so, because the past two days have been terrible, what are some of your favorite ways you cheer yourself up? not asking for advice, just a thread discussing everyone's favorite ways to relax and take it easy!

do you play a favorite game? watch a show? draw? punch the hell out of one of those creepy dummy things in your garage? (that's very fun, by the way, but make sure your technique is solid or you're gonna be aching.)

it's hard for me to cheer myself up, but i usually either play a 3DS game or i watch some MONSTER FACTORYYY. it's extremely hard to feel like shit when the mcelroys are creating yet another horrific monstrosity and unleashing it upon some poor game.

I call my oldest nephew. He's nine and doesn't care at all about whatever it is that I need cheering up about. He's just happy I called and wants to tell me all about what he's been doing and asks when I'm coming to visit next. It always gives me a little break from real life and makes me feel loved. I can't think of a better way to cheer myself up.

hit up buzzfeed for lists of cute animals

that is so, so cute i want to cry... oh my god ;; bless him

that's also actually a good idea. cute animals are just.. so good. theyre so calming to look at it's great. sometimes ill just snuggle with my cat if i'm feeling bad. it helps, she's super warm and soft and affectionate

I give my cats hugs and kisses all the time. but cute gifs and goofy pictures of other pets are great too. :) I really like gifs of cats being weird or dogs being happy.

pets are just so naturally loving, i feel! it's wonderful! being with my pets or even just seeing videos online is sort of healing, in a way. and who doesn't love cats acting completely ridiculous?

I'm right there with you needing the extra cheer. hugs

I play Animal Crossing New Leaf to help clear my mind. If you're not familiar with the game play, you're a mayor of a cute town with adorable villagers... who all happen to be adorable animals!! And you get to plants trees and flowers and put up cute benches and stuff to make the town look however you want. And you can talk to your villagers and do errands for them, and they give you stuff in return. You can decorate your house and let friends in real life visit your town! It's a great way to just relieve stress and escape to a cute world of bliss. :)

I joined a bulldog & boxer group on Facebook so my feed has been inundated with puppy pictures ❤ I use subeta as an escape as well as fantasy lands in books. I finished a trilogy recently bit not since Morostide here on subeta. The best thing to do sometimes is to turn off the TV (:

oh, i always play ACNL! i love it. i remember getting the gamecube version when i was little, i totally fell in love with it. happy home designer is also really nice and relaxing, just designing a little house with no time limit. :'^)

puppy pictures are ALWAYS a good idea when you're not feeling good, i find. books are also a fantastic way to just escape for a bit! and i actually don't watch tv, haven't watched tv in like a year, haha. (we have cable, but only because it was cheaper to bundle cable + internet than to just get internet)

I hide in Overwatch in some form (usually lurk until I find fluffy McHanzo) and with Ezio's Collection coming out on Tuesday, I'll have that back. It's a nice way to hide from reality for a while. I've also been talking to the friends I'm meeting up with in March and making excited plans for that because I am still doing that.

Not to mention I'm a stress cleaner, the more stressed I am, the more sparkling the house is, omg.

Subeta's always nice to come onto, I enjoy looking at event HAs and all the rest. It's particularly enjoyable to see what new players come up with.

I grab a little toy or a bag of chocolate chips and make some cookies as an excuse to visit my 3 year old niece.

she's super sassy and will start talking none-sense the minute she sees me. it always cheers me up ^^

failing that I'll just watch a silly but happy movie or play a PC game for an hour (current fav. is stardew valley)

Oh my gosh, I have so many different stress relievers.

I like to play video games, especially with friends. That helps me get my mind off things and focused onto something else. I also like to draw, but truthfully I haven't done that in a while. I need to get back into it. I also do this weird thing when I 'window shop' online, like I find stuff I'd totally like to buy but never do because money. It's so weird and it's torturing, but I often forget what I'm stressed about because now I can't get my mind off of something that I want to get lol. Though I do sometimes cave and buy.

TBH no shame, when I'm feeling really stressed or upset, I watch Ellen on YouTube xD She is such a happy and inspiring person. And yet I never think of turning the tv on to actually watch Ellen on that, bahaha. I mean this goes the same with SNL.

I've recently got back into Animal Crossing New Leaf as well! I like the twist where you're the mayor in this game. Though for whatever reason, the store always has the same floors/wallpapers and I can't find items in the themes I'm going for in my rooms. I'd like to have a room with the Classic items for example, but I only have the wallpaper and bed bahaha.

First, I sleep. A good night's sleep can often change my mood because the next day is a new day. If I'm generally down, I know myself that I need some alone time. I spend time doing things alone that I enjoy; reading, going online, watching movies. Then I get in touch with friends and organise something fun; drinks, the cinema, dinner. This way, I have something to look forward to. I am both introverted and extroverted, and I rely on social interaction to keep myself sane positive and healthy. These are the things that usually work to improve my mood.

I hope you feel better soon!

Sleep is a really great suggestion -- when I was in school, sleep would always be first priority over worrying about a presentation. Easier said than done because I still stare at the ceiling sometimes pondering life. Being aware of a bad mood may help you remember to take a deep breath and let the bad feelings go. I, apparently, am not always in the best of moods at work but I'm often left feeling as though I'm floundering through. I may bring a coloring book to work and take my five minute breaks coloring inside the lines. Haaa!

I write, watch my favorite series, play video games or read a book...doesn't help much though, I still feel like crap, lol

Uh, I draw or I video game. I've also done the Netflix and chill thing or read a book which helps as well.

I find games like Bloodborne to be good for slicing and dicing stress out of you.

Watching a funny movie, or Youtube video(s) is always a generally good way for me to make myself feel better, just something mindless. I also will submerse myself in video games, or take a nap (which can either make me feel better or worse depending on how I wake up, haha!)

I like pampering myself with things like candles and face masks. Also burying myself in my duvet with good music/my current book/the cute and goofy side of the internet. I also have a couple of friends who usually manage to perk me up at least a little without fail.

I have a list on imdb named "Safe" and I watch at least one film from it when I feel bad. It has a lot of Studio Ghibli stuff as well as other things that make me feel, well, safe. I get in touch with a few friends who help take my mind away from whatever bothers me and make me feel valued. I eat junk food and play shitty flash games. Or I go the opposite direction and get some work done. Either something I've been putting off for a while or something I'd find challenging enough that my brain has no more space left for other processes.

Music. Usually the only thing that works for me is music. When my depression hits hard, it's pretty much impossible to put effort into anything, besides poking at a play button.