What is your outlet?

I played video games for a while, but I lost the desire to sit at the computer and waste away, unless I'm researching something to stay informed. I enjoy going to the archery and firearm ranges every now and then, just to make sure I'm still sighted in with my bow or rifles. I may be doing some white tail and wild hog hunting later this year.

I will be distracting myself with walking, hiking, and camping to keep away from the politics of the day that upset me, but sitting here recovering from a surgery is making my mind wander back to the silly season of politics. I can't wait to get these damn stitches out of my nose.

Great thread PO1 Ricky Allen. I make key chains that resemble our dress uniform ribbons. It's good therapy for my hands and I give them out to veteran organizations, deployed units, Family Readiness Groups (fundraising for jr. enlisted awards). I look for the older vets wearing their "service era" hats and pass them out. Sometimes I get GREAT stories from them.

Though it may be strange to some... I paint miniatures. the amount of patients and concentration that it needs oddly brings a calm to me and I have something pretty cool to show for it.
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I sail sailboats. I sail specially engineered sail boats, for disabled folks and disabled Veterans...Mostly in McCovy Cove, next to the Giants Stadium, but sometimes in the Bay.
My club The Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (baads.org) runs a Veterans only program on Sundays. It is a great stress reliever and a great effort.

I'd have to say that my outlet is building rifles and taking them to the range. Range days when I'm off duty are such a great stress reliever, and good practice for a GM.

My outlet is my wife and kids. Family always has a way of easing your mind of the stresses of the day. I also love to read. I think it's a good way of taking your mind away from the real world for at least a little while and it helps spark your creativity. I have to say that one of my favorite things to do lately has been getting on RallyPoint and interacting with all of you. It's nice to help others going through many of the problems I have faced so that they don't have as hard of a time as I did when it happened to me.

Music, group therapy at the range as often as possible, pistol matches, building 1911s, ARs, AKs, GLOCKs, and SIGs. Movies, Long drives in fast cars.

Personally I enjoy just talking to my fiance when my day is finished. We now live 900 miles apart but since I joined the military we've never been closer. If I'm not talking to her I'm watching Netflix, once I get into a show I have to finish every season.

My top favorite is working out. It has worked the best when it comes to stress and anxiety. Escaping to the movie theater, usually on my own is relaxing too. Getting lost in a good comic book movie helps my mind slow down and take a break from reality. Another thing I like to do is put in a good CD and drive while singing at the top of my lungs. Yes people stare, no I don't care. ha ha ha.

I like to get in a pool and do laps. No sound but the splashing, and the weightless feeling takes away all stress