Idle Hands

[Sita]

Idle hands are a devil's playground.

I've heard that phrase a million times. And it came to me again today. There is some truth to that saying, but the devil isn't some otherworldly bad guy that will make you do bad stuff. It's the voice inside your own head that plays that constant loop of not being worthy, not being good, being a slob or a lazy bum*.

Doing something makes that voice take a back seat. It's still there, you just can't hear it as well. Because you are too busy with the project at hand there's no way you are being lazy. When you are cleaning the bathroom or washing the dishes there is no way you are being a slob. And you'd be amazed at how much that improves your mood.

Once you're out of the 'lazy slob' loop you can start working on breaking the 'not worthy, no good' loop. Which tends to happen while you are doing something. Because then you are able to look at things a bit better, evaluate without the overbearing sense of uselessnes that the other loop brings.
That is if you tend to have long conversations with yourself like I do.

So the time to start working on that devil is now. Get up and do something, anything. Especially if it's something you are putting off, because that just gives it fuel. Fuel that can be better spent elsewhere.


*substitute whatever negatives are appropriate

[Doktor Howl]

I like this.

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

So much this.

[P3nT4gR4m]

Awesome! The devil, to me, is a different voice but the one you're talking about I know only too well.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

YES.

[EK WAFFLR]

HELLYES

[LMNO]

Ok, weird.  I always heard it was "idle hands make the devil's work", in context of New England Puritanism; the meaning of which is "if you're not toiling with some sort of backbreaking drudgery, you're up to no good."  In other words, SLACK = EVIL. 

Now, this is not to disparage the OP, which is awesome, and should be a sermon in the First Church of GO OUTSIDE.  It just took me a minute to understand the new context.

[Sita]

Ok, weird.  I always heard it was "idle hands make the devil's work", in context of New England Puritanism; the meaning of which is "if you're not toiling with some sort of backbreaking drudgery, you're up to no good."  In other words, SLACK = EVIL. 

Now, this is not to disparage the OP, which is awesome, and should be a sermon in the First Church of GO OUTSIDE.  It just took me a minute to understand the new context.

It's what my grandma used to say, though it doesn't surprise me that she changed it a bit

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I've always heard "idle hands are the devil's playground". It's a folk saying with many variations.

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

Oh yes. I'm going through a bit of this myself.

This is the reason I can't sleep at night, actually. I can fill out all the applications I want all day long and call people and go to the park and whatever else but as soon as I try to sleep . . . endless rounds of this shit. Opposite of helpful.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

SAM-e and 5-HTP. I'm not a hippie but holy fuck, this shit helps me sleep and be reasonably happy/non-suicidal.

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

SAM-e and 5-HTP. I'm not a hippie but holy fuck, this shit helps me sleep and be reasonably happy/non-suicidal.

Sing to me of this miracle that is 'happy/non-suicidal' for I am unfamiliar with its like and would know more.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

SAM-e and 5-HTP. I'm not a hippie but holy fuck, this shit helps me sleep and be reasonably happy/non-suicidal.

Sing to me of this miracle that is 'happy/non-suicidal' for I am unfamiliar with its like and would know more.

It's pretty fucking great. I hardly ever drink too much anymore.

SAM-e is fairly expensive and you have to be careful about the brand you get. But when I take it in the morning, I can sleep that night, and stay asleep. I don't end up with that churning cycle of rushing thoughts keeping me awake. Bonus: It's good for my joints. The 5-HTP just smooths out my mood.

It's awesome.

I've taken antidepressants before and they didn't do shit, so this is pretty awesome.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

SAM-e and 5-HTP. I'm not a hippie but holy fuck, this shit helps me sleep and be reasonably happy/non-suicidal.

Sing to me of this miracle that is 'happy/non-suicidal' for I am unfamiliar with its like and would know more.

It's pretty fucking great. I hardly ever drink too much anymore.

SAM-e is fairly expensive and you have to be careful about the brand you get. But when I take it in the morning, I can sleep that night, and stay asleep. I don't end up with that churning cycle of rushing thoughts keeping me awake. Bonus: It's good for my joints. The 5-HTP just smooths out my mood.

It's awesome.

I've taken antidepressants before and they didn't do shit, so this is pretty awesome.

I like the "sleep" part. NyQuil is bad for the liver and Valerian doesn't work if you take it every night.

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

SAM-e and 5-HTP. I'm not a hippie but holy fuck, this shit helps me sleep and be reasonably happy/non-suicidal.

Sing to me of this miracle that is 'happy/non-suicidal' for I am unfamiliar with its like and would know more.

It's pretty fucking great. I hardly ever drink too much anymore.

SAM-e is fairly expensive and you have to be careful about the brand you get. But when I take it in the morning, I can sleep that night, and stay asleep. I don't end up with that churning cycle of rushing thoughts keeping me awake. Bonus: It's good for my joints. The 5-HTP just smooths out my mood.

It's awesome.

I've taken antidepressants before and they didn't do shit, so this is pretty awesome.

What brand do you prefer?