Christening this topic with the f1shtastic way to get through things.

[f1shtacular]

Hey guys. One, I love you. Two, I figured I'd pop in and give y'all something I keep in mind when I'm really low.

You know what food I love? Ramen. Delicious ramen. We order it from a place in town sometimes at work. I swear, we should be paying more for it, the pork belly is tender, the broth is exquisite, the noodles? Oh, perfect softness. But you know why I can eat this delicious ramen? Because I'm here. Because I choose to keep going. And it's uncomfortable more often than not. I have depression, anxiety, God knows what else is in my head because of life and genetics.

But I can still eat the delicious ramen.

And sometimes I'm sad as frick when I eat it because of family issues, seasonal depression, what have you. But I'm still kickin', so I can have that delicious ramen. And it's //okay// to be sad even when you have said delicious ramen. That doesn't make it any less delicious. That doesn't make you any less present eating it. It doesn't dilute the hard work people did to make it. It doesn't throw a wrench in the history that made the delicious ramen possible, with farmers and chefs all working together to bring you this one bowl of joy.

And sure, mental health is more complex than thinking about ramen lmao. But it does help me, even just a little when things are terrible, just thinking of how I am alive and able to have something so simply wonderful. It doesn't undo any depression or trauma. But it lightens my mental load.

So what is your delicious ramen? What's that one thing, or even many things for you that make you enjoy life a little more, even when it's terrible?

And just know, I am glad you are all here with me, eating delicious ramen even though right now everything is hard. I love you.

 

[TakingBabyStepsBack]

I will take part in this!

With the outside world feeling like it's on fire, anything that limits media exposure is a jackpot for me.

My particular go-to right now is working number puzzles. Cross sums and sudoku particularly. My brain seems wired for them but it does require a level of focus and patience. They are admittedly an acquired taste and definitely not for everyone (I can vouch for this because I have tried a few other styles of puzzle that I couldn't wrap my head around no matter how hard I tried), but it feels safer to me at the moment and I hope that it sticks for a while.

 

[AceofSwords]

Several years ago when I was displaced after a house fire, I'd take walks around a nearby park and take my Sudoku puzzle book with me. I went through about four Intermediate to Difficult books before I got to move home again. I still do puzzles, but I've branched out into cryptograms, puzzle rooms (including the play from home kind), and I'm still doing Sudoku. I miss the crosswords I used to do but I no longer get the print newspaper so no more of those for now.

 

[TakingBabyStepsBack]

@AceofSwords Depending on where you are, you may be able to get crossword magazines if you want to do those again. I can share some resources to that end if you're interested.

 

[Nevetharine]

**sighs** ... Chocolate... Anything sweet really.

It's really bad. My teeth hate it. But it's good.

Hubby. He pisses me off sometimes but, he's my person. And the only one that really gets me - as much as I can be gotten by another human.

And then there's my little parrot...naughty like hell, but he's mine. And he's got another 70 years so, I kind of need to stick around.

And the kitty cat.

And daydreaming to the point of not being in the real world I suppose. But hey, I suppose there are worse ways to cope.

 

[Froud]

In my previous relationship, I used to walk the dog like a lot (he was a Beagle so he was always in for it, a gorgeous ever happy boy) as my then partner build a bridge between us and I did not managed to unbuild it until it pushed me away. So we were for long walks, for hours, sometimes for the day.
When we split, Barney (the dog) came with me. But every other weekend, I left it with her so she could enjoy also his company (I wanted her to have it more since she loved the dog but she kept saying that she could not take care of it that much) until the day she had the harshest words and she never saw the dog again. We were together and happy. He was my tiny (and smelly) pup. Now he is gone but I have his pic on a keyholder so he is forever with me (it was a gift from my now-partner).

So every now and then I take a look at my old boy. It was not the first, probably not the last but he was dearly special to me.

And when things go sideways, there a good ole pint of ice cream.

 

[Polkadotsandsuperglue]

What a great question and something I’ve been thinking about since you posted. My delicious ramen is baking. Following a recipe, dip, level, pour, measure, mis en place, clean up, packaging and sharing - all the steps start to finish relax me and my mind focuses on the task and quiets the clutter and noise of my thoughts. I wonder if I like baking because I’m in control up until time in the oven or it’s following directions and I don’t have to make decisions. Most likely the latter. Just me and the ingredients. And then giving the food to someone is satisfaction. I care about you and am sharing a treat, food is my love language.