Get a hobby!

Do you ever feel like doing nothing?

Getting off of work, out of school, or away from the corner you beg for change at, and want to just curl up in a ball in front of the T.V.?

Do you have a hobby?

Something you enjoy doing at your leisure, like dance, cooking, or reading?

If you only said yes to the first question, I would highly recommend doing something about the second.

My hobbies are what I am thankful for today, because they get me outside of my head. The thoughts in our heads are not always rational, or are sometimes caused by emotions. This is where they can snowball into depression, panic attacks, and all kinds of other icky-ness. We use our rational thinking to decide whether these thoughts are valid, then act accordingly. But there are times when the rational thinking doesn't work right, or there is no time for it, or you are overwhelmed with the situation at hand. Things you have to do are accomplished on complete auto-pilot while our brains work away at what's really bothering us. Many people then wildly exaggerate how bad or imposable a situation is when they try to get a hold of it by preparing for the worst.

"I'll just tell the boss that I missed Fed-Ex cut off time, and uber-huge, mega-important

client's tapes are still sitting on the counter. He'll get mad and yell, I'll get written up

and it'll be fine. Worst case scenario. I can totally handle this, what's a little yelling?"

Gets added onto and added onto until you're thinking:

"But then what if uber-huge, mega-important client convinces the boss to fire me? What if I go home and tell the domestic partner and he-she leaves me? What if I don't get another job and can't pay the rent? Then I become all homeless and smelly and I never have sex again!"

EEEEKKK!

Before you know it you have a head ache, your all grumpy, and you've spent up all your concentration on things that are unlikely to occur.

Don't panic! This is where your hobby comes in!

Pick up your guitar, open that book, or bust out that dance move and watch as the frustration melts. Because now you have something else to be frustrated about!

Seriously, that is why it works; you re-direct your thinking. You direct it to something you enjoy, even if you don't enjoy it right then. And the first problem goes away. Get lost in it and really try to concentrate on what you are doing now. Focus. Give your self about a half hour if you're crunched for time, if you have an hour though-all the better!

Then, go back to that crisis. Keep your head in the hobby place for a moment and get a grip. What you really don't want to do right now is recall that anxious feeling that went with the problem you were trying to work out. Keep calm, breath, work it out. It will be much easier now I bet to find an answer that really works.

~Sydney