What Are Some Healthy Ways To Entertain Yourself?

[Derek White]

Hey guys,

What are some healthy ways to relax/entertain yourself? 

Preferably cheap (just requiring a laptop and wifi), not too intellectual nor too passive, relaxing and can be done alone.

I want to know what do you guys do to entertain yourself. I find that passive entertainment is very important. Most of us need a balance of work and play to function.

I for one have terrible ways to entertain myself. I usually watch youtube or explore pornsites. It almost always leaves me unsatisfied. I don’t have a Netflix account, video games, or a TV. I find reading and sports too demanding and see them more as hobbies than as passive entertainment. I go to university so I do a lot of thinking and intellectualizing as it is. 

[Matt23]

Walk in nature....  Watch youtube (a mix of basketball, concepts/learning [like psychology, spirituality, motivational, etc.], food channels, movies (rarely), tv shows (rarely)).... cook, dance, music, guitar, ....  contemplating... drawing... poetry,,, journalling... Looking at beautiful views, especially with a good meal and/or tea/coffee (decaf)

I'm currently realizing that spending time creating and doing things with friends is a huge way I replenish. -->  being silly and creative --> really helps me release from all the seriousness I experience in life --> giggling is a huge load off for me 

Cuddling would be another..  Just chillaxing with friends and loved ones.  Getting that oxytocin and serotonin flowing.  --> though I've neglected that in the past.

 

Edited March 2, 2020 by Matt23

[DrewNows]

Continue to question without judgement, the motives behind the habits. Personally I realized I use youtube for inspiration, only because I refused to believe I could be my own. The mind likes to latch onto feel good ideas/comfort but what if you could be guided by intuition, spontaneity. Going with the flow, life’s full of surprise. Every emotion, is of your doing 

[Osaid]

@Derek White Music is great. Also, YouTube has basically every category of video imaginable, so I wouldn't characterize all of it as bad. 

[Derek White]

Thanks for the replies!

 @Matt23 I already go for walks on weekends. I walk a lot during the day as well so idk if that one will work. I am an introvert too so hanging out depletes my energy. Maybe I can draw.

@DrewNows I’ll continue to question. I was looking for activities to unwind and relax to because I don’t have any good ones. Like watching TV or something. But your comment was insightful so thanks.

@Osaid What do you watch on YouTube? I find that stuff on YouTube is either too informative, which I don’t like cause that’s like studying which I do all the time in uni., or too dumb like Pewdiepie, Mrbeast, or those top 10 videos. No offence to Pewds but still.

[Osaid]

@Derek White Yeah most of those types of mainstream videos are mind-numbing for me to watch, I can't watch Pewdiepie anymore. But that's how it has to be if they wanna entertain the large masses. Cooking videos are surprisingly relaxing and fun for me to watch (Quang Tran is one of my favorites. If you want something more relaxing, HANSE is also a good food channel). I also sometimes watch Youtubers I like play interesting video games. It really all comes down to your personal preference, lots of unique stuff out there. Maybe scroll through recommended and see what catches your interest. Hopefully this at least helps a little bit.

[Gili Trawangan]

I watch movies for relaxing. If the day has been hard work, I go for comedies. Two days ago I watched "Bridesmaids" and it was hilarious, laughed my ass off.

[Preety_India]

Lmao. I do cooking 

I watch YouTube. 

Long long walks. 

Downloading and reading books on Kindle. 

 

[VictorB02]

Check out some chill step mixes of Alan Watts, Terence McKenna, Ram Dass, and more. They are lectures mixed with chill music. I usually throw one on and listen while going on a walk or doing something like washing the dishes.

[Malken]

Play online games. I like World of Warcraft and Guild Wars 2 the most.

[LfcCharlie4]

Netflix isn't all bad, same with TV. 

If you look past the 'junk' and get to the deeper shows with great stories and messages, it can be amazing. And, like someone else said, a good Comedy can also be amazing. 

Recently, I rewatched the Hunger Games trilogy and there's not only great entertainment and a great story but so many messages, and so many ways you can analyze characters and their actions, etc, it really becomes even more fun when you do that. 

Reading fiction is also great, often books go far deeper than movies (Like Hunger Games trilogy) but you said passive, so reading may not be what you're looking for. 

Also, Video Games in moderation aren't terrible, find games you enjoy and just set limits to how long you can play if it gets bad, I personally play sports games when I can't play sports outside! 

Porn is also something I'm trying to kick, it has little value and doesn't help your actual Sex Life, however it is far from easy. Cutting out triggers and replacing the habit with something else could help, so instead of exploring Porn, when the urge arises do some Push Ups, Jumping Jacks, maybe even have a cold shower, then Explore Movies/ TV shows that peak your interest instead  

Entertain yourself however you want man, life is meant to be enjoyed, so find things you enjoy, and allow yourself to experience it all fully! 

[Michael569]

Photography works for me, I'll occasionally take my Nicon and head out looking for specific shots in nature or on streets. 

Stargazing (where possible) with binoculars is pretty amazing. I like to look up constellations with the astronomy app or just look deep into the night sky...gets my imagination running. Orion Nebula is pretty facinating and I've recently found Andromeda galaxy for the first time. Also pretty cool during full moon. 

Any sort of reading or audible especially good story books. If you are a bit nerdy than Metro 2033 is sick on audible. 

Another of my favourite is in the evening, light few candles, start a slow music on youtube, than I perform yoga movements for 20 minutes followed by laying down on back with arms outstretched, dropping few drops of levander essential oils on my forehead, behind years and on sides of neck and lay down for 20 minutes...this is the most powerful relaxation method I've found

Hot bath with 300g of epsom salt, contains magnesium sulphate and helps relax muscles. 

(not relax but quite entertaining) Outdoor exercise can be turned into fun if you make it kinda obstacle run with a lot of jumping, running etc..

 

 

[Artaemis]

Ambient music

Introducing angelic presence into my life through art, fairytales, fantasy, mythology, folklore. Guided meditations, ASMR, ambient rooms. 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Artaemis

[Applegarden]

Gitar, many gitars with alot of strings and frets and with distortion.

Sitting and relaxing by yourself is acctuslly good entertainment for me.

Also this is a very tricky topic, because context, depth and amount of time and circumstances are in play, in order to give you answer as well as frogetfulness and compulsiveness play a role.

[Applegarden]

@LfcCharlie4 I think you will enjoy Starcraft II campagins if you are into RTS, if i get a better PC i am gonna do all 3. Really mindful story with alot of outer space/time and creation/creator interplay in the story and its so well made, i can really appreciate! It kinds did open some questions in my mind about aliens, reality itself and so many other things. How future technologies could be and so on!

[Derek White]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I'll try to implement the ones that I can.

[Thewritersunion]

Find the best and most intriguing videos, art, pictures, and media of nature.

[Moreira]

Healthy entertaining is the one when you interact with reality. Movies and videogames is your mind interacting with ilusory reality, whis is sad to waste lifetime in the non existential.

[RedLine]

Entertain yourself whenever you want but not to avoid to "do the job" which is what we are looking for most of the time when we need entertainment. In other words:  when we are looking for entertainment, what we are really looking for is "avoid present moment" most of the times.

Edited March 8, 2020 by RedLine