Living a more sustainable lifestyle is sometimes quite hectic, so it really pays to take a step back regularly and relax.
Not relaxing using the couch potato method in front of the idiot box, but quality relaxation performing a hobby or task that changes your thinking from the day-to-day humdrum and lets your mind drift so that the tenseness and stress just drips away.
It’s not easy being green, but at least you can have fun doing it!
Call me unusual but I find that the simple tasks like weeding, woodwork, or mucking out the chook house are quite relaxing. They are not too mentally challenging of physical in nature, and you can get lost in the task. I find them peaceful, and calming. All that is needed afterwards is a nice warm shower, a homebrew beer, and a homemade meal to finish off the day.
So here’s my question to you.
What do you do to relax when pursuing a simpler life? Remembering that TV doesn’t count, so what meaningful hobby or activity de-stresses you?
I find spinning, especially with a spindle, very relaxing and meditative. I also thoroughly enjoy knitting and cannot imagine a day passing without doing at least a small amount of both. Luckily, I can walk whilst doing either of these pursuits so it is easy to fit into my daily life.
Sitting on a comfy chair with my feet up by a window with a refreshing drink (or treat!) and simply observing the scenery outside, paying especial attention to the sky, trees and birds. Sometimes I will play music on top of that. The key is to just listen without doing other things such as exercising, cooking, and planning. It is by fully immersing myself in the melodies and lyrics that I find the most enjoyment and relaxation. It is my favorite way to practice mindfulness! Love your podcasts, Gavin. They elevate my day-to-day house chores to pleasurable experiences! I can feel the love whenever I hear Kim and you speak. 🙂
I hate doing it but scrubbing out the shower is a great way of taking myself away from everyday stress and achieving something positive. For real relaxation I’d pick watering the greenhouse, a glass of wine in the garden (if we ever get summer this year in the UK – 16 degrees C today!) or crochet, knitting or handsewing patchwork while watching a movie – I hope that doesn’t break the rules. 🙂
Like Curvy witch, I like to watch TV whilst I crochet. Preferably programs I consider to be research. 😉 That’s one of the most relaxing things I can imagine doing. For deep satisfaction relaxation though, I love to be in the garden. I’ve been away from my gardens of late, battling life and all it brings so when I got into the garden again the other week and planted out 35 new strawberry plants, 20 asparagus crowns and some lily of the valley it felt amazing. Little to actually see (given how little of the above was actually visible above ground) but a deep satisfaction and peace I’d missed for months! And planting out garlic last month felt the same. 🙂
Garndening and Reading. At the moment on weekends, i light my little chimnea outside and when its lovely and hot i grab the coffee and books/tablet and read away.
I love knitting and reading. In the summer, sitting on the porch watching the sunset is wonderfully relaxing.