How to Dig Yourself Out of a Funk
The other day I was feeling pretty down. It seemed as if there was almost nothing that was happening in our family that felt easy. School situation = hard. Living situation = hard. Travel = hard. Building a house = hard. Work = hard. Living and breathing = HARD. Why does it all feel so HARD sometimes?
My bestie said, “What if you made a list of everything that sucks?” I responded, “Man, you know how to go dark!” We laughed. She asked, “Did you want me to tell you to make a list of everything you’re grateful for?” HAHA!! “No!” I said, “That is something I would probably (annoyingly) say!”
Here I am. What in the holy heck? How did my little optimistic self get into such a FUNK? Better question: How do I get myself out of this funk??
I started digging and some of these findings might surprise you. Grab your readers and read on for some anti-funk tips!
*First and foremost, before you do ANYTHING, let yourself GO THERE emotionally. This can be challenging for some of us as we like to steer clear of the emotions we don’t want to feel. But sitting, feeling the funk, letting yourself be sad/down/funked diminishes those hard feelings. We simply have to ride that wave of emotion without fighting it. It acknowledges our humanity and that life isn’t always cheerful, and emphasizes our need for movies like Beaches and My Life. Let the emotions be felt!
Only once we have properly felt those challenging emotions we begin to do the things that we know make us feel better. Here are a few of those that, when done regularly, can make a huge impact on our happiness quotient:
1. Move. Ever seen someone acting seriously down after a workout? Rarely or never! Those endorphins make you happy, Elle Woods!
2. Cut the sugar and alcohol. While they may make us happy temporarily, coming down is a bad scene. Better stick to the veggies and water if looking for sustainable good moods.
3. Connect. If you’ve got a girlfriend on the line, you know you’re going to be ok. We are wired for connection, and when we stay connected, our mental state is more fulfilled.
4. Get eight hours of sleep. Lack of sleep makes life harder. Low energy usually equals poor food choices, forgetfulness, and we’re less likely to exercise. Keep sleep consistent to keep the cheer consistent.
5. Stop scrolling. The media’s negative spins and social media’s comparison trap are sucking the happiness out of us. Find a way to spend less time consuming media.
6. Find a therapist. There isn’t a person alive who couldn’t benefit from therapy. No shame. Get help if it feels you can’t help yourself.
Following are a bunch more ideas to get the happy juices flowing!
Do something you love (Spa?!)
Go outside- bonus point for in the woods
Read a great book
Write about it in a journal
Listen to music you love
Dress up crazy/silly/beautiful
Join a club, group or sports team
Curiously strike up a conversation with a stranger
Invite a friend for a meal or walk
Create something like art, pottery, paint, garden, refurbish or repurpose
Love on a dog or cat or any animal you enjoy
Clean your house (You’ll feel better after this one, Kon Mari!)
Meditate and focus on your breath
Take some time off of work
Plan a trip or vacation somewhere
Go see a live band
Perform some random act(s) of kindness
Give HUGS!
Look through old photos
Check something off your bucket list or create one
Eat some chocolate (last resort!!)
At some points in life, we simply must choose joy. If that feels impossible, check back with #6 (therapist) and repeat until you feel like it actually could be a choice.
On funks: they will happen. It’s part of being human. Feeling hard emotions are our natural response to life’s stressors. Make sure you first allow yourself to feel, and then you can embark on the delightful journey of finding your joy list and diving in. Print this list out and keep it handy as a reminder: hard times come and go, but I do have choices that will ultimately enhance my happiness and bring more joy into my life. Now, where’s that speaker… I need to TURN IT UP!!!
