The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!
This month, we chose one of Eva (aka lauranalanthalasa)'s prompts to spark conversations on postcards, which goes nicely with February’s theme of writing about comfort food. Eva suggested people talk about what they do for self-care or to treat themselves. It’s always important to do that when you can!
As usual, I’ll go first! For me, it depends on my mood. If I’ve just been stressed out and I need to wind down, then I’ll grab a book and either cuddle up in bed under my weighted blanket, or run a nice hot bath with some nice bubbles or a bath bomb. I have some favourite series which I reread when I really need a pick-me-up: I’ve talked about my love for Dorothy L. Sayers on the blog before, for instance!
Sometimes I need something a bit more active, though. Going for walks is nice, especially if I can get out somewhere where there are trees, streams, and birds/animals running around! The picture in this post is from a walk I went on earlier this month: it’s a little wintery, but I saw some squirrels and a pair of robins. It’s always nice to get moving, and to watch other little lives going on around you.
So how about you? Do you have special little rituals when you’re upset, or little routines you use to help you unwind? Feel free to share them with us here, and use this as a prompt for what to write on your postcards this month!
46 comments so far
Hi i AM Ellie.
Ik go to walking in the nature when i AM sad or. Meer a break.
I love to walking in nature.
I became happy to see animals or beautiful places.
Greetz Ellie
When I'm sad I don't like talking about my feelings so I prefer to bother my friend 😂🙃
Also, I find to look in the sky so relaxing
When I feel sad or lonely, I often listen music which makes me feel even *worse*. Then, it gets better. I have learnt that I need to just feel it through instead feeling guilty if I do feel sad/anxiety. As I´m almost always alone, my moods do not bother others. My cats are biggest help, I´d say. Nature is great as well; I see trees from all my windows, and even that does help. In grief I used to go to see nearby river which made me feel small in the best way.
I do Postcrossing, take a walk in nature, or spend time with my cat...have a coffee...stare at the birds out the window.....
I get on my bike and ride around our neighborhood. Being with children cheers me up too.
Hi! Thank you so much for this topic. It will be very interesting for me to read such useful information on postcards. And I'll try to tell you some of my secrets...
My favorite refresher is a walk along a mountain stream. Nothing soothes like the sounds of rushing water. If I've had a rough week, a trip to the ocean might be necessary on the weekend. Listening to the gulls combined with the sea waves crashing and the children playing on the sea shore gives a new outlook for the body and soul.
Happy Postcrossing!
Music is great reliever of stress, anxiety and sadness. I have always found solace in listening to old times Bollywood music from 50s 60s which has great lyrics and simple melodies.
Having good food and desert of my choice definitely cheers me up but leaves guilt of calories consumed, but then sometimes it's OK to indulge in such luxuries.
My favorite "cheer-me-up" is a good brisk walk. I always take my dog, Dottie out with me, because she needs exercise too. My adopted city of Springfield, MO, USA has been urban trails and greenway trails with creeks. We've been exploring those in turn, but have found a couple of favorites. We always come home in a happy mood. Cheers!
I love to listen to music when I feel down! Music from the 70ths.
Hello!
I want to share what I do when I'm sad or lonely...
When sadness overcomes me, I read, it helps to distract myself even when I feel bad morally.
Another way is a hot bubble bath with your favorite music selection.
There is another way, this is a dream, it also distracts from sadness ...
Music always cheers me up, relieves stress and gets me motivated! I also will have a cup of coffee while enjoying my wooded back yard, while listening to music of course.
A nice long walk helps me when I need cheering up. In the winter and when It's raining I will pick up hand embroidery to distract my mind.
What I do to cheer up; cleaning, walking, listen to music, sing, sleep, cuddling with my husband, watching a movie, taking a warm shower, a good talk with a friend, shopping or write a card to a postcrosser and mail it the same say...yeah.
What a beautiful topic to write about. I once read a quote about it (unfortunately forgot the author) and it says:
"Never underestimate the healing power of 3 things:
Ocean
Stars
Music"
And taking a walk in nature always makes me happy again, too. I guess some of my "oldest friends" are trees. ;-)
There is a beautiful lake near my house. I take my dog and walk around it. People are so friendly because of my dog, but if no one else is walking, just being in this wonderful place cheers me.
Carol
I love to listen to music that is calming, like easy rock. I also listen to bluegrass music and it uplifts my spirits too. Reading a good book is a go to and talking with a friend. Walks are good and watching the animals takes me away from my cares for a short bit.
I recharge my emotional batteries by going to the seacoast near me and just listening to the waves breaking on the shore and breakwater. Between the wind and the waves, I feel refreshed.
I'd love to ride my bike and go on a bike trail or I go to the gym working out and listening to your fav Spotify list. Sometimes I would love to go shopping or write postcards, it fills me with joy and cheer, tries it and trusts me you will always be in a happy mood. Cheers!
Not sure about others but I find taking public transportation very therapeutic. Whenever I feel down, taking a train always improves my mood ^_^
To cope with stress and calm down, if the weather is bad, then I take my albums with postcards. Working with the collection, studying, collecting information and just looking at it brings me extraordinary peace and the realization that not everything is as bad as it seemed to me, because I have wonderful and even rare postcards, including those sent by postcrossers.
And if the weather is good, then of course to nature - to the forest or to the mountain, or just sit on the shore looking at the water. At such moments, all the troubles seem so insignificant and peace and joy appear in the soul.
Something like that...
I begin to do something useful
But now- think how people in Ukraine feel and all your "sad moods" will seem unimportant
I sometimes send a card to someone else who needs cheering up too. Being in nature helps. I go to the post office and hope I have pen pal letter waiting. I pray.
I have birthday next week so hope to get a few cards. I nap. 😌
I stay in my room reading a nice book or watching a movie... I love literature and art/indie movie and reading in a rainy day is something that really cheer up an introvert teacher living at the countryside!
I quilt, play the piano or low D penny whistle or pet my cats James Bond and Lizzy (Elizabeth Swann) or pet my dogs Daisy and Kermit
A few months ago I was very sad and disappointed. But I found out what makes me feel better: gratitude. I walked through my flat and said out loud what I am grateful for: thanks for my beautiful flat, thanks for my beloved cat, thanks for being healthy, for having enough to eat, enough clothes, warm blankets and a working heating. There is so much to be thankful for.
I do cross stitch with my favorite tea and favorite music.And in beautiful day,I walk around in nature seeing sky .
I listen to music, go out with my chickens, hike out in the woods, or play my electric guitar.
When I'm sad, talking to my husband or my children always helps. Or I can often bring music to my ears, or I've done housework. Thank god I don't get sad that often because life is too short to be sad.
Some nights, I take a sad walk. I walk to these swings near my house. I sit on them. I think, I cry, I may swing or twirl. I walk back when I'm better. I'm like a new person.
To recharge my emotional batteries we go to the Pacific Ocean coast near here. I just sit and listen to the waves hitting the beach and seawall. Listening to the waves and tasting the salt in the air is a good restorative. At night I sometimes listen to recordings of waves or trains to relax.
I sing and usually start with a real sad song. The next is a bit happier, so is the one after...until I end with "Fly me to the Moon" and I feel better-and so do my poor neighbours.
I use my music, too, to get me in a better, more energetic mood eg Mozart to Hotel California! And I have a comfort read - forget Bridgerton - try Georgette Heyer's historical novels. They transport you to a safe and secure world, with humour and historical nouse. Yes, I know they are quite sexist, but with a surprising number of clever heroines. I think I need people to counteract depression, so I try to fix things up before I get too down. And PostCrossing does help too - a little boost of goodwill from a stranger does wonders. I'm really enjoying the comments. G
When I am in a bad mood, sort of depressed... I bake a cake and try to share it with others, I love the smell of something cooking or baking. And what helps me is to open all windows and let fresh air in. That can substitute the walk in nature.
When I'm sad I take the "project album" and re-disign book covers , are books that I read recently or long ago, as Margareth Doody < Aristotle and the poetic justice > (I read this on italian ) - Valerio Massimo Manfredi < l'isola dei morti > that can be traslate...< the Island of the Dead >...so paiting...
Depends on the kind of sadness. I have noticed that dancing, singing, drawing and crafting have proper effects.
If I am frustrated instead of sad, I curse loudky, scream, stamp my feet and make wwwrrruuuuuuuggghhhhh noises
I usually listen to music. I love classic rock and that lifts my spirits.
Listening (and singing with myself) sings from my lovely musicals 🎤🎧
I'm getting the results: really good messages on arriving postcards. It could be a permanent suggestion on postcrossing help pages. The messages inspired to fantasize what could be the good messages from me :) that i would be writing on all my next postcards.
Listen to my favourite songs and sometimes read a good thriller with something munching .
If I’m stressed and something doesn’t work out, only the practice of yoga helps me. After it, everything somehow becomes more or less clear! And if I'm just in a bad mood, I try to walk more or communicate with children - they always inspire!
I am a novice writer of poetry and also photographer. I like to journal and will often write my thoughts down in some manner. Being quiet and maybe looking up inspirational quotes is helpful. Getting out to walk is a must and viewing the beauty of the day. Clouds the birds, trees and flowers. Gratitude does wonders also for what is disturbing me.
This is a nice topic! Mostly when I need a break, I take my bike and go down to town , to find a nice place to drink coffee and have a chat with strangers. But sometimes, i will take a boat @ the river Maas for a little tour. One can have a coffee on board, or just enjoy the view from the water. But since am still new to this town Maastricht, I alsoo might take a ride on the bus, to villages in the area, just to enjoy the trip. Here is the best place in the Netherlands were are hills and a beautiful scenery, with old-style houses and farms. Depending on the weather, I might go for a stroll in the village or in nature. for me its a bit like exploring and i always get ideas, were I can go next.
Great topic. Very interesting to read the solutions - music, exercise, and being outdoors are common themes and so is Postcrossing. As someone commented, just remembering the Ukrainian people's struggles puts your own life into perspective.
My way... I clear old stuffs and clean up my room. It's my therapy. I also asked it to many postcrossers on the postcards. I share my favorite answer I have ever received. He run in the rain to flush away all of his sorrow.
My biggest cheer me up. Is to arrange with a friend to go for a cuppa or meal. I don't have many left after Covid, so it's a real treat to get together again especially after lock down.
↑ Back to top ↑