Pleasurable Activities
When we are feeling depressed or anxious, it can be difficult to think of pleasurable activities to engage in. Here is a list of over 100 activities someone can do to make themselves feel good or happy.
NOTE: not all of these activities are going to be good for everyone and that is okay! Find what works for you!
1. Soaking in the bathtub
2. Planning my career
3. Collecting things (coins, shells, etc.)
4. Going for a vacation/holiday
5. Recycling old items
6. Relaxing
7. Going on a date
8. Going to a movie
9. Jogging, walking
10. Listening to music
11. Thinking I have done a full days work
12. Recalling past good times with others
13. Buying household gadgets
14. Lying in the sun
15. Planning a career change
16. Laughing
17. Thinking about my past trips
18. Listening to others
19. Reading magazines or newspapers
20. Hobbies (stamp collecting, model building, etc.)
21. Spending an evening with good friends
22. Planning a days activities
23. Meeting new people
24. Remembering beautiful scenery
25. Saving money
26. Gambling (responsibly)
27. Going to the gym, doing aerobics
28. Eating mindfully
29. Thinking how it will be when I finish school
30. Getting out of debt/paying debts
31. Practicing karate, judo, yoga
32. Thinking about retirement
33. Repairing things around the house
34. Working on my car (bicycle)
35. Remembering the words and deeds of loving people
36. Dressing up in costumes and acting silly
37. Having quiet evenings
38. Taking care of my plants/yard
39. Buying, selling stocks and shares
40. Going swimming
41. Doodling
42. Exercising
43. Collecting old things
44. Going to a party
45. Thinking about buying things
46. Playing golf
47. Playing soccer
48. Flying kites
49. Having discussions with friends
50. Having family get-togethers
51. Riding a motorcycle
52. Sex (responsibly)
53. Playing sports
54. Going camping
55. Singing around the house
56. Arranging flowers
57. Going to church, praying (practicing religion)
58. Losing weight
59. Going to the beach
60. Thinking Im an OK person
61. A day with nothing to do
62. Having class reunions
63. Going ice skating, roller skating/blading
64. Going sailing
65.Travelling abroad, interstate or within the state
66. Sketching, painting
67. Doing something spontaneously
68. Doing embroidery, cross stitching
69. Sleeping
70. Driving
71.Entertaining
72. Going to clubs (garden, sewing, etc.)
73. Thinking about getting married
74. Going birdwatching
75. Singing with groups
76. Flirting
77. Playing musical instruments
78. Doing arts and crafts
79. Making a gift for someone
80. Buying CDs, tapes, records
81. Watching boxing, wrestling
82. Planning parties
83. Cooking, baking
84. Going hiking, bush walking
85. Writing books (poems, articles)
86. Sewing
87. Buying clothes
88. Working
89. Going out to dinner
90. Discussing books
91. Sightseeing
92. Gardening
93. Going to the beauty salon
94. Early morning coffee and newspaper
95. Playing tennis
96. Kissing
97. Watching my children (play)
98. Thinking I have a lot more going for me than most people
99. Going to plays and concerts
100. Daydreaming
101. Planning to go to college or university
102. Going for a long drive
103. Listening to the radio
104. Refinishing furniture
105. Watching videos or DVDs
106. Making lists of tasks
107. Going bike riding
108. Walks on the riverfront/flakeshore
109. Buying gifts
110. Travelling to national parks
111. Completing a task
112. Thinking about my achievements
113. Going to a football game (or rugby, soccer, basketball, etc.)
114. Eating gooey, fattening foods (responsibly)
115. Exchanging emails, chatting on the internet
116. Photography
117. Going fishing
118. Thinking about pleasant events
119. Staying on a diet
120. Star gazing
121. Flying a plane
122. Reading fiction
123. Acting
124. Being alone
125. Writing diary/journal entries or letters
126. Cleaning
127. Reading non-fiction
128. Taking children places
129. Dancing
130. Going on a picnic
131. Thinking I did that pretty well after doing something
132. Meditating
133. Playing volleyball
134. Having lunch with a friend
135. Going to the hills
136. Thinking about having a family
137. Thoughts about happy moments in my childhood
138. Splurging
139. Playing cards
140. Having a political discussion
141. Solving riddles mentally
142. Playing cricket
143. Seeing and/or showing photos or slides
144. Knitting/crocheting/quilting
145. Doing crossword puzzles
146. Shooting pool/Playing billiards
147. Dressing up and looking nice
148. Reflecting on how Ive improved
149. Buying things for myself
150. Talking on the phone
151. Going to museums, art galleries
152. Thinking religious thoughts
153. Surfing the internet
154. Lighting candles
155. Listening to the radio
156. Going crabbing or prawning
157. Having coffee at a cafe
158. Getting/giving a massage
159. Saying I love you
160. Thinking about my good qualities
161. Buying books
162. Having a spa, or sauna
163. Going skiing
164. Going canoeing or white-water rafting
165. Going bowling
166. Doing woodworking
167. Fantasizing about the future
168. Doing ballet, jazz/tap dancing
169. Debating
170. Playing computer games
171. Having an aquarium
172. Solving Sudoku puzzles
173. Going horseback riding
174. Going rock climbing
175. Thinking about becoming active in the community
176. Doing something new
177. Making jigsaw puzzles
178. Thinking Im a person who can cope
179. Playing with my pets
180. Having a barbecue
181. Rearranging the furniture in my house
182. Buying new furniture
183. Going window shopping
184. Volunteering
Have other ideas? Add them!
@HollieAardemaLMSWCAADC OMG!! lol. Thank you for this. I actually printed it out. It will help me out for the begining of the school year
@CastielIsPerfect You are very welcome! I'm glad to hear it will be put to good use!
@HollieAardemaLMSWCAADC
Thank you so much for sharing this with the community, I also printed this out and shared a copy with my girlfriend. Not only has this given me things to do during the weekends but it also gave me ways to relax and find pleasure during the stressful work days, especially now that school has started.
Thanks again,
Prio.
@Prio That's great! I'm certainly glad to help!
I love to relax and soak in a nice warm bath 🛀 or go away for a holiday 😆 What do you like to do the best? - Ellie x
@Ellie123456 I enjoy both of those as well. And reading...reading can take me away like nothing else can! 
@HollieAardemaLMSWCAADC AWwww yeah! I love reading :) What kind of books do you like? :) - Ellie x
@Ellie123456 Oooh, all types! I like Stephen King type books with the mixture of horror and suspense. Fantasy, science fiction, true crime, dystopian futures...there aren't many that I don't like!
@HollieAardemaLMSWCAADCYeah me neither aha. But I do love dystopian movies and books! Especially the hunger games :) - Ellie x
@Ellie123456 I like doing the same 
@MindVoyager Thats great! Reading is amazing! What kind of books do you like to read? :)
@HollieAardemaLMSWCAADC That's so encouraging to realise the giftedness of happy living. 
@MindVoyager yeah, thats great! :) - Ellie x
@MindVoyager yes it is!! ❤️
I love this list! I am about to bookmark this for those times where I'm feeling unmotivated, not sure what I can do at the time given my circumstances / the type of situation / if there are limited resources around me for whatever reason, etc.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this list. I, like I'm sure others do, really appreciate the time you took to write this/share this. You are awesome! :)
@beautifulPudding72 so happy to help!
@HollieAardemaLMSWCAADC
Wow You are amazing, never saw such a beautiful list
Thanks
@dreamSmiles53 I wish I could take credit for all of it, but I can't! I just did a little research to find it. Thank you though!
Tell your loved ones that you indeed love them, also pet your pets or any other animal, watch funny stuff also works great to lift you up :)
@ItsjustDenisse those are great! Thank you for adding!
@HollieAardemaLMSWCAADC
Thank you for the wonderful list!
@KeenEar96 you are so very welcome!!
@HollieAardemaLMSWCAADC
So many awesome ideas! You've helped me out a lot and many others :)