What do you turn to for comfort?

[slobake]

I’ve heard it said that when the going gets tough the tough get down with their thumping bass riffs. For me there have been different things I have turned to in my life to help me get through tough or even not so tough times. Some things that used to work for me don’t work anymore and some of them even became self-destructive habits that I turned to anyway because at least they were familiar. I hope I am past the most self destructive escapes.
Right now my top things are:
Religious or spiritual activities
Significant other
Playing music
Friends
The outdoors
Books
Drugs (coffee)
Isolation
I think it is good for me to see what it is I turn to when things get tough and ask myself is this really the best thing for me. I think I am over turning to food for comfort. All that ice cream was making me fat. Sometimes isolation is a good thing for me and sometimes it isn’t.
I would like to put things like helping others on my list but to be honest it didn’t make the top ten.
What things do you turn to. You can pick as many as you want from the list.

 

[bassinplace]

Music (studying, listening, playing, performing) & riding my motorcycle. That pretty much does 'er!

 

[two fingers]

By myself? A walk in the woods to a spot where I can't see or hear any evidence of any kind of machine.

At home? Sit and play in the floor with my younger child, a 22 month old toddler girl. Nothing will clear your mind and refocus your goals and energy more than playing in the floor with a toddler who thinks you are pretty much the whole world. Best feeling ever.

If those don't work I shoot stuff (like old computer screens, coolers, or busted lawn furniture etc.) over and over again with my .40 cal handgun. That'll take the edge off too.

 

[Tat2dHeart]

Music: I up my practice time and just let myself go focus on the structure of it all.

Cooking: I experiment with new recipes, then I bring all the food to work and pawn it off on my coworkers.

Writing: I put together stories to go along with the recipes for the cookbook I'm writing.

 

[macaroni tony]

isolation in a naturally beautiful place, along with some prayer

once I'm feelin all right then I can have a little scotch

playing some music doesn't work for me anymore, as it makes it clear how much I suck and I just get even more depressed

 

[slobake]

Damn it Jim! I missed allowing multiple choices in the poll. Maybe a kind hearted mod can help me with that.

 

[slobake]

I could have easily doubled the poll selections but it had to end somewhere. At one time in my life I found comfort in straight up rebellion. Whatever any authority figure expected I tried to do just the opposite.

 

[Ziltoid]

TB

 

[bassinplace]

isolation in a naturally beautiful place, along with some prayer

once I'm feelin all right then I can have a little scotch

playing some music doesn't work for me anymore, as it makes it clear how much I suck and I just get even more depressed

Dude! Just means you need more time in the shed!

 

[elgecko]

...I do declare there times when I was so lonesome I took some comfort there.

 

[Jim Nazium]

1. Exercise, preferably outdoors
2. Listening to music
3. Hanging out with my pets

Unfortunatley the below comment applies to me too. Wish it didn't. That might be something to practice in itself.

playing some music doesn't work for me anymore, as it makes it clear how much I suck and I just get even more depressed

 

[Eric Perry]

No mention of alcohol? That's my go-to. Certainly not in a clinically significant way (i.e. alcoholism), but following a bad day at work, or a stressful situation, a few drinks generally works well for me.

 

[macaroni tony]

Dude! Just means you need more time in the shed!

ha! yeah as of late shed-time is all but nonexistent

 

[Biggbass]

golf

 

[Ziltoid]

Sleep, reading, alchohol, coffee, tea, music, etc.

 

[slobake]

No mention of alcohol? That's my go-to. Certainly not in a clinically significant way (i.e. alcoholism), but following a bad day at work, or a stressful situation, a few drinks generally works well for me.

Good point Eric. Can we consider alchohol under drugs?

 

[knumbskull]

Beer obvs.

And the usual nonsense like friends family loved ones etc.

 

[bassinplace]

No mention of alcohol? That's my go-to. Certainly not in a clinically significant way (i.e. alcoholism), but following a bad day at work, or a stressful situation, a few drinks generally works well for me.

That used to work for me, too. After dealing with the negative side of personal issues (co-dependency, toxic relationships, not drinking itself) enough times, that solution lost all it's luster for me. Doesn't give me the kick it used to, ergo, it can no longer hold my interest.

Good point Eric. Can we consider alchohol under drugs?

Of course.

 

[Unrepresented]

I don't think there's one panacea for tough times (although alcohol is as close as I've found to universal problem solver and life improver: frustrated? Lonely? Built up soap scum? Party? Angry about your DUI arrest?).

A lot of the time I just have music, friends, athletic release, and time available. I usually work through with those tools, sometimes more efficiently than others.

 

[Tituscrow]

I turn to slobake threads. They are like teddy bears for grown ups.