What do you do when you want to feel happy?

Hello
I hope you are well (especially during the corona-virus crisis). We are all in a bad mood when we hear bad news every day. Sleeping through the night can always help me. I also watch a film sometimes, so I can forget everything when I sink into a film. Don't forget about yoga and meditation.

i play my guitar and sing..
you can try to learn a musical instrument too (piano, guitar, violin, etc). internet/youtube has lots of tutorials and tips..great way to spend your time, you will be challenged, and its satisfying everytime you see progress in playing the instruement.. and music will uplift your mood/spirit.. buy one instrument asap, you will see the effect for you

I invite good friends for a dinner and chat.

Chocolate ice cream.  (There are now no-sugar and low-sugar flavors in many markets that still taste great.)  If the package is too frozen, that's when your microwave oven becomes invaluable.  15 to 30 seconds of zapping and you're good to go.

Get out in the sunshine.

Watch the Milperthusky (Siberian husky family) channel on YouTube.com ...
Hint:  Two-year-old Lola is the #1 star.

cccmedia

Relax with a good book and a glass of port.

Watch sunrise/sunset and breathe deeply. Focus on being in the moment and enjoying the beauty of life.

For me at least it would be our regular  "expat pot luck get together afternoons" (we start early here in our 3rd class province) Just being able to chill/chat/brainstorm with other like minded retired/semi retired multinational member group that seems to be growing by the week...All done on my huge perimetre fenced compound in my simple hand built bamboo kubo...offcourse many of us do drink/smoke together with refreshments/snacks & nothing too fancy nor expensive & as its a "pot-luck" gathering every member brings along something which we all share.
Infact we are having one this very Friday afternoon.

My husband and I are content with our life so we don't need anything special to feel happy.  Living under lockdown as we've been hasn't altered our feelings. 

We continue with our daily exercise.  When we each reach our own daily workout goals, he watches the news or movies.  I'm busy with my personal blog, watching over the VN forum, participating in two author groups, reading or listening to tens of thousand  books in my digital library, and sorting tens of thousand travel photos, an unending project.

The only thing I miss is our twice a month date night.  A glass of good wine along with very good Italian food and a glass of chilled limoncello at the end would've made life more special, but we can wait.

" That didn't improve my mood much, and I'm seeking other ways."

There is a film called The Little Death watch it!

Please tell us more about Vietnamese food in Vietnam.

Even if it's mostly being delivered instead of dine-in.

cccmedia

I guess for me what really does it for me would be surround myself with good people and people that I enjoy being with while doing something we love.

cccmedia wrote:

Please tell us more about Vietnamese food in Vietnam.

Even if it's mostly being delivered instead of dine-in.

cccmedia

During this lockdown we have managed to go and buy or get delivered most of what we need, We have 3 boys 14, twins aged 8, one of the twins was bored and wanted to start a youtube channel so over the last month we have been filming him on our phone cooking, making lego, making armour and car out of cardboard cartons.

My GF is VN and she has been making raw shrimp in wasabi and lemon, chilli which is great with a beer or wine, making rice paper snacks with sliced garlic & shallots deep fried until crispy then mixed in with cut rice paper oil and sugar, kids love it.

We have also made a VN pork soup with potatoes, carrots which is also nice.

I have shown them how to make curry and flat bread, roast pork and roast veg, last night we had a go at pizza making the dough and cooking it on a slab of floor tile in out bench top convection oven each boy did they own base and toppings and turned out ok for a first time.

They run through excited when I upload the video's,, they are very poor quality and no one knows what the heck we are doing but it's passing the time and lifts out spirits.

Most of our food is VN crab, shrimp, squid, with VN greens, rice and a daily soup of some kind and now and then for dinner we have a western style meal for  a change.

They dont normally eat gravy or sauces so thats new to them along with oven cooking as most is done in a pan.

To answer the first poster I would say think of an idea and film it and narrate while your doing it even if you never post it anywhere it does take up some time and makes you get up and do something, which does make you feel like your not just sat wasting time.

Hello there,

I do hope you feel all better soon!
What i usually do when feeling down, is figure out the reason(s) why,then figure out possible solutions to feel less burdened.

Now for the cheering up part, here are a couple of thoughts hope they might help:

.start learning a creative hobby (example making a new recipe with nice music and a glass of wine , or take an online dance class,or photography etc..)
.doing a glow up, so a mini makeover to feel new: hair cut,etc..
.watch nice movies/series that build up to a happy ending, so you'll remember things will improve 4 you as well.
.listen to interesting podcasts or an audiobook while doing chores or boring stuff.
.meet new people,go to new places : break the routine.

And remember things never remain the same!

simplyenn wrote:

Hello there,

I do hope you feel all better soon!
What i usually do when feeling down, is figure out the reason(s) why,then figure out possible solutions to feel less burdened.

Now for the cheering up part, here are a couple of thoughts hope they might help:

.start learning a creative hobby (example making a new recipe with nice music and a glass of wine , or take an online dance class,or photography etc..)
.doing a glow up, so a mini makeover to feel new: hair cut,etc..
.watch nice movies/series that build up to a happy ending, so you'll remember things will improve 4 you as well.
.listen to interesting podcasts or an audiobook while doing chores or boring stuff.
.meet new people,go to new places : break the routine.

And remember things never remain the same!

Here in HCMC iet Nam we were in lock down last year and now since March 31st it's starting to feel a lot like "groundhog day".

I even stopped shaving and declared "soon as the president says we can go out - I'm packing my bike panniers, shaving my face and going to Vung Tau" so at least we have an end goal to all this.

I still think we will be in lock down until after Christmas, gawd knows how long my beard will be by then, maybe she will boot me out the door if I leave it that long before I shave.

Andybris2020 wrote:

Here in HCMC iet Nam we were in lock down last year...

I even stopped shaving and declared "soon as the president says we can go out - I'm packing my bike panniers, shaving my face and going to Vung Tau" so at least we have an end goal to all this.

Explanatory footnote for non-Asian, non-French-speaking readers of Expat Café...

Andy wants eventually to shave, put his stuff into bicycle containers and head off to a former French colonial town that nowadays serves as a seaside-resort getaway for residents of the largest city in Vietnam, HCMC -- Ho Chi Minh City a.k.a. Saigon.

cccmedia

Sooo right about the groundhog day reference!!
Seriously the basic of things start to feel futile to do!
I guess thus the need to stop resisting the sad sad status quo and find ways to be alright in spite of it, otherwise its just quicksand...

I suppose the above ideas and recommendation covers more than enough to explore.

So far, you have put in much to explore all kinds of possibilities, and it has not been improving. I guess it is time to search deep inside you on what is stopping you from deserving the happiness you desire.

Work pressure, peer pressure, they are part of the process, more importantly, try searching on what is draining you recently. If it is family matter, and possible to communicate and lay down the question and answer, go for it.

If it is personal, seek someone that shares your journey to talk to, or perhaps locate a counselor who has the experience to lend the assistance.

and lastly, on what keeps me happy is that I continuously celebrate success of people I groomed and helped.

cccmedia wrote:

Andybris2020 wrote:

Here in HCMC iet Nam we were in lock down last year...

I even stopped shaving and declared "soon as the president says we can go out - I'm packing my bike panniers, shaving my face and going to Vung Tau" so at least we have an end goal to all this.

Explanatory footnote for non-Asian, non-French-speaking readers of Expat Café...

Andy wants eventually to shave, put his stuff into bicycle containers and head off to a former French colonial town that nowadays serves as a seaside-resort getaway for residents of the largest city in Vietnam, HCMC -- Ho Chi Minh City a.k.a. Saigon.

cccmedia

Did i stumble in to a french forum?

Panniers & top box is pretty much a universal name for ABS plastic or aliminium motorcycle luggage.

Saddlebags is the name used for leather made bags, Vung Tau is 100kms ride away from Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon.

We have 3 boys so there is 5 of us on 2 scooter 125cc motorbikes, because of Viet roads and traffic it takes around 3.5hrs including a cross river ferry.

Its the closest place with a sandy beach, has a seaside resort feel to it with many people walking or driving up and down the esplanade at night, couples and families sat on the sea wall looking out to sea having a snack or drink.

No idea how to post photos but its a nice change from HCMC.

For in depth report about Vung Tau "Ciambella" can tell you much more seeing she lives there.

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Make empty promises