Do activities

You can stay healthy and feel well by doing activities.

You can do activities

• Alone

• With other people

Doing activities can make you feel like you have achieved things.

Doing activities helps you not focus on negative feelings or things going on around you.

Doing activities can also give you a sense of meaning.

A sense of meaning gives us a feeling of

• Being part of something

• That life is useful and valuable

Below are some examples of activities you can do.

You can find go to social events that interest you.

There are many community groups that offer social outings and activities.

For more information about community groups go to

• Disability Trust https://www.disabilitytrust.org.
  au/services-and-support/
  making-friends-social-groups-and-outings

• Gig Buddies https://www.gigbuddiessydney.
  org/

You can also join a group where you can communicate to others.

For example One Door Mental Health support groups.

For more information about One Door Mental Health support groups go to  https://www.onedoor.org.au/

Stay in contact with your family and friends if that will help you.

To stay in contact you might

• Call your family

• Visit your family

• Ask them to visit you

You can use relaxation techniques.

To help you relax you can use apps such as Smiling Mind.

For more information about Smiling mind go to https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
smiling-mind-app

You can exercise and be in nature.

Some other activities include

• Hobbies

• Games

• Activities you enjoy 

Finding healthy foods you enjoy to have a balanced diet.

You can spend time on hobbies.

You can take trips away.  

There are groups that can help you with trips.

For example Trusted Travel.

For more information about Trusted Travel go to https://www.trustedtravel.org.au/

Have a sense of meaning

People who have a sense of meaning

• Are better able to cope in difficult times

• Have better wellbeing

Below are some examples of things you can do to have a sense of meaning.

You can get involved in community projects.

For example beach clean-up day.  

You can find a job.

You can volunteer if appropriate.

When you volunteer you give your time to help an organisation.

For more information about who you can volunteer with go to

• Disability Gateway https://www.disabilitygateway.
  gov.au/employment

• The Centre for Volunteering https://www.volunteering.com.au/join-us/inclusive-volunteering-pathways-to-employment-program/

You can advocate for yourself or others.

To advocate is you or someone else doing things so that your rights and needs are met.

Rights are rules about how everybody should be treated fairly.

A right is something everyone has.

For more information about how you can advocate for yourself or others go to https://www.idmhconnect.health/
about-advocacy/ER

You can also do things that can increase your skills.

You can take note of

• Your strengths and when you do things that use them

• Things that have gone well

To set goals can help you to have a sense of meaning.

All of the above suggested activities can help you to have positive emotions.

Positive emotions

• Make you feel good

• Benefit different areas of your life

What people find positive is different for everybody.

It is important to take time to find out what is positive for you.

You can find time to be relaxed.

For example you can listen to music.

You can find a place to keep things that make you happy that you can go to often.

You can set goals for the future.

You can take time to reflect when things go well.  

There are some tricky words on this Easy Read page. 

For more information about these words go to

https://www.idmhconnect.health/word-list