I can definitely vouch for exercise being a great way to clear your mind for a little while. I used to be extremely overweight, obese actually, for half of my life I weighed 286 and I'm also 5'9". So not great. How I didn't have any medical problems as a result I have no clue.. just lucky I guess.
But nowadays I use it as a way to kind of relax and let off steam. It's a bit weird to say that it relaxes me given that it's physical exertion but it does help.
Also while I don't have any personal experience with Buddhism since I'm not really spiritual or religious I can say that one of my brothers started practicing it several years ago and once he began to take it seriously it really helped him.
It can be good when folks help you realize that. I wish someone had brought that up with me a long time ago since it's always been one of my biggest struggles.
Since I'm still so new to the forum I can't say that I know everyone all that well yet but I will say that you've always come across as a good person and it's always heartwarming seeing you pop in this thread to help others whether it's with words of encouragement or links to helpful videos.
So what I'm getting at is try not to beat yourself up too much, sure it can be a bit embarrassing to let random thoughts out but a little embarrassment is better than keeping them in and having them eat away at you.
First of all, thank you so much for your kind words. That means a hell of a lot to me, I've been through some stuff in my day ahaha.
Exercise is great. I have this theory that humans are just animals. Call me crazy, lol. I'm not a spiritual person whatsoever, despite being raised super Catholic, etc. What I do feel though is that we really aren't meant to live the way we do, we're too far removed from our natural environments. That's why exercise helps, keeps us moving as though we were still hunter/gatherers, and sets off posi vibes in our brains as a result. Eating healthy helps too. Put good in, get good out. I do my best to avoid processed foods, and eat more-so like what I would in the wild.
Im not a strict Buddhist, but it really carved out a nice little niche for me to set some guidelines for life. It's nice to not have to do all the footwork for your own personal life philosophy. I love the idea of everything being connected, and therefore the self not really existing. Meditation helps me calm down my overloaded brain when nothing else can work, and it isn't harmful in the same way that drugs and alcohol can be. I'm mostly sober although I must admit I will hit weed sometimes and usually regret it soon after hahaha. Idk, there's peace in the realization that we're all just cogs in the wheel, all connected, and that everything in the universe is impermanent. I find it much more comforting than just saying, "yeah i'm an atheist". lol
I also like keeping myself busy by doing DIY tasks around the house, keeping up w yard work, learning guitar, reading, gaming etc.
"The way out is through," to quote Trent Reznor.
But yeah, thanks again. You're a p fly cat yourself. lol