I imagine every one has been in a funk sometime in their life….or maybe at least once a week!! Maybe even every day for awhile. It seems like nothing you do works out the way you want it too, and just when you think one more rotten thing can’t happen it does. When you’re in that funk state it probably feels like the world is sending you down a spiral of doom, and you start to feel down on yourself, down on others and can’t seem to find a spark to even think about starting to fire up again.
I have good news for you!! The spiral can stop, and you can feel better again. So now you are saying …OK HOW!!! So try this…sit up straight, put your shoulders back try to put on a smile and say a couple simple words.. I got this, or I wonder…and make a small step to think of one little thing that did not go wrong, maybe even one little thing that went well! When we use a confident posture, and use smile muscles it is much more difficult to think negatively and feel defeated. So you ask …what sort of things might I try to think of that are not so bad??? Maybe you had your favorite cereal for breakfast, maybe the sun decided to peek through the clouds for a moment. Maybe you just made an incredibly tasty meal or you noticed that your electric bill was two dollars cheaper, or that your kid just did something helpful, or someone gave you a compliment. Who knows, but I would challenge you to look for those small things that are not bad…and are in fact good…and I guarantee you when you find one thing you will find more. If you are struggling to think of one thing try this….focus on one of your 5 senses and notice what you observe, describe it in non-judgmental terms, and in as much detail as possible. You might even find yourself getting curious about what you observe so much that you explore it with another sense… For example maybe you decide to look around you and you notice a painting on the wall, and the different textures of the paint, so you reach out and touch it to see what it feels like, or maybe you look at a piece of fruit on the table and you decide to taste it and notice the texture, and the smell…. Build this habit into your day…and see how it changes your perspective.
When we start to shift our thinking just a tiny bit something happens in our brains that helps us to start focusing on something other than the funk. When that happens we feel maybe a tiny bit better, and can do that again. …and again…and again. To make the positive impact even stronger, share that tiny good thing with someone. You can share it with a friend, a neighbor, anyone…maybe even your pet!
Still struggling with that funk? Get up and move your body! Sit in a different chair and do some leg lifts, take a shower and do some stretches, put on some music and move your body to it….stand up and raise your arms, bend down and touch your toes and notice what happens to the energy within. I think you will be surprised and notice that it is shifting. I have heard many stories from people who have begun attending exercise classes and all of them say that just moving and connecting with others has made a tremendous impact on their mood, has helped them sleep better, and helps them feel less depressed and irritable.
Now that you have your body moving and your mind looking for something good, you are ready to take the next step. Reach out and connect with someone. You can take your phone and call, or text a friend to let them know you are thinking of them. You can go out to a store and make an intentional effort to smile at someone and say hi. Notice what happens when you connect with someone, notice that you are not alone in the world. Notice that you get a response back, often a smile, or a return text, or even a nice conversation out of the deal. …So Now are you in a funk? Or are you on your way back to a balanced state?
If you are still struggling, it’s ok, try these steps again, reach out to a support network to help you in your journey out of funk land. Try talking out step one with someone, sometimes you need a fresh perspective. Ask your support network to move with you…go for a walk, dance to some music, go to an exercise class, walk around a store, lift some weights, ride a bike….so many options for movement.
We have many inner resources to help us shake off the blues and change that funk to something different. It takes intent to make a change, and some effort, but not too much. It takes using our body and mind together, and takes connecting with other people because we are wired to be social, physical and mental beings. Good luck on your journey and call us here at Balance if you need any help!
Recent Comments