An Extensive List of Healthy Distractions (& Self-Love Techniques)
This list includes coping techniques for both in-the-moment stress and long-term challenges, with self-love suggestions, as well as healthy distractions, and grounding techniques, all of which have been compiled from various 7cups Self-Help guides and other 7cups resources. Reference links for more reading are at the bottom of this post.
Only you will know which things will be helpful for you to do, and in which circumstances, and that's okay.
Please add your own healthy distractions and self-love techniques to this list for other people to be inspired!
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- Placing something cool on your face and thinking about how it feels, its texture, &c
- Putting your feet firmly on the ground and thinking about how the ground feels on your bare feet, ie: grassy, warm, smooth, wooden, rough
- Focusing on someone's voice and how it wavers up and down naturally during a conversation
- Naming five things you can see in the room, followed by four things you can feel in the room, followed by three things you can hear in or near a room, followed by two things you can smell in a room, followed by one good thing about yourself
- Tasting something for the first time, by slowly placing it in your mouth, feeling the texture and the temperature thoroughly, chewing slowly, and enjoying to the last swallow.
- Smelling the neighborhood by taking a walk, and recognizing all the fragrances that drift your way, from freshly mowed grass, to flowers, to gasoline
- Reorienting yourself by asking yourself what year it is, what season it is, how many more months to your next birthday, &c
- Writing yourself a letter to read a year later
- Drawing, painting, designing, coding, &c
- Doing paper mache, collages, sculpting, &c
- Trying to draw yourself in MS Paint
- Reading anything (a book, poem, article, &c)
- Writing anything (a letter, poem, book, &c)
- Planning a soundtrack like your life was a film
- Making and flying a kite
- Creating a secret code, handshake, language
- Imagining alternate endings to stories
- Starting a collection or scrapbook
- Visiting interesting websites, forums, &c
- Going on a picnic
- Designing a cartoon character or superhero
- Listing your achievements (short/long-term)
- Reflecting on how Ive improved
- Remembering a more difficult time from the past and how you are not in that more difficult situation anymore
- Holding a pilllow, stuffed animal, blanket, or ball
- Thinking about pleasant events
- Taking a silly photo of yourself
- Taking photos of random objects
- Listening to expressive music or singing
- Remembering how strong you are: you're still here!
- Acting, dancing, or playing an instrument
- Looking at old photos, old personal poems, art, or expressions
- Playing a game, sports, or puzzles
- Learning to play a new game
- Learn a new skill (juggling, baloon animals)
- Washing your car, bike, or pet outside
- Looking outside the window
- Recognzing and accepting your feelings or urges, and then choosing a color or two in your mind to represent them
- Sitting/lying in the sun
- Watching people, birds, clouds, stars
- Taking a walk
- Making a list of tasks/landmarks
- Making plans for the future
- Enjoying aromatherapy (candles, incense, &c)
- Finishing something
- Scheduling a day to do nothing at all
- Wearing nice clothes around the house
- Thinking Im a good person
- Watching TV on mute to imagine dialogue
- Going to an arcade or playground
- Volunteering, joining a class, joining a group
- Rearranging your furniture, cleaning
- Listening to the rain
- Listening to guided meditations or mindfulness exercises
- Cooking, baking, and/or finding a new recipe
- Drinking a favorite beverage
- Eating a favorite snack
- Solving riddles/puzzles
- Repairing something
- Getting a massage, haircut, going to a sauna
- Listing why you deserve good things
- Listing things you value and things you do not value
- Imagining what career you would pursue if you knew you could succeed
- Imagining what, if anything, you would say or do if you knew nothing would stop you an dthere would be no consequences
- Having a fun mock argument, debate or pretend heated discussion with a friend or stuffed animal that ends in hugs.
- Talking with a friend
- Listening to others who need help
- Meeting or having lunch with a friend
- Helping a friend cope
- Going to a party
- Making a gift for someone
- Meditating, yoga, practicing deep breathing
- Taking a warm bath
- Remembering beautiful scenery and sounds
- Gardening and/or arranging flowers
- Naming and taking care of neighborhood plants
- Exercising or dancing
- Allowing yourself a good cry with a pillow or blanket
- Listing things you're thankful for
- Counting backward from 100 and trying to remember where you lose count. Try to beat your own record. How many times can you count backward from 100 without losing your count?
- Listening to the brag of your own heart: I am, I am, I am.
- Watching a movie, tv, clips, bloopers, &c
- Enjoying a silent moment
References:
- Pleasurable Activities Exercise (Fulton State Hospital, p. 56)
- http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/PDF/Self-Harm%20Distractions%20and%20Alternatives%20FINAL.pdf
. . .
- Choosing a letter and thinking of all the words that begin or end with it.
- Saying the alphabet backwards or alternate letters and numbers, like A1, B2, C3...
- Thinking of as many types of objects as possible in a given category, like dogs, cities, sports...
- Counting up to 100 by prime numbers or perfect squares
- Describing in great detail an every day process, thoroughly listing all steps in order
- Digging in the dirt, jumping in a pile of leaves or snowbank, splashing in puddles or mud
- Playing fizz-buzz, counting up but with all 5s as "fizz" and 7s as "buzz", 1-2-3-4-fizz-6-buzz-8-9...
. . .
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References:
- Reviewing and participating in a list of things to be happy about, from small to silly: https://www.7cups.com/forum/QuestionsFeedbackIdeasFun_33/Funandrelaxation_91/1000reasonstobehappy_6929/
- Enjoying a music box or snowglobe
- Tapping on your arm or skin in time with your heartbeat
- Reading a list of ways others find peace and relax:
(https://7cups.com/forum/AnxietySupportCommunity_53/AnxietyQA_218/OnewayIrelaxandfindpeaceis_61086)
- Snapping your fingers in front of your face or next to your ear.
- Learning sign language or braille
- Taking free online courses in subjects that interest you
- Putting bandaids on yourself or kissing yourself
- Doing the exact opposite (if healthy) of what you want to do (if unhealthy)
- Alphabetizing your CDs, movies, games, books, or other groups of things
- Reorganizing your closet by color, size, ocassion, fabric, &c
- Surfing, floating, scuba diving, swimming, showering, or bathing
- Skateboarding, skating, rollerboarding, sledding, skiing, or biking
- Creating custom maps or backstories, such as for dungeons & dragons
- Making a map of your room, home, or neighborhood
- Knitting, sewing, embroidery, or fixing holes in clothes
- Learning a new magic trick, new yoyo trick, or new pet trick
- Decorating anything (rooms, cases, mirrors, profile pages, &c)
- Editing or contributing to wikipedia articles or other online resources
- Thinking about the first time you met someone who showed that they cared
- Listing places you would like to travel to or return to, real or imaginary
- Tensing and relaxing each of your muscles indvidually, from head to toe
- Brainstorming new slang or terms for existing or outdated words
- Imaging you are floating through clouds using your device (click here!)
- Exploring fun websites like Checkbox Painter (click here!)
- Listing and examining your personal boundaries
- Physically removing yourself from a tense environment or situation
- Wording your own personal mantra or affirmation, or reading others' mantras
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References include but aren't limited to:
- http://www.adolescentselfinjuryfoundation.com/page11
- http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f12-self-harm/t9418-alternatives-self-harm/
- 7cups Hobbies Master Post (from playing guitar to raising butterflies and more)
. . .
- Doing something outside that you would typically do indoors
- Performing a random act of kindness for someone else
- Rolling or sliding down a grassy, snowy, or sandy hill
- Taking a nap, resting, or allowing yourself to sleep
- Trying something you used to enjoy, even playing with a chidhood toy
- Being inspired by other people's aspirations and hopes
- Sharing a secret with a pet, toy, friend, or through PostSecret.com
- Making lists about anything, or a pro/cons list
- Turning on colored lights, night lights, or turning off all the lights
- Driving, cycling, walking or travelling a short or long distance
- Feeding the birds or other animals, outside or at a zoo
- Splashing water on yourself
- Climbing something like furniture, a tree, cliff, or mountain
- Forgiving yourself for one thing you've been self-critical about
- Swinging on swings, or going to a playground
- Having a romantic date with yourself
- Personifying your illness or urge: if it were a person what would it be like?
- Making or finding a visual of what your ideal happy place or safe place would look like
- Sitting in front of a fan, listening to it and feeling the air
- Writing a letter to your illness, urge, or worries
- Imagining the title of a book, movie, or song about you
- Practicing martial arts, using a punching bag, kickboxing, going to the gym, and similar
- Creating a plan for how to deal with these emotions in the future
- Whistling or making other fun sound effects
. . .
References:
- One Skill I would Like to Learn Is...
- One Way I Relax and Find Peace Is...
- There Is Nothing I Enjoy More Than...
- I Feel Most At Peace When...
- The Best Way To Cope With Negative Emotions Is...
- Alternative Thoughts and Actions Plan (PDF)
- Taking personality quizzes and similar just for fun
- Feeling textures you enjoy or petting an animal
- Listening to ambient sounds or ASMR
- Talking out loud to yourself in a comforting tone
- Giving yourself a hug or cuddling with a blanket, pillow, or pet
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Related Links:
- Ambient sounds: https://asoftmurmur.com
- Rain sounds: https://rainymood.com
- Send a Cuddle to someone: https://rarelycharlie.github.io/cuddle
- calligraphy, lettering
- streaming yourself live (such as videos/podcasts)
- making paper snowflakes
- carving and/or painting pumpkins
