Enjoyable activities
We cannot directly change our emotional state, but we can influence it indirectly by choosing to do activities which we find relaxing or enjoyable. Social activities can help us to feel less alone, we can be lifted by others happiness – especially if they are people we care about – we feel happy when they smile or are having fun.
Plan at least one enjoyable activity each day, this may be a five-minute activity or maybe something you do for the whole day. Add your own ideas to this list -
Think of activities that please the different senses:
Sight:
Look at the sky, the sunset, stars, or clouds. Put a picture of a rainbow somewhere you will see it, pick a bunch of flowers, and put it in your room.
Sound:
Listen to your favorite music, read poetry out aloud, listen to birds in the garden, sing
Taste:
Eat something you enjoy- chew slowly and enjoy the flavor, make a fragrant cup of herbal tea, cook a meal that is both healthy and delicious, chew a fresh mint leaf,
Smell:
Go for a walk and smell any flowers you can, pick a bunch of fragrant flowers and put them in a vase where you can smell them often, buy some fragrant oil and put a drop on a handkerchief or your clothes, have a fragrant oil bath or massage, cook some thing you enjoy the smell of,
Touch:
Have or give a hand or neck massage, relax in a warm bath, enjoy a swim in the sea, sit in the sun or a cool breeze, find some material you enjoy the feel of and keep a piece so you can touch it, keep a pleasantly shaped stone in your pocket, pat a pet, hold the hand of someone you are close to, walk barefoot on the beach or grass,
Movement:
Stand as straight and comfortably as you can and gently stretch upwards, walk slowly, and notice the movement of your body, dance, skip, stretch and relax your hands.
Other types of enjoyable activities -
Social Activities:
Telephone a friend – or write or email, visit or invite a friend or family member to visit, go out to lunch or for a drink with someone you care about, have a drink at a café and read – notice the presence of other people and if you feel comfortable smile or say hello, go for a walk and say hello when you pass people, go to the shop and ask the sale person how they are and listen to them – wish them an enjoyable day, chat on a helpful internet chat site
Creative activity:
Paint, draw, doodle, sew, knit, cook, garden, take photos, make a collage or album, write prose, poetry, or a song, play or compose music, model with clay, do some woodwork or repair or make something useful,
Learn about something new:
Read a book, watch a documentary, do a course, look up something on the internet, go to the library, art gallery or museum, listen to someone talk about what they are interested in, go bird watching or identify some plants or flowers.
Explore:
Go for a walk or drive in a new area, star gaze and identify some constellations,
Relax and rest:
Have a warm bath or shower, lie in a hammock or on a blanket in the garden or park, go to bed early,
Do something that makes you laugh:
Read a comic or cartoon book, watch a comical film or a comedian, read a humorous story, make up a limerick, play a game, watch someone else playing a game,
Do something to help someone else:
Ring or write to someone who is having problems, pick someone flowers, cook something delicious for someone, do someone a favor,
Use your skills or knowledge to do something useful:
Teach someone something useful, listen to someone’s difficulties and feelings, fix something,
Do something fun:
Go to the beach, do a jigsaw or puzzle, play with a child or pet, go to a toy shop, blow bubbles, fly a kite,
Do something active:
Go for a walk, skip, chop wood, run, dance, go to the gym, do some yoga or exercises at home, garden, do some housework or cleaning,
Other activities:
You may like to write down what activities you did and how you felt during and after.
