Friday open thread: swallowing the little book of calm

[dolorosa_12]

Well, it has been A Week. I made the preemptive decision some time ago that I would refrain from going online from the point when I went to bed on Tuesday night (UK time) until when I felt in the right frame of mind to deal with the news coming out of the US. That meant no social media, no news websites, and, above all, no hysterical, frenzied, real-time speculation about the election result until the outcome was fairly close to certain.

As a result, instead of feeling like a gibbering wreck for the past few days, I have felt completely serene. I've read three books. I've cooked slow, warming food. I've gone running out in the fens, and done yoga every day. And, best of all, I went out walking at dawn in the eerie mist. Everything was still, and cold, and starkly beautiful, with cows looming out of the fog.

And so, my question to you all, for this week's open thread prompt, is as follows: how do you keep yourself calm? What activities help you maintain a sense of equilibrium? What soothes you?

Comments

[likeadeuce]

I enjoy taking myself for walks -- fortunately the weather in Virginia has generally been excellent throughout the too-many-months of social distancing so I am familiarizing myself with local parks as well as just the circuit around my neighborhood. Walking by myself with headphones on to listen to music or a book or a podcast is very relaxing while still active and I've indulged in it this week in particular. On Wednesday, I went with my Mom up to Skyline Drive in the Blue Ridge Mountains (which I've been jonesing to visit since reading the Raven Cycle books this summer and finally got a chance to do), yesterday I drove a ways out of town to walk around a nature preserve, and today I just did several circuits around the park nearby where I saw a lot of birds (ironically many more than in the nature preserve!)

[dolorosa_12]

I think I saw the place you went for your walk, and it looked so incredibly beautiful — what a stunningly lovely part of the world!

You're lucky to have nice weather that keeps you outdoors. It's basically rained for the whole of October here, which made the prospect of lots of outdoor walking way less appealling. I've still tried to keep up running and the occasional walk, but it was much easier to do so during the summer!

I'm glad you've found ways to keep yourself relaxed during this past stressful week.