Getting motivated and finding a hobby.

Since leaving university in December I really have done nothing for the past 5 months. Partly because of my depression, which completely drains you of motivation and wanting to be productive. I know now that before I can continue with my studies, which I will explain in a future post, that I need to get back into work mode. At the moment I spend every day looking after my puppy, Tinkerbell, watching TV or playing Tomb Raider on the Xbox (which I think I am very addicted to). 

Tinkerbell

Also since December I have put on three stone in weight because being depressed made me want to eat almost non stop all day everyday and has left my body stretched and scarred. This does not help with the motivating me to get out the house and getting back to normal, but I will talk specifically about this very soon.

For this post I will be talking about things you can do when you have a disability and you spend a lot of time in the house. When this happens it can be really hard to deal with. If you where an actively social person and enjoyed spending time out of the house, coping with pain sometimes means resting on the sofa for a few days and recuperating.

Staying active-

One of the most important things to do if you spend a lot of time at home because of a disability is staying active. If you have the ability to move you could try some yoga in the comfort of your own home. I personally have tried yoga (in a class at the gym) and I feel that even though while you are exercising it can be difficult pain wise but when you have broken through the barrier you will reap the rewards. Just make sure you stretch properly before and after or you will be feeling very sore in the morning! You can find free yoga tutorials on YouTube and there are plenty to choose from, whether you are a beginner or a pro. Don’t worry about not having workout gear, stay in your comfy joggers and enjoy yourself!

Take a look at this easy chair yoga tutorial on YouTube here - Chair Yoga - Gentle Yoga For People With Disabilities.

 Keeping your brain active-

While your stuck in bed or not being able to go to work or socialize with friends you need to keep your brain active. There is nothing worse than not keeping your brain ticking over then going back to work and feeling overwhelmed because your brain has been on standby for several days.

Why not have a go at reading a book or even just a newspaper. Try to challenge yourself and pick up a book you have never read before, or a nonfiction book on a subject you know nothing about. Maybe buy a newspaper you would never pick up before and experience a new style of publication.

You can always curl up with a cup of tea and grab a word or number puzzle. There are plenty of apps you can download with free word search’s or Sudoku’s.

Why don’t you learn something new? This is what I am choosing to do. I am going to learn to crotchet as I want to make cute little teddy bears and novelty items to decorate the house with. I have found plenty of patterns on Craftsy.

On this site you can actually buy tutorials and classes for anything from knitting to painting and they are a very good investment to keep you busy while your stuck at home.

At the moment I am not in education and have no job. I really would like to have a job as it would give me a chance to get out of the house (and the money would be a bonus, Living on £200 a month is not much fun). If you too are unemployed because of a disability or because you are a carer for someone you know you could also check out Craftsy and learn a new skill, This could lead to you earning some money too.

I hope this have given you a few ideas how to get yourself motivated. If you too suffer from Fibromyalgia check out this blog, My Fibro a New Beginning, all about Fibro and living with the invisible disability.

Charlie x