What cheers you up?

[Nihilego]

When you're feeling down for whatever reason, what sort of activities / objects / foods / websites / etc help make you smile again?

 

[TY]

There is one thing that makes me smile even when i feel down so badly, and that is watching StarCrafts (a cartoon based on stuff that happens in StarCraft 2 online games, but then drawn hilariously).

 

[LoudSilence]

Not to get too philosophical or anything, but...

Sadness/feeling down is a state of mind. I don't believe in things and events being sad, sadness and depression is our reaction to those events.

For me this was important to realise because it meant that my mood depends on my perspective. How I choose to see things is what determines how I feel, so in a way, you can be in full control of your mood. The same applies to anger/stress/disgust etc. So what I do is simply accept that whatever has happened, happened. Regret is useless because I can't go back in time, and "what if" scenarios never help you feel good or accomplish anything because it's simply impossible to do so. All I can focus on is moving forward and making the present moment, and future, better for myself.

I know it's easier said than done, but honestly this frame of mind has made me a lot happier with life. It's hard to get me down and when I do get down, I learn to pick myself up again quickly because life is too short for negativity which never results in anything good.

Some people say distractions like music and movies help, but in reality it's just avoiding an emotion you're going to feel once those distractions are over. It's better to deal with it head on and make the best of what's going on. That's what I'm trying to do and it works wonders for me :)

 

[Flushed]

Not to get too philosophical or anything, but...

Sadness/feeling down is a state of mind. I don't believe in things and events being sad, sadness and depression is our reaction to those events.

For me this was important to realise because it meant that my mood depends on my perspective. How I choose to see things is what determines how I feel, so in a way, you can be in full control of your mood. The same applies to anger/stress/disgust etc. So what I do is simply accept that whatever has happened, happened. Regret is useless because I can't go back in time, and "what if" scenarios never help you feel good or accomplish anything because it's simply impossible to do so. All I can focus on is moving forward and making the present moment, and future, better for myself.

I know it's easier said than done, but honestly this frame of mind has made me a lot happier with life. It's hard to get me down and when I do get down, I learn to pick myself up again quickly because life is too short for negativity which never results in anything good.

Some people say distractions like music and movies help, but in reality it's just avoiding an emotion you're going to feel once those distractions are over. It's better to deal with it head on and make the best of what's going on. That's what I'm trying to do and it works wonders for me :)

Oh snap, the bar has been raised.

The way I deal with sadness both agrees and disagrees with this post. On one hand, I don't avoid the emotion, but my dealing with it doesn't tend to resolve the sadness either. I don't tend to move on, but rather reflect on what's happened, often times for long periods of time. I listen to sad music and stuff that reminds me of whatever made me sad, not really to move past it, but because dwelling on things seems to calm me down. I once stated that there is irony in sadness simply because I feel I'm able to draw some sort of "happiness" from it.

On a more physical level, I'll often focus my attentions on schoolwork. It won't exactly cheer me up, but if I'm feeling down, the sense of accomplisment from actually doing some work is always good.

 

[Aeroblast]

I just wait until those feelings subside. Never understand how alcohol and smoking is supposed to "relieve" their feelings like some people say.

 

[Overlord Drakow]

Crushing the hopes and dreams of others

 

[Esper]

I usually like to distract myself with television, movies, and books, but they've got to be engaging. I can't just throw on whatever is on TV and the book has to be pretty good. They help me get outside myself for a while so that I can remind myself that I don't have to be sad. Maybe it's a way of compartmentalizing, I'm not sure, but it's the only thing that seems to work with much regularity. Sometimes exercise works, but sometimes it just makes me feel worse.

If I'm just feeling blah and not really sad and I want to be more cheerful I like to do something constructive like cleaning or making something or arranging for some kind of gift or nice thing for someone else.

 

[Nick]

Reading funny tweets is what I've been doing recently. Reading those and hanging out with people.

 

[Sirfetch’d]

I basically do whatever it takes to divert my attention away from whatever is making me sad. Usually all it takes is something simple like browsing the internet. PC has sorta became an escape for me. I feel like whenever I am down I can always come here and find a way to cheer myself up by being around everyone or just posting. Music is also something that will help as I can get lost in the song and completely forget about all of my troubles.

 

[Doppelgänger1]

When I am feeling sad or just down, I usually watch some of my favorite television shows since I am a big TV guy. That usually cheers me up. It distracts me from whatever is causing me to be sad. Works most of the time.

 

[Sir Codin]

Nothing can truly keep me cheerful forever.

We're all doomed.

 

[Tsutarja]

It's pretty rare for me to feel in a down and depressed state, especially for an extended amount of time.. and when I do feel down I either just talk to others or listen to some of my most favorite songs of all times on a loop until I feel better or just get bored of hearing the songs over and over again.

 

[starseed galaxy auticorn]

For objects, my plushies because they are always there to hug and comfort you. As for other things, probably Loki and Simple Plan, especially Simple Plan. They can really turn my life around and make me realize that I'm not suffering alone in the world. I love them so much I could cry.

 

[gimmepie]

PC is a pretty good distraction really, and both here and in real life there are a few people who can make me smile regardless of how terrible I feel.

That being, said there isn't anything specific that cheers me up. It just happens sometimes between fits of life sucking xD

 

[curiousnathan]

Music, hanging out with friends, doing well in my studies, going out and just making my own fun as I go, etc.

 

[Meganium]

usually music, as well as a walk around the block just to obtain fresh air and to clear my mind. reading a book also helps, as it can take you to a different world inside your imagination.

 

[Starry Windy]

I tend to watch some video or film, and sometimes I'm listening to some good music so that I can be cheered up again.

 

[Treecko]

Usually music, (most Owl City songs make me instantly happy) but I also like to a walk just to have time by myself and to be able to clear my thoughts. Sometime I'll play some Pokemon and of course I also visit PC which helps most of the time. :)

 

[Shining Raichu]

What usually cheers me up is getting likes on Facebook statuses. I feel validated as a person.

 

[Charcoal92]

I'm depressed a lot. Heck I am right now. But to the topic at hand. I feel better if people talk to me or want to get to know me. Also complements really brighten my day. But I don't hear many of them anymore.