Ahhh. Sunshine. Funny how it can make all the dark stuff go away, heh? Finally we got some good weather in Vancouver. I forgot how the weather can play on your mood. Love Vancouver but this winter SUCKED. We don’t get much snow but when you get clouds and rain for four months, you don’t realize how much you need the sun until you finally get it.
You know what else is good for the soul? Gardening. I know, you wouldn’t think that puttering around in dirt could possibly be therapeutic but it is. My first vegetable garden this year. Just finished putting in the last seeds. Now I have lettuce (3 kinds), tomatoes, beans, peas, green onion and beets. God knows how I’ll eat it all, but that isn’t the point. For 45 minutes I got out of my busy little head. Hanging out with a shovel and some bees. Doesn’t sound like much but it was bliss.
Everyone needs some time away from the brain. We go through 1000s of thoughts a day, and remarkably, not a lot of them are good ones. It’s ok, we’re human…negative thoughts are natural…but we need time away from our own thoughts. Sleep gives you a break, so does sex and booze, but we can’t do that all of the time now can we. My trip to Peru taught me how much the negative shit flying around between the old ears is really tiring and hard on the system. Both physically and mentally. So I promised myself to change it.
Just embarked on a meditation regime. Tough stuff. Takes a lot of work, but there are other ways to take a little load off the brain and gardening is one of them.
Do something every day to get out of your head. Even if it’s just for a minute. My mum knits. It works for her. Some people dance, some walk, some work out. Going to movies is another one. As I mentioned on twitter, I just saw “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”. Wonderful. Beautiful. I cried. And I laughed. Worth the $15.
What do YOU do to get out of your head? Love to hear it.
Hope you’re well.
Sam
X0
samferris 
this may sound off beat…but a long time ago i was having serious issues with daily nightmares and sever stress in my life. the situation didn’t really change, but i read a book called Everyday Zen by Charlotte Yoko Beck and man that changed ALOT! i admit i could barely practice anything, but even the little bit i could took the nightmares away and lowered my stress. i had those nightmares every nite for a year straight, and if that doesnt leave you insomnia nothing will. anyhow my point is, you might want to give that book a shot. its short, in very clear english american language…and it really helps you begin to focus on the important things. i guess thats my 2 cents for today, hope its useful!
Funnily enough, getting out of my head usually involves getting the thoughts out of my head and onto paper. Journaling’s a pretty effective way to see events in a new light and more than once I’ve looked back on old journals and realized how silly I was to dwell on certain things (also, burning certain journals from my younger years proved very therapeutic as an adult!). Good stuff. 🙂
Journaling is something that I hear a lot of people talk about with huge success. Recovery programs use it, psychotherapy uses it. It is an inexpensive and very successful way of dealing with stuff we don’t know how to deal with in our heads. I have read a million self-help books and they all mention how therapeutic journaling is. Add it to the list!
It’s also super useful for remembering events! “When did this interesting thing happen? Aha! I wrote it down in my journal!” Two birds, one stone, can’t complain about that!
I garden or listen to music or even paint old furniture if it is available.
Yes, music is another great way of getting out of your head. Put on something that gets you going. Sing, dance…like no one is watching. Funnily enough, hard rock does that for me. Van Halen and ACDC. But whatever floats yer boat…
I had someone recently tell me that daydreaming is a form of meditation. When you follow the daydream you block everything else out and you’re actually in a trance-like state. I can’t seem to meditate because I can’t stop my mind from going all over the place but since I’ve heard that, I let my brain fly! I call it imaginate. I’ll set aside a time, relax, and just imaginate a total story in my head, following it wherever it chooses to go. I’d like to say someday I’ll write these stories down but I’m quite a procrastinator so I don’t see that happening anytime soon. 😀
I go to a house 2 miles up the street and stand by their fence and watch their horses. Horses immediately make me forget everything else. I have no idea why. They’re just so beautiful and graceful and amazing. I have never been lucky enough to one, since I have never made enough money to own my own home and yard, but I love to visit them. But just being in their company lifts my spirit.
I usually watch Supernatural. But only the episodes with you in them 😉 I enjoy photography….random pictures of people out and about, nature….it’s amazing what art you can find in just the everyday. I also enjoy trying new recipes! Easy to clear your head of all your problems when you’re concentrating on not yucking up a meal. Also, just want to add that I think you’re pretty amazing. Thanks for interacting with the fans!
I find that the quickest way I can get out of my own head is to get down on the floor and play with my two cats. Whether it is just connecting with them or actually setting aside play time I don’t know but it always puts a smile on my face. Love yaXOXO
I find reading really helps me; put some music on, curl up on the lounge or in bed with a good sci-fi or fantasy novel, and I can just zone out for hours on end. I also like to write. Whenever I’ve got issues I want to get off my mind, I’ll try my hand at a short story (or even just a short scene) that relates to whatever I’m having trouble with. Even if no one ever reads ’em, it’s just enough to get it out of my head.
What chance! Here, to Belgium, one day there is the sun and it’s hot; one day it’s raining and it’s cold!!! Welcome to Belgium! ;p
I ride my bike,peddle bike that is. listen to the 70,S Music,clean aptment! and always listened to Sam@Jennifer on 104.3 fm 530am-930am or 10am ya this makes my day!Idon,t listen to 104.3fm anymore…just not the same radio station any more with out you Sam@jennifer! So instead of waiting for you Sam to come back on radio station,i read all your stuff here on line…and Hey… your Great! You should have your own Radio or talk show! thank you for being just You!
Recently, I’ve been baking away my troubles. I know it’s very warm weather, but I just can’t seem to stop myself. My mother has surgery-induced malabsorption (which just means that food won’t stay in her system long enough to deliver niturients) so I’ve been trying to make things that have a high protien ratio. Now, I’m a baking addict. Pies by the ton, cookies, muffins, brownies, breads, cakes…you name it, I make it. It’s hard work and fun and tiring, but it’s worth it to see my mom finally gain some healthy weight. While I bake, I let my mind drift. I daydream, and even…pretend. So, yeah. After a three hour long baking session, I feel wonderful and productive. Like I’m really making a difference in my mother’s life. (and the lives of all around us. We can’t eat all this crap, ourselves) I, clearly, can’t do this everyday, but I do it often enough to be effective. It’s kind of crazy, but the more I try to take care of my family, the better I feel about me. Everything becomes relaxed and groovy, and I find it easier to let a lot of my worry go. Enjoy the sun, Sam. ❤
I do cross stitch (mostly my own designs), give most of them away to friends also recently learnt to crochet which takes a lot of concentration so that’s good for clearing the head too, otherwise jump in the bath with a book. I like the idea of keeping a journal as mentioned up there but I’m so bad at keeping it going
For about two hours to escape my own brain, I wrote out a fake season 8 episode synopsis thing (I’ve only gotten to episode 18). Ellen returns and is in quite a few of them 😉
Episode 1: Sam races against the clock to get Dean out of Purgatory with the help of Sheriff Jody Mills, while Dean and Cas are working hard to survive in the monster-filled land and finds help from an old friend, Madison. The Alpha Shapeshifter is especially furious and is intent on ripping Cas apart for his previous allegiance with Crowley. The Alpha Shapeshifter shows up in forms of Raphael, Zachariah, and Uriel.
Guest starring Misha Collins as Castiel, Kim Rhodes as Jody Mills, Emmanuelle Vaugier as Madison, Robert Wisdom as Uriel, Demore Barnes as Raphael, and Kurt Fuller as Zaachariah
Episode 2: Sam and Jody Mills are thrilled with Dean and Cas out of Purgatory, but they’ve unintentionally set loose the Alpha Shapeshifter and Eve. The four, including a reluctant Cas, set out to send the Alpha back to Purgatory again, and Cas reaches out to demon Meg for help – but she can’t be found. He finds Crowley instead and soon disappears. The Alpha is not yet found.
Guest starring Misha Collins as Castiel, Kim Rhodes as Jody Mills, Mark Sheppard as Crowley
Episode 3: Sam and Dean set out to find Cas, and find instead that one new individual angel is being ‘born’ every day. And as it turns out, the Angels are not Angels afterall; they’re created by Eve to take over what’s left of the Garrison. Eve has plans for the Prophet.
Guest starring: (new actress) as Eve
Episode 4: Sam and Dean are looking for clues about Cas’s whereabouts when they stumble upon a town in Louisiana where demons are terrorizing what’s left of its citizens. Jody Mills comes in to help and they soon discover it’s a trap, set up by Crowley to capture the boys as offerings to Eve.
Guest Starring: Kim Rhodes as Jody Mills, Mark Sheppard as Crowley
Episode 5: Sam and Dean are able to escape from Crowley before they’re ‘handed over’ to Eve, and on their way out they find Cas. Cas has some shocking news to share about the Prophet.
Guest Starring: Misha Collins as Castiel, Mark Sheppard as Crowley, (new actress from ep 3) as Eve
Episode 6: The deafening silence of the Leviathans comes to a head when Sam and Dean realize they’re not all dead after all. Something’s brewing and it isn’t the humane facilities Dick Roman was implementing.
Episode 7: Sam and Dean track a moving nest of vampires to Connecticut, where they soon encounter the Alpha Vampire. He’s pulling in his ranks to start taking over town by town. It’s up to Sam and Dean, with the surprising help of a new hunter, Diana, to take down the Alpha. The Alpha reveals, before his death, that Eve has ‘turned’ the Prophet into her latest creation. (Sam and Dean also take three vials of his blood.)
Guest Starring: Rick Worthy as the Alpha Vampire
Episode 8: The angel-proofed Prophet is killing people in various locations, and Sam, Dean, and Cas use the help of old friend (and psychic) Missouri to track him down. The Prophet announces the beginnings of Eve’s plans, and causes Missouri to question choices she’s made in her life.
Guest Starring: Misha Collins as Castiel, Loretta Devine as Missouri Mosley, Osric Chau as the Prophet
Episode 9: Missouri has a vision that terrifies her about the Leviathans in their hometown, and it’s up to Sam, Dean, Missouri, and Cas to stop a group of them with the Bone.
Guest Starring: Misha Collins as Castiel, Loretta Devine as Missouri Mosley
Episode 10: Midseason Finale – A recently escaped Meg warns the boys about Crowley coming for them, but it seems it’s too late. They begin to fight and soon Cas arrives. And as they engage, the Alpha Shapeshifter (in the form of Raphael) and several of his children (all in the forms of angels Cas was responsible for killing) divert all’s plans because he intends to tear both Cas and Crowley apart – and anyone who stands in his way – apart. Meanwhile, Missouri finds Sheriff Jody Mills and enlists her help to finding information out about the Leviathans.
Guest Starring: Misha Collins as Castiel, Rachel Miner as Meg, Mark Sheppard as Crowley, Demore Barnes as Raphael/Alpha, Loretta Devine as Missouri Mosley, Kim Rhodes as Jody Mills
Episode 11: Sam and Dean are transported to heaven out of danger temporarily by Castiel, and they soon find Bobby, Ellen, and Jo hunting “upstairs” the fake angel creatures Eve has cooked up from episode 3.
Guest Starring: Misha Collins as Castiel, Jim Beaver as Bobby Singer, Samantha Ferris as Ellen Harvelle, Alona Tal as Jo Harvelle
Episode 12: Death and Dean have another chat regarding the events of the last episode, where the fake angels had reinstated the lives of Bobby, Ellen, and Jo, so that they may suffer great pain during their impending new death by Eve. Dean begs Death that they all three may continue to live and fight, and in doing so, Death insists on SAM existing in a life where they do for a day – and if he makes it through the chaos, they can. Missouri and Sam warn against the bet, but Dean insists. They all end up staying alive with Ellen and Jo thankful, but Bobby furious.
Guest Starring: Jim Beaver as Bobby Singer, Samantha Ferris as Ellen Harvelle, Alona Tal as Jo Harvelle, Loretta Devine as Missouri Mosley, Julian Richings as Death, Lindsey McKeon as Tessa
Episode 13: Meg comes to bring news to Castiel, when soon Ellen and Jo’s question Sam and Dean’s perspective and morality about their partnership with the demon (that started in season 7). And they’re right, Meg was setting a trap instigated by Crowley in order to continue to live.
Guest Starring: Misha Collins as Castiel, Samantha Ferris as Ellen tHarvelle, Alona Tal as Jo Harvelle, Rachel Miner as Meg
Episode 14: Sheriff Jody Mills calls Sam and Dean for help about a poltergeist in town and is surprised when Bobby shows up instead to do the job. (Bobby-focused episode.)
Guest Starring: Jim Beaver as Bobby Singer, Kim Rhodes as Jody Mills
Episode 15: Eve is no longer accepting Crowley’s excuses for not yet successfully capturing the boys and sends out monsters to do the task for her. In a cliffhanger, they are captured and brought to Eve.
Guest Starring: Mark Sheppard as Crowley, (new actress from ep 3) as Eve
Episode 16: Missouri has a vision about the location of the boys, and it’s up to her, Bobby, Ellen, and Jo to save them. Eve shares her plans to the Sam and Dean, which involves turning half the population into monsters to feed on and rip apart the other half. Since all of the Alphas are dead, Sam and Dean will serve as the new Instigators. She also discovers through the boys that Crowley is the one responsible for killing most of the Alphas and plans to use them to kill Crowley. Can Bobby, Ellen, Jo, and Missouri save Sam and Dean before it’s too late?
Guest Starring: Jim Beaver as Bobby Singer, Samantha Ferris as Ellen Harvelle, Alona Tal as Jo Harvelle, Loretta Devine as Missouri Mosley, (new actress from ep 3) as Eve
Episode 17: With Eve having killed Jo, Ellen finds it hard to move forward living without her daughter. She finds wisdom in Bobby Singer. Meanwhile, Sam and Dean are tracking a pack of Leviathans and trying to prevent their reorganization.
Guest Starring: Jim Beaver as Bobby Singer, Samantha Ferris as Ellen Harvelle
Episode 18: The fake angels created by Eve are causing so-called “miracles” in fringe-based churches and then forcing members to kill one another under the guise of false-believers. Sam, Dean, and Cas work to stop them.
Guest Starring: Misha Collins as Castiel
Now I understand why I listened to music as a tweener…to escape my messed up (well I want to say more harsh things lol) family. Makes perfect sense now….thank you.