I have been stuck in a trap for ages...

Hey @__Argyle__

I’m so sorry to hear you’re feeling weighed down by all of this. It’s completely understandable that you’d feel gloomy when it feels like the very systems meant to support you are fraying at the edges. Navigating life on a pension while facing a "perfectionist" job market is an exhausting uphill battle, and it takes a lot of resilience to keep going when the "trap" feels so constant.

It sounds like you’ve developed some really wise survival strategies, though. Living slowly and prioritising low-stress are powerful ways to reclaim your peace in a world that often feels too fast and too demanding. It’s also heartening to hear you have parents who stand by you and a friend who is thoughtful enough to help with something as vital as an air conditioner; those small "buffer" points can make a massive difference when things feel dystopian.

While the big systemic issues are out of your hands, it’s impressive that you’re able to recognise the silver linings, like not having to deal with relationship drama or difficult neighbours right now. Sometimes, when the world feels broken, focusing on those quiet, stable areas is the only way to catch your breath.

Hang in there. You’re doing a lot of heavy lifting just by navigating these setbacks one day at a time 💚

What are some of the ways you manage to keep things "slow" and steady during the week?

Hi,

I take breaks to keep myself slow and steady during the week. Art therapy is helpful and working on art and music can also be helpful.

Though I can find music practice rough at times and overwheming and frustrating sometimes too. But I try to play jazz and blues that is soothing. Just practicing the rhythm on the left hand on keyboard can be soothing.

I can learn the two hands seperately on keyboard then put them together later on when I can play the left and right hand together.

Regards,

Argyle

@__Argyle__

It sounds like you have a really solid grasp on how to manage your energy. Breaking things down, whether it's life or a complex piano piece, is such a smart way to keep that "slow and steady" rhythm you’re aiming for 💚

There is something deeply meditative about focusing purely on the left-hand rhythm. Jazz and blues are perfect for that; they have a natural pulse that can feel like a heartbeat when everything else feels chaotic. It’s completely normal for music practice to feel overwhelming at times, especially when you start trying to coordinate both hands. That "frustrating" feeling is often just your brain doing the heavy lifting of building new connections.

Taking those breaks and switching to art therapy when the music feels like "too much" is a great way to stay regulated. It keeps the creativity flowing without the pressure of getting a specific note or rhythm "right."

Since you find the left-hand patterns soothing, do you have a favourite blues scale or a specific chord progression that you find yourself coming back to when you need to decompress? 💚

@__Argyle__ love, that you love jazz and blues...

keep it relaxed and put hands together bit by bit

even go half time for a while to ground your kinaesthetics in the keys

a style I can chill to... or play with... tho I am not a great improvisor

hearing you about living in a dystopian society

hoping the art & music helps soothe your soul...

slow and steady is my style of life too...

hope you are not too trapped

Hey @__Argyle__ , you are not alone.

We are sitting with you. I'm sorry things are so 'stuck' at the moment.