Lots of us have them.
In fact, I think all of us have them to varying degrees. Those little things that help us get through the day. And hopefully help us move forward, because I don’t think that the occasional use of personal crutches precludes self-growth and personal awareness.
And I’m not just talking about the usual crutch suspects like booze, cigs, drugs, food, etc. In fact, the ‘crutches’ I’m talking about can also be quite healthy things or even simply specific activities that we do to ‘recharge our batteries’.
Sometimes our days can seem so repetitive and tedious that at times it can all feel a bit soul-destroying and pointless. Or else stress builds up and we lose sight of what is really important.
What helps you keep going during these times and helps make it all feel worthwhile?
casa azahar 
Music. Lots of it. Genre and volume are entirely dependent on whether I’m trying to soothe, relax, blow off steam, or something else.
I do have a couple of the usual suspects, though- I love coffee, and in times of stress, I crave it more. And I can occasionally give in to emotional eating. Some days I juse “need” a nice bowl of pasta, macaroni and cheese, or some mashed potato, to calm frazzled nerves.
And then there’s those days when NOTHING will help besides a nice, long snuggle. if the kitty joins in, all the better.
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In terms of the ‘usual suspects’, comfort food for me is usually popcorn. But it can also be grilled cheese sandwiches or buttery mashed potatoes mixed with sweetcorn. Mmmmmmm…
I can’t drink too much coffee as I tend to be quite a jittery thing anyhow, but I do love wine as a natural ‘relaxant’. And it has to be wine – I’m not that fond of spirits or beer.
On a healthier note – I used to adore running. Having said that, I’m not sure I actually enjoyed the running as such, but I loved the feeling after I’d stopped. That gorgeous sense of feeling physically drained yet somehow totally energized, and I especially loved how clear my head felt afterwards. All superfluous thoughts were suddenly gone and I felt totally like ME – if that makes any sense.
Unfortunately I can’t run anymore due to a compressed lower disk and dodgy hip. 😕
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Knitting. I come home from a hard day’s being steam-cuisined in an overheated library while dealing with the dafter excesses of humanity’s alleged brightest and best (it’s a university library) and fall on my needles. As it were. Stops me hauling off and ripping some ass-hat a new one the next day.
Oh, and chocolate ice-cream. I make it myself, so I kid myself that it’s all healthy and natural, but alas it is still chocolate ice-cream and still has about one billion calories per teaspoon.
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I prefer to think of them as being ‘rewards’ rather than crutches.
Had a shitty day? Then a reward has been earned and should be enjoyed.
Had a great day? Then this should be celebrated – with a reward, naturellement.
At the moment my favourite treat is the wonderful fresh fruit which abounds at this time of the year. I like to try and buy fresh produce that hasn’t been shipped half way round the world and British raspberries are just sublime.
It’s a wonder I’m not turning pink with the quantity going down my thrapple.
Today’s wee treat is a bag of fresh peas in the pod.
My other favourite reward is either a Large Bomba – Pimms and Dry Ginger – a G&T, or a glass of cava. The handful of cashews or olives which accompany this are unfortunately calorific but a few trips to the gym soon burn it off.
Reading is very restorative – but I regard it as being an utter necessity. Life without books would be unthinkable.
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Well, I was thinking more of ‘crutches’ in the sense of something you use to keep going when you don’t feel you can just walk on your own. Something to lean on.
A reward or a treat may help you feel better afterwards but it’s not necessarily what helps get you through.
I think this is why crutches can so often be abused. People become dependent on them if they use them too much and for too long as they end up forgetting what it was like to be able to walk on their own.
Still, couldn’t imagine life without a crutch or two. I have tried going totally without and all I can say is that the concept of ‘constant and total awareness’ is highly over-rated. 😉
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Crutches? Chocolate, mostly. Lately, I’ve been using it in industrial quantities. But at least I’m still off the cigarettes…
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Good for you (about the cigs). I still use cigs as a crutch from time to time – very counterproductive. One of those ‘it seemed like a good idea at the time’ sort of things. I’m not a daily smoker but once I start I end up chain-smoking the whole packet and then feeling like shit afterwards.
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If there are crutches for me, they’re usually friends – many of whom don’t even realise they’re being leaned upon. Just their presence, either in person or online, can make me feel better.
Generally speaking, at times of stress I either hobble along painfully wearing my blinkers, a sort of mental device which stops me thinking about the stuff I don’t want to deal with, OR I just collapse.
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h2g2 has been a crutch for me. It lets me get away from my work/family problems and just be silly. That’s why the bad feelings and dust-ups onsite disappoint me so much. I need for it to be lighthearted and pleasant to offset all the stress in the rest of my life. I don’t need to go online for an argument.
And unfortuantely food. When I’m really feeling down I seek out comfort foods. Now I have a huge problem as a result. (The huge thing being myself.)
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h2g2 used to be a sort of crutch for me – it isn’t anymore.
Now I have this place! 😉
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With luck “this place” will become a safe haven for me as well. Never a good idea to have all your eggs in one basket. 😉
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And of course you have the option to edit/delete/block any untoward intrusions of REALITY that might become a nuisance. Have you seen my post here about h2g2? I think it’s on page two.
Quite agree – having all of one’s eggs in one basket is very risky.
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pssst! It’s on page three. Heck didn’t even know there was a page three …
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Anything on Radio 4. I don’t drink, smoke, eat chocolate or listen to music as a crutch to get through the day.
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