something like 10 coulours.

I install myself comfortably and paint whatever occurs in my mind. It often comes abstract. Sometimes words, sometimes shapes.

The thing is : it's not to be shown. That's very important. It's just for myself, for the moment.

And it's like it creates sort of channel with myself.


I just did it now - It made me feel better.

Television vegging is my solace- but only shows and movies that I like- not channel surfing. I was told by a therapist that this is how I get my "social" time... Which infuriated me at the time, but now I know she is right. It calms me instantly and energizes me too.

I sometimes feel guilty and depressed after a long bout of it, but I rest in the fact that otherwise I am a workaholic with my 2 jobs 60 hours per week..

I still have fun with my husband and kids by that is my life in a nutshell.

I find music helps calm me down when I am stressed. I also enjoy binge watching my favourite shows, like Brooklyn Nine Nine, on Netflix.

Among the pessimistic tone of many topics here, this is a well-needed discussion. We need to beat the drum of hope.

I have 3 specific things that bring me solace: a girlfriend who is very similar to me, religion, and music.

Chocolate waffles, sexually frustrating men, wads of cash, and warm, fuzzy blankets

Just the fact of being at home is comforting... also warm showers, eating candy or drinking tea or coffee, sometimes simple household tasks like doing laundry (those somehow make me feel grounded and happy that I'm doing something useful for myself), listening to familiar upbeat music, playing Sims 3, reading horse novels meant for tween girls ...

My bed, particularly right after a nice, hot shower. That is just the best thing ever, so warm, soft and comfy. Makes me feel safe and at peace.

Music comes in as a close second to my bed, I've got Spotify on almost 24/7. Life would be terrible without music.

I also enjoy various forms of escapism like books, movies, (streaming) TV shows and video games, but I am extremely picky about what I read, watch or play. I can spend way more time researching a title than I actually do reading/watching/playing it, which is funny in a sad way. I often go weeks, months or more between each time a title makes it through my "is-this-really-something-for-me" filter.

Apart from pure escapism and entertainment I like to work on various computer or networking related projects, and I also enjoy learning new things from video courses or technical books. Some of the things I learn are even useful for my job (I work in IT), and it's extremely satisfying when I create something (a program or web application or a particular equipment configuration or whatever), and I see that it works and is useful to me or other people.

With that said, it takes a lot of motivation and energy to work on projects or learn new things, even if I technically enjoy it and find it satisfying. As of late I've struggled a bit to find that motivation. It's easier to just lay in bed and listen to music.