Hey all! I'd like to start this thread to maybe help each other check in on 'filling the cup.' My anxiety embeds itself as relationship anxiety and in-home anxiety, where being home too much makes me intensely anxious, feeling totally empty, useless and lonely. I have a hard time just hanging out (you can imagine what 9 months of COVID has done to me in this regard.) I've started making a daily practice of creating a 'Ways to Fill My Cup' list, so that I feel less empty and anxious. It's helping me A LOT to check out which things make me feel most supported and calm. I make a list starting in the morning and add to it if I do other positive things during the day. 

Example: Yesterday I had no plans, and the impending day of loneliness at home was looming dark and large. So my "Fill My Cup" list ended up pretty long. On it were things like: Finally doing my dishes, putting on the Chillhop ambient sound spotify playlist which was amazing for my busy mind, unpacking all of my Christmas items which makes my space feel more clean, spending time on my skin and teeth care which I sometimes neglect and then feel bad about, watching one hour of a comforting show, calling one friend, scrubbing neglected kitchen/bathroom spots with clorox wipes, watching funny animal videos, and more. This seems like a normal day of tasking, but since I also have ADHD, I often neglect things or am not consciously 'checked in' to doing them, so it has no impact on my emotional wellbeing.

Writing these items down so that I could SEE that my day wasn't totally 'wasted' in 'emptiness' was a huge deal for me. I spent time being productive and also time just being my own friend. Adding to it throughout the day kept me focused on the actual imagery of filling up my cup. My mind stayed relatively calm throughout. 

Does anyone else engage in a similar practice? If not, do you think it might help you? Let's talk!!