Creative Outlets & Coping

[roxie]

What are your creative outlets? Do you think it helps you cope?

I've always liked crafty things even though I'm not super artistic. I used to knit and crochet a lot but my arms were hurting too much and I set it aside. I haven't felt like picking it back up but I've started doodling some even though its nothing spectacular. There are times it feels relaxing. But if I do it too long I feel sick. I've been trying to look into different techniques I use when I feel worse compared to better.

Anyways, what do you find relaxing? And how do you manage to do it when you're feeling extra bad to stay occupied?

[SnowDrifter]

I always like doing things with my hands, seems like it helps to keep me grounded. Depending on how I feel: silly putty, knitting(funny, I know, but don't knock it 'till you try it!), playing with speakers.

Other times I'll just turn on some netflix or similar. Kids shows/kids movies are pretty relaxing - simple plots and they are cheery.

[azmusiclover]

Music for sure, listening to it and playing when I can. Read too. Do Sudoku and I got this new thing called "Colorku" It's sudoku with colored balls instead of the numbers. It has a board and puzzles you can solve and you can convert sudoku puzzles into the colors. Very cool. Found it on Amazon after the kid's OT brought it over to the house.

I also love making collages from magazines and media. To me they are art. I pick a topic and just start cutting up stuff that relates and then making the collage on some poster board. I did one on New Years for what I want for 2013.

I used to cross-stitch too, but it hurts my body to be bent over and working it for too long.

[roxie]

It sounds like you like art journaling, azmusiclover! I think it's really fun but stick to doodle journaling, I guess.,paint takes to much energy to clean up.

Snowdrifter, knittinga fine! I know how to knit and cricket, I think crocheting takes less energy.,

[azmusiclover]

I never thought of it as "art journaling" but I suppose that's what it is! Cool!!!!! I'm with you, no painting. Too messy That's why I like the collages, just cut up magazines and glue them to the board. I think you can find old magazines at thrift shops or ask at your doc's office when they throw them out if they will save them for you, if anyone is interested in doing it.

[roxie]

Google "art journal" or "art journaling" I think you'll be amazed

[Libby]

For a creative outlet, I act. I think about it all the time, haha, and rehearse a few times a week when I'm doing a scene, but I also take a class. It's 3-4 hours, once a week. Fantastic for my mental health but it's not always the best thing for my symptoms, honestly. We start each class with a warm-up exercise that involves a bit of movement, which always leaves me lightheaded. Also we'll do freeze tag improv (two people will improv a scene until someone watching yells 'freeze', tags one of the people out and starts a different scene using the frozen positions), and the standing will get to me. But we have it in an old theater that usually has some overstuffed prop chair or desk lying around that I can sit on.

But the majority of the class is scene study, so I'm either sitting the entire time watching/critiquing someone else's performance or, if I'm doing a scene, the high that comes with hitting the emotions usually keeps me good.

I minored in creative writing, so I'll dabble in that too. Less physical effort and it's useful in acting - practicing character development.

[roxie]

I bet acting is exhausting having to convey emotions and stuff.

I like to write, too. Even that takes energy. That what frustrates me the most, I want to stay occupied but I get SOOOO tired, dizzy, and nauseas. I've been trying to makes lists and seperate things into how I feel. Like when I'm feeling the worst it's probably easier to scribble and color compared to line drawing or writing.

[CarrieJessica]

My blog has been a sanity saver!

http://justmildlymedicated.blogspot.com/

[hholmes13]

Reading has been huge for me. I think I've read 20+ books in the past 7-8 months. My favorite outlet though is baking. I love to feed people. Even when I'm feeling lousy, I can sit on my stool in the kitchen and still do it. I especially love to decorate cakes. My dream would be to go work in a bakery someday. Since I work in science, I don't really get to feed my artistic side.

Here's one my favorites I did for a friend at work for a party she threw:

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/183755_10150192017659554_5983465_n.jpg

[Gerrik1]

Reading and gaming on the computer and DS Lite are my sanity. I use to cross stitch also but unable to focus on those small squares anymore. When I do gaming I like the ones that get me to think. The ones that I have to solve a problem before you can move on. Keeps my mind active. Also like doing word search games on my Kindle. I also have read many books since I got my Kindle, free books are GREAT.

[Racer]

Currently photography is my creative outlet, specifically wildlife and nature photography. I have been focusing on wildlife of national parks. Nothing compares to being in wilderness photographing a newborn fawn frolicking or coyote hunting for a meal.

Nice thing about wildlife photography, if I am feeling extra bad there are plenty of places to photograph wildlife from the comfort of a car. The days I don't leave the house, I turn up some music and spend time on the computer processing all the photos.

[cmreber]

Writing and reading for me. I actually just finished up my second novel, yay! They are both ways to let myself check out of reality for awhile...worry about someone ELSE's problems for a little bit! lol

Something else that I have recently discovered isn't exactly creative, but awesome nonetheless. I have been into extreme sports for a long time (dirt bikes, motorcycles, snowboarding, surfing...) but those are not exactly POTS-friendly and I've needed something that can take their place until I can get back into them. What IS POTS-friendly (at least for me) is scuba diving. In fact, I actually feel GOOD down there (maybe a combo of salt water and compression/pressure from the water?) AND it's so much fun!!! Of course, it usually means having to travel and it is pretty costly, but I think I've definitely found a new hobby.

[ukwildcat]

Hholmes13 your cake is amazing. I am very impressed. It is way better than the cakes that I see in the bakeries around my house. I like to quilt, when I am able. When you think of quilting, you think of little old ladies doing it. However, it is hard work. Many days it kicks my butt. I always joke that those must be some strong old ladies. It may take me a lot longer than most people to complete a quilt but I love the feeling of completing a project, other than house work. Even when I can't physically quilt, I can look at books or computer to come up with my next project. I make quilts for family and friends and quilts for people I hear of that are sick. For example a CF patient that had a lung transplant and for breast cancer patient. Also, there is a group of ladies in my area that get dolls and then they make doll clothes and a quilt for each doll. Then, they give them to less fortunate children at Christmas. I have made doll quilts for them. Recently, I learned of a rehab facility in my community that gives quilts to the ladies when they graduate the program. Now, I am working on a quilt to donate to them. Even though not able to quilt many days, it gives me something in my house to do when I feel good enough and something to think about and plan even when I feel bad.

[ramakentesh]

I have many and you definately need them so you can feel human. Its harder when you feel crappy all the time, but I try to distract myself with music, making music, playing guitar, writing, and stuff like that.

[roxie]

@carriejessica- Awesome! Sometimes I think about a blog but I don't know what to blog about. I don't want to blog about my life, its so boring,

@holmes- I love to read as well, its hard for me to focus though and gets exhausting so only a little everyday. You're cake is beautiful!!! You're talented.

@gerrick-I love free kindle books

@racer- awesome!

@cmreber- swimming is a really good activity for us! And I write too, I'm on my second WIP

@ukwildcat- quilting is hard, I've watched my gma do it. Have you thought about smaller ways to quilt. Like when they put those tiny pieces together or a similar craft like crocheting or basic sewing?

@rama- I know, I have to find things that give me a sense of normalcy. I still feel stir crazy Bc I can't do them as much as I like,

Have you guys ever seen crafty.com ? They offer a lot of online classes for different creative things.

[sue1234]

I sew. I have loved to sew my whole life, but haven't done much since I had kids. Now that my youngest is in college, I've gotten the urge to do it again. And I started with a doozy!! My son just recently got married, and of course I could not go places to shop for a mother of the groom dress. The ones I saw online looked all alike. So, I decided to sew me one! I ordered some beautiful raw Thai silk in gray and made the dress. I felt like some contrast was needed, so added some black chiffon at the waist panels and a flutter of chiffon at the base of the short sleeves. I got quite a few compliments on it. I had never worked with silk before, and was pleasantly surprised. I've thought about sewing higher-end little girls' dresses and selling them on Etsy, as my creativity is driving me crazy! I NEED to let it out.

[cmreber]

ihatebananas, what kinds of things do you like to write? I love doing anything fiction, though fantasy is my first love

[roxie]

I write mostly fiction!

[cmreber]

Nice! Have you ever heard of NaNoWriMo? (National Novel Writing Month) It happens in November and you try to write 50,000 words of a novel in the 30 days of the month. It can be a bit intense, but it's good for getting your ideas down and not getting bogged down in editing! This April, they have Camp NaNo and you can set your word count goal, just in case 50,000 is too much

[roxie]

I have! I haven't done nano though, Right now I'm doing a challenge from a blog I follow. It's called 100-4-100

[bebe127]

I like to scrapbook, but rarely have the energy. I really like the idea of art journaling and am definately going to look into that. I also blog, but many times I just can't find the time to do that either. I homeschool my two teens, so my day consists of Algebra II, Geometry, French I, Spanish I lessons and anything else they need help or guidance on as well as taking daughter to college class and volunteering. I also teach a few weeks out of the year through our homeschool co-op and I spend many hours researching and creating my own curriculum for that. This spring, I taught a poetry class to 5/6 graders. Next spring I will be teaching an art appreciation class for the high schoolers. I like the researching and planning part the best, but it takes hundreds of hours to put it all together, so I usually start a year in advance.

Thanks for adding this topic. Some really great ideas on here!!

[Libby]

bananas - it can be exhausting, definitely. but if you do it right, you don't even realize how exhausting it is until after the scene is over. Or sometimes, it's not - sometimes it's a quiet, understated scene. My best scene ever was a scene from Blue Valentine, where the main characters flirt on a bus. I don't even remember doing it, it felt so natural. The real tiring work for that one came in the rehearsal - my scene partner and I worked the scene on an actual bus. The driver must have thought we were nuts. lol

What kind of fiction do you write?

CM - I used to LOVE scuba diving. I haven't done it since being diagnosed with POTS, though. I never thought I'd pass their health questionnaire (though I seriously considered lying - if doctors don't get POTS, then I don't expect the scuba people to understand). It's gorgeous down there, isn't it?

[cmreber]

Libby, my first time scuba diving was in Grand Caymen on a cruise about a year ago. I filled out the questionnaire truthfully, and they did have an issue with it. Fortunately, our good friend who was with us on the cruise is an orthopedic surgeon, so he was able to give me the necessary "doctors note" to go along with it. After trying it and realizing how awesome I felt while doing it, now I just "fib" a little bit so I can skip the whole "doctors okay" thing. LOL Of course, for anyone that hasn't tried it before, I would DEFINITELY recommend asking! But, yes, it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! There is honestly nothing like it that I have experienced before, and the fact that I actually feel good while doing it is worth a million dollars in itself!!!