u/rob_cornelius

Yes, every day should be world suicide prevention day. In many ways every day already is world suicide prevention day.

The most important things I know about suicide are:

You almost certainly don't want to kill yourself right now. You want to stop feeling how you do right now and the only way your can conceive of making that happen is to kill yourself. There are millions of different ways of changing how you feel, you just can't see them right now.

Suicide is the one decision you can make that is absolute.

Everything in your life changes in time. Often things will change without you doing a single thing. If nothing else please try to wait things out.

Phillip Reeds headteacher told him the secret to happiness is, "Wake up every morning and paint a flower before breakfast". The meaning behind that simple sentence is "Find something that brings you joy and happiness and prioritise it in your life". It doesn't matter what that thing is. For Phillip Reed it's making model ships, his headteacher loved to paint flowers. For you it might be exercise but it can be anything at all. If you prioritise it in your life, work hard and keep trying it will bring you joy.

Having said that you might find that you really fucking hate what you think might bring you joy once you really give it a really good go.

You might think that learning how to play the saxophone will bring you joy only to discover you have very limited musical abilities once you have spent a lot of money on an instrument and lessons. You might love running but get hit by a bus and never walk again. You might win the lottery and things that were once just impossible day-dreams become your normal life. Shit happens. (shit doesn't have to be bad).

It is perfectly fine to learn from these types of experience and try something else. Phillip Reed is perhaps an exception rather than an example in many regards but I think his point still stands. You have to work hard at what brings you joy. There are no short cuts, quick fixes, life hacks or "one trick XYZ don't want you to know". Buying the product in the advertisement will not instantly bring you joy either. Joy requires determination, dedication and discipline over a long period of time. That's OK you have plenty of time.

Try to do what you can. Try to do it as often as you can. Keep trying. Dasssit.

Wanted to share this research which shows the benefits of just 10 minutes of slow running with the community.

One great resource for you all is r/EatCheapAndHealthy

How have you unwound this week? Any creative projects you would like to share?

How have you unwound this week? Any creative projects you would like to share?

Eric the old guy and "longbow expert" at my archery club says "I strip the varnish off my longbows and oil them once a year whether they need it or not". I can see you might oil a freshly finished bow before you varnish it. I am not sure about doing it at regular intervals though. Surely the varnish seals the moisture / oil in?

I have broken one longbow when I followed Erics advice about increasing the brace height. I don't want to risk ruining my lovely Bickerstaff longbow.

Eric the old guy at my archery club who is the "longbow expert" at my archery club says things like, "I strip the varnish off all my longbows and oil them once a year, whether they need it or not".

I have broken one longbow already when I followed his advice regarding increasing the brace height of a longbow.

Basically I don't want to risk screwing up my lovely Bickerstaff longbow.