> Practical Family Living

Check the ones you are willing to do, and then add any activities that you can think of:

___  Talk to a friend on the telephone          

___  Cook your favorite dish or meal

___  Go out and visit a friend              

___  Cook a recipe that you’ve never tried before

___  Invite a friend to come to your home           

___  Take a cooking class

___  Text message your friends              

___  Go out for something to eat

___  Organize a party                  

___  Go outside and play with your pet

___  Exercise                      

___  Go borrow a friend’s dog and take it to the park

___  Lift weights                           

___  Give your pet a bath               

___  Change your hair color

___  Do yoga, tai chi, or Pilates, or take classes to learn        

___  Trim your nails                 

___  Go outside and watch the birds and other animals   

___  Paint your nails                        

___  Stretch your muscles                  

___  Find something funny to do, like reading the Sunday comics

___  Eat your favorite ice cream                               

___  Go for a walk in a park or someplace else that’s peaceful          

___  Visit fun web sites and keep a list of them

___  Watch a funny movie (start collecting funny movies to watch when you’re feeling overwhelmed)          

___  Go get a haircut                             

___  Sleep or take a nap                                                   

___  Go outside and watch the clouds            

___  Go to the movies

___  Go jog                          

___  Watch television

___  Ride your bike                      

___  Listen to the radio

___  Go for a swim                      

___  Go to a sporting event, like a baseball game

___  Go hiking                      

___  Play a game with a friend

___  Do something exciting like surfing, rock climbing, skiing, skydiving, motorcycle riding, or kayaking, or go learn how to do one of these things     

___  Play solitaire

___  Play video games

___  Go online to chat

___  Visit your favorite Web sites

___  Go to your local playground and join a game being played or watch a game           

___  Go shopping

___  Do a puzzle with a lot of pieces

___  Buy something on the internet              

___  Sell something you don’t want on the internet

___  Go play something you can do by yourself if no one else is around, like basketball, bowling, handball, miniature golf, billiards, or hitting a tennis ball against the wall     

___  Create your own Web site

___  Join an internet dating site

___  But something on the internet

___  Get a massage

___  Get out of your house, even if you just sit outside   

___  Go for a drive in your car or go for a ride on public transportation

___  Plan a trip to somewhere you’ve never been before  

___  Eat chocolate (it’s good for you!) or eat something else you really like               

___  Go to a spa                      

___  Sign up for a class that excites you at a local college, adult school or online

___  Go to a library                                                        

___  Go to a bookstore and read              

___  Read your favorite book, magazine or newspaper

___  Go to your favorite café for coffee or tea       

___  Read a trashy celebrity magazine

___  Visit a museum or local art gallery           

___  Write a letter to a friend or family member

___  Go to the mall or the park and watch other people; try to imagine what they’re thinking      

___  Write things you like about yourself on paper

___  Write a poem, story, movie or play

___  Pray or meditate                  

___  Write in your journal

___  Go to your church, synagogue, temple, or other place of worship    

___  Write a loving letter to yourself when you’re feeling good and keep it with you to read when you’re feeling upset

___  Join a group                               

___  Write a letter to your higher power                 

___  Call a family member you haven’t spoken to in a long time          

___  Make a list of ten things you’re good at or like about yourself and keep it with you to read when you’re feeling upset

___  Learn a new language

___  Take a bubble bath or shower

___  Sing or learn how to sing              

___  Draw a picture

___  Play a musical instrument or learn how to play one          

___  Paint a picture with a brush or your fingers 

___  Make a list of the people you admire and describe what it is you like about them

___  Write a song                                

___  Listen to some upbeat, happy music (start making a collection to play when you’re feeling upset)         

___  Write a story about the craziest or funniest thing that has ever happened to you

___  Make a list of ten things you would like to do before you die

___  Turn on some loud music and dance             

___  Memorize lines from your favorite movie, play or song       

___  Write a letter to someone who has made your life better and tell them why (you don’t have to send the letter if you don’t want to)

___  Make a movie or video                     

___  Take photographs                  

___  Create your own list of self-care activities

___  Join a public-speaking group and write a speech

___  Participate in a local theatre group   

___  Sing in a local choir      

___  Plant a garden

___  Work outside    

___  Knit, crochet, or sew—learn how to 

___  Make a scrapbook with pictures

___  Work on your car, truck, motorcycle or bicycle

___  Other ideas: __________________________

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Adapted from The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook. McKay et al. 2007, p. 15.