Published on 12, July, 2020
Like many, I often struggle to manage my mental health, self-esteem and negative thoughts towards myself. However, I do have a few activities that I enjoy that just help to reframe things and make me feel positive about myself.
What activities do you enjoy that have a positive effect on your outlook?
I just started exercise again after a 3 month break and it feels wonderful. I also picked up woodworking again after a similar break and have just completed making a new workbench. It’s not brilliant, but it’s mine and I’m proud of it.
The main activity that makes me feel good about myself is my writing. I write mainly sports articles, football and cricket, and a lot of it is historical stuff and ties into my main special interest which is European history and culture, especially Germany and the former GDR. I feel good about myself when I write something and it gets published
Getting something published must be very satisfying. I don’t imagine it’s particularly easy to do so though.
It can hit very hard. I used to go through phases pre diagnosis and not know what it was. I never had the words to describe to people what I was experiencing, until now anyway. I am very sorry to hear of the impact of it on you- it sounds like a particularly rough bout of it.
I’m a teacher. I love the lightbulb moments when a pupil of mine makes a connection/ discovers something of interest to them. I also am very grateful for the opportunity to help present things of potential interest to groups of people who may then go on to pursue them like I do my interests. The workload is intense though, as are the amounts of sudden change I have to deal with each day (not a particular skill of mine). I can find communication tricky too, so it can be quite the juggling act at times. It is an instance where my intense practice of masking comes in useful though.
Thank you, that means a lot. Yes burnout is so tough, this is the first time Ive experinced it for a few years and its hit me hard. I had to give up a job I loved with people I love working with because I had a complete breakdown, I couldnt even get off the floor to go to work in the morning.
What job do you do? Sorry to hear it is so full on, I can really empathise with that
I know the difficulties of burnout, so I wish you all the best of luck with your writing. My job is pretty full on and so I’m constantly thinking of things that I could transition into. No luck yet, but I’ll keep thinking.
I hope you continue to find success in what you do. Seeing your work published must be a great feeling.
No its tough. I left my job a couple of months ago due to autistic burnout so now I am trying to do this full time. Its not easy but when you get something published and see your work in print its the most amazing feeling in the world
I forgot to say, most people I encounter enjoy writing fiction, so it’s nice to see someone referring to non-fiction too.