Sometimes participating in activities that make you feel good is a great way to distract and sooth yourself from painful emotions and distress. Try to engage in these activities on a daily basis and get in the habit of regulating your emotions in a positive and fun way. You may choose to keep a journal and write down a pleasurable activity that you choose to do each day. This may help you practice being mindful, present, and self-aware. Exercise is also important because your body naturally releases endorphins which are you bodies natural painkillers. These are the same painkillers that are released when you cut yourself. Please add to this list and mark the activities that you engage in. Note how you feel before and after each activity and especially note how you feel after completing activities for a whole week! Be aware of obstacle and note ways to overcome any obstacles that may keep you from engaging in pleasurable activities!

 

Pleasurable Activities List

• Go for a Walk

• Read

• Meditate

• Spa

• Library

• Bookstore

• Yoga

• Go to a Cafe

• Take a Class of Interest

• Arts and Crafts

• Sew or Knit

• Museum

• Paint

• Write a Letter to a Loved One

• Go to your Place of Worship

• Volunteer

• Help a Neighbor

• Study a Language

• Join a Group or Club

• www.Meetup.com

• Write a Poem

• Write a Story

• Go to the Beach

• Go for a Bike Ride

• Go Surfing

• Call a Friend or Relative

• Go to the Mall

• Write a Letter to a Loved

One Who has Passed

• Create a Music Compilation

• Make a Video

• Surf the Web

• Watch the Sunset

• Get or Give a Massage

• Take Photos

• Sing in a Local Choir

• Join a Local Theatre Group

• Participate in a Sporting

League

• Garden

• Enjoy the Outdoors

• Scrapbooking

• Manicure and Pedicure

• Bubble Bath or Shower

• Go Swimming

• Pray

• Get your Hair Done

• Fix Something That is Broken

• Organize

• Learn Something New

• Create a Self Portrait

• Make a Vision Plan

• Write in your Journal

• Write Down your Strengths and

Positive Qualities

• Make a To-Do List and Start it

• Make a List of People You

Admire and Why

• Make a Bucket List

• Join an Athletic Club

• Hang out with a Friend or

Relative

• Lay in the Sun with Sunscreen on

• Take Care of Pets

• Have a Picnic

• Take a Road Trip

• Go Jogging

• Daydream

• Go to a Party

• Have a BBQ

• Traveling

• Plan a Party

• Go Out for a Meal

• Get Some Work Done

• Read the Newspaper

• Write Down Goals and a Plan

to Accomplish Them

• Have a Quiet Evening or

Afternoon

• Play a Musical Instrument

• Self Hypnosis

• Relaxation Techniques

• Deep Breathing Exercises

• Read Affirmations

• Clean

• Picking up Trash

• Recycling

• Looking at Old Photos

• Dressing Up and Looking Nice

• Eating Comfort Foods in

Moderation

• Bowling

• Sending a Loved One a Card

• Send an Ecard

• Fantasizing

• Buy Something for Yourself

that is Within Your Budget

• Play a Computer Game

• Tell Someone that you Love

Him or Her

• Do Something Nice for

Someone

• Write a Love Letter

• Kissing

• Listening to Live Music

• Festivals

• Spend Time With Children

• Visit a Nursing Home

• Buy a Gift

• Play Cards

• CrossWord Puzzles

• Shoot Pool

• Horseback Riding

• Visit an Animal Shelter

• Make a List of Activities that

you used to enjoy and do

• Work on Your Car

• Exercise

• Flying a Kite

• Counseling Session

• Go to a Sporting Event

• Concert

• Hiking

• Acting

• Cooking

• Attend a Religious Service

• Internet Chat

• Hobby Activities

• Audio Book

• Collecting Items

• Eat a Treat

• Go to a Beautiful Place

• Sitting in a Peaceful Spot

• Being Held or Touched

• Play Frisbee

• Golf

• Pay Bills

• Laundry

• Decorate

• Water Plants

• Self Help Exercises

• Resolve a Conflict

• Going on a Date

• Memory Lane

• Planning a Career or Career

Change

• Simply Relaxing

• Lighting a Candle

• Burn Incense

• Laughing

• Thinking About Past Trips

• Sex

• Journal About Progress Made

Today

• Meet New People

• Networking

• Saving Money

• Go to the Gym

• Aerobics

• Pilates

• Imagine What it will be Like

When You Finish School or Other

Goal

• Buy and Sell Stocks and Shares

• Think About and Plan Retirement

• Family Get-Togethers

• Ride Motorcycle

• Masturbate

• Pick or Buy Fresh Flowers

• Go Camping

• Losing Weight

• Class Reunions

• Sailing

• Sketching

• Thinking about being an OK

person

• Ice Skating, Roller Skating,

Roller Blading

• Skateboarding

• Do Something Spontaneous

• Explore your Surrounding Areas

• Window Shopping

• Take a Short Nap

• Write a Book

• Make a Gift for Someone

• Entertaining

• Think About Getting Married

• Sightseeing

• Tennis, Raquetball

• Refinish Furniture

• Walk by the River or at Beach

• Thinking about How Much You

Have Going for You

• Exchange Emails

• Go Fishing

Pleasurable Activities List

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• Being Alone

• Having Lunch with a Friend

• Happy Childhood Thoughts

• Visualization Activities

• Stargazing

• Play Billiards, Darts

• Volleyball

• Play Cricket

• Bocce Ball, Patonk

• Solving Riddles

• Stretching

• Saying “I Love You”

• Saying “I am Sorry”

• Erotica books

• Rock Climbing Indoors or

Outdoors

• Hiking

• Being Active in the

Community

• Advocacy

• Going Green

• Woodworking

• Canoeing, Kayaking

• Thinking About How You

are a Person Who Can Cope

• Playing With Animals

• Rearrange Furniture

• Having Coffee or Tea (careful

of caffeine)

• Sauna or Steam Room

• Skiing

• Ballet, Tap, Jazz Dancing

• White-Water Rafting

• Get an Aquarium

• Adopt a Pet or Volunteer at a Shelter

• Home Improvement

• Imagine an Ideal Place

• Hot Tub, Jacuzzi

• Walk in Botanical Gardens

• Breath in Fresh Air

• Listen to Mediation CD

• Write Your Own Meditation

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Pleasurable Activities List For KIDS

• Use List Above Too!

• Park

• MOSI

• Movies

• Yoga (class/ book/ home videos)

• Great Explorations (St. Pete)

• Library

• Visit family/ Friends

• Aquarium

• Kid City

• Play Dates

• Davis island

• Beach

• Busch Gardens

• Adventure Island

• Play sports

• Zoo

• Read

• Frisbee

• Mall Play Area

• Seedlings Store

• Bike Ride

• Wagon Ride

• Walk Dog

• Play Ball with Dogs

• Gymboree

• Swimming

• Arts and Crafts

• Water Balloons

• Play Dough

• Science Experiment

• Cook or Bake

• Sea World

• Play in the sprinkler/ Hose

• www.aplaypatch.com

• www.hcplc.org

• Computer Games

• Borders or Barnes and Noble

• Board Games

• Ultimate Play and Party Zone

• Bubbles

• Sidewalk Chalk

• Squirt Gun Battles

• State Parks

• Disney

• Color, Draw

• Dance

• Tea Party

• Sports

• Kids Meditations

• Make Pictures in Clouds

• Make a Pet Rock

• Gardening

• Brain Dance

www.braindance.com

• Puzzles

• Buy a New Toy

• Puppet Show

• Play Therapy Activities

• Play House

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