Hey @N1ghtW1ng :) that's cool that you used to play guitar! were there any songs you liked to play on it?   I don't think I have a favourite audiobook yet.. the local library's selection doesn't have a lot of books on audiobook so it's kind of limited but I want to listen to 'Every Note Played' by Lisa Genova because I enjoyed reading 'Still Alice', one of her other books. I started following a bunch of podcasts on Spotify recently, I think I got too excited with all the podcasts out there haha. I used to listen to 'Life Matters', 'All in the Mind' and 'Big Ideas' and they're pretty interesting, but at the moment I'm just listening to random episodes of new podcasts I've found, whatever I feel like that day! ... View more

Great thread idea, @Bananatime04!   I like to sing and play guitar because it's fun and I just like music in general. I also like to draw with a felt tip pen because it's a creative outlet for me, for example, I might draw about something that's going on in my life. It's a good way for to express my feelings. I also like to listen to audiobooks that I borrow from the local library because, although I do like reading, I'm finding that my concentration isn't as good anymore... there are a lot of books that I haven't finished. With audiobooks, I just listen and it's easy to get to the end if they're good. Same with podcasts! ... View more

Hey @stellbell,   Sorry it sounds like things have been really rough, just wanted to check how you're going  ... View more

Hi @gisforgreatgoodness ,   Nice work! That's great that you feel more prepared for the assignment due tomorrow - good luck with it, I hope it's going well :)  ... View more

Hey @BlueGem ,   Thanks for posting :) I watched a great episode on SBS Insight yesterday which was about loneliness, and someone mentioned that despite thinking that he had everything together, he still felt lonely. I agree with that, and think that loneliness can happen to anyone, no matter how 'perfect' his/her life seems to be. How have you been lately? What are your feelings around seeing the school counsellor?  ... View more

hey @BunnyWalks, that's great! :)     ... View more

hello @Gary13527, just wondering how you have been going and wanted to mention another service that might be useful - the Alcohol and Drug Information Service which you can call anytime of day :) ... View more

hi @luxeyes, how have you been lately?  ... View more

hey @dncinginthedirt,   i like your username :)    for me, in the morning, it's the usual - getting up and get dressed, brush teeth/wash face, make lunch for later, have breakfast.. also sometimes i have green tea so i feel a bit more awake (not sure if it actually makes me feel more awake but it feels like part of a routine) night - brush teeth, floss, wash face. it's been busy the past week so i've just been so tired i fall asleep. i agree with @DIVYA in avoiding using the mobile phone before sleeping - otherwise, i could end up sleeping really late. i'll make sure the 'blue light filter' is on the mobile if i have to use it. but for the past week, i know i have to get enough sleep to drive the next morning so i try to avoid using the mobile at all. i've also found that i fall asleep to audiobooks - but i guess this is sometimes annoying when i don't remember which section i'm up to haha. but maybe it doesn't matter if it's just any audiobook and you're not super interested in listening to it in full.    here's a ReachOut page with suggestions on getting a good night's sleep that might be helpful :)   ... View more

@Troy91 and here's a thread on things you can do to distract yourself that you can add to ;) ... View more

hi @Pearlpancake, how have you been? :)   you could have a chat with your friend about things like why he isn't in a rush to quit - is there something else going on in his life and he's using weed and smoking to cope with it? and if he decides he would like to quit after maybe doing the pros and cons list that @gina-RO suggested, are there other coping strategies that might be more helpful?    there's a great website called 'Your Room' (https://yourroom.health.nsw.gov.au/a-z-of-drugs/Pages/a-z-of-drugs.aspx) which has information on different drugs as well as resources to contact - a good one is the Alcohol Drug Information Service (ADIS) which you can call anytime for information on if there are any free services around if your friend would like further support. here's a link on ADIS: https://yourroom.health.nsw.gov.au/getting-help/Pages/adis.aspx   i think it's a difficult situation.. feeling worried about your friend and his future and seeing him continuing with the weed/smoking. i guess in the end, it's up to him if he's willing to quit, and it can be really difficult as a friend to watch if he decides not to for now, but as long as he knows that you care and want to understand what's going on for him... in saying that, please also remember to seek support for yourself if you would like some (you can also call ADIS for this) - you sound like a very caring friend :)    please feel free to keep us updated if you would like! ... View more

haha @rainbowpotato meg is very cute :) and pip kinda looks like an actual sheep! ... View more

i just reread 'milk and honey' by rupi kaur - love it. for me, it's a good book of poems to have nearby and read bits of when feeling down :)  ... View more

Bright - Kehlani   Just found this song about body image and it's great :) ... View more

Thanks everyone!! goodnight :) ... View more

What if you have lots of homework/assignments to do, should you break your exercise schedule and study or just exercise?   I would probably do the homework/assignments instead of exercising because they would feel more urgent... but I also want to make time for exercise if I can because it is a good de-stressor and helps me put things into perspective so that I'm not as overwhelmed by the homework/assignments ... View more

How do we know if we are doing too much exercise or know when to take a break/give ourselves a rest day? I think if you're feeling really exhausted from it and it's not something you enjoy doing anymore.. also if the exercise is too intense and you start to get sick from it. I think that's when to take a break and think about what can be changed so the exercise is something to look forward to more and doesn't take such a big toll on the body and mind.. in the long term, it's easier to stick to something which you enjoy i would take a rest day if i'm feeling really sore and just don't feel like doing exercise that day.    ... View more

oh yeah, i forgot one more - for yoga, although i do it by myself at home, sometimes i read the youtube comments and i don't remember seeing a negative one. it's nice reading people's experiences, seeing the support and encouragement people give to each other, and knowing that there are others out there in the world also doing the sessions. and if it's a tough session, it's kind of comforting to read if someone else felt a similar way, like you're not alone :) ... View more

What are some of the potential social benefits of exercise (team sports, gym, etc.)? for team sports: feeling a sense of belonging and getting to know others in the team better, working together to reach a goal for gym, maybe meeting new people? i haven't been to the gym so i have no idea if this actually happens or not.. maybe everyone's focused on doing their own thing   ... View more

@litgym oh yeah i forgot about sore muscles after exercise.. ... View more

@scared01 @Puppies026 @Bee yeah it's really fun :D i want to chase her around more but she sleeps a lot too  ... View more

How do you feel after doing some exercise? more calm, chilled, positive, accepting, see things more in perspective (probably from the commentary the yoga instructor does) ... View more

@scared01 exercising while watching a tv show is a great idea!    What's an unusual but fun way of getting active?    chasing my dog around the house. she likes running around, especially after a walk, so sometimes i stand in a room, out of sight, and when she's nearby, i pop out and chase her around. then i 'hide' in another room etc. she likes it so it's not scary for her or anything haha. we both get puffed out after a lot of running ... View more

@Bee yeah ballet looks really nice.. before when 'so you think you can dance' was on TV, i really wanted to do contemporary dancing because it looked very graceful and light   How do you find time / motivate yourself to exercise? The yoga sessions on youtube that I follow are about 30min each (sometimes shorter, which is nice because 30min can feel like a long time, especially after a long day). My motivation to do yoga is to get healthier and do exercise so that I feel like I'm taking some time to look after myself. The yoga is a great stress reliever as well and it helps me feel more grounded -  so looking after myself not only physically, but also mentally :) ... View more

@FootyFan26 cool, thanks for explaining :)    next question is... How do you find time / motivate yourself to exercise?   ... View more

@dog_lover94 that's very fitting with your username! dogs luv walks - my dog gets so excited when she hears me bring out the keys, leash and dog poop bag haha ... View more

@FootyFan26 what's circuit/interval training?  ... View more

1. What's your favourite way of being active? I like to do yoga because it's not too intensive so I'm more likely to keep doing it in the long-term ... View more

Hullo :) ... View more