How to Lose Your Funk

How to Get Out of Your Funk

We have all been there.

You wake up one morning after a few days of feeling just ugh, and expect to feel different. And you WANT to feel different. However, for some reason you wake up feeling the same way and are not quite sure how to get out of this funk.

Getting up is hard.

Going out is hard.

Getting dressed and feeling good is just hard.

You can pretty much forget about looking on the bright side of things (where is the light at the end of this damn tunnel??)

Well at least you can take comfort in knowing we have all been there (even the ones who deny it, or seem like the sunshine is coming out of their butts 24/7) but how do you snap out of it?

I have a few tips below to help you get out of that ho-hum feeling that being in a funk can bring.

First things first: DETOX

With millennials drinking more wine than any other generation in history (so much in fact they have literally changed the way it’s bought and sold).  It’s easy to grab a few bottles of $3 wine from Trader Joe’s (Yes, that’s a thing, a beautiful thing) to make your at-home pity party seem easier to deal with, but most of the time it is the worst way to deal. Alcohol literally blocks out the part of your brain that controls your impulsive behavior. So while it may temporarily make you feel like things aren’t that bad, in the long run it will most likely help you get deeper in the funk you’re already in.  As cliché as it sounds, a cup of tea and a midnight reflection is a better alternative.

Which brings us to the next very important fact; I have personally been making my own detox water and I have noticed a difference in myself physically and mentally. I find myself drinking much less coffee and it makes for a great Snapchat or Instagram pic.  😉

One thing you shouldn’t do is to go on a rant about everything that feels like it’s going wrong.

It seems like the easiest thing to do when you are upset is to call your best friend or your significant other and just ask them for a few minutes to rant about everything that’s going wrong in your life. We have this perception that talking about the bad and getting it out is the best way to forget about it when that actually couldn’t be farther from the truth. Not to mention it is actually causing harm to the person who you are ranting to as well (they say yawns are contagious, but I guess they’re not the only thing).  So they say (again according to science) that ranting does initially make you feel a sense of relaxation afterwards, but it’s only temporary.

By ranting on and on about what made you upset and angry in the first place you are rehashing and prolonging that feeling of anger and frustration. Once you come down from the high you felt of “getting it all out there” you’ll actual begin to feel worse about the situation.

Not only are you making yourself feel bad but by talking negatively to whomever you allowed to listen to your problems, they will also begin to feel sadness and anxiety.

However, the feeling of being frustrated and angry to the point of boiling over aka “the infamous rant moment” can actually become a positive and productive emotional state–if you allow it to–because it forces you to make moves and make changes that you might not have had the courage to do before. So instead of ranting about what is wrong, think about how you could make these issues right!

This mindset will not only make you feel better in that very instant, but it will help you take control of your own personal situation by not allowing your anger to get the best of you, but to motivate you to make the changes that you need to make.

Which brings me to my next and most obvious point.

Talk About the Good Things, NOT the Bad

We all worry. It’s natural. But some of us allow that worrying feeling to turn into a monster that grows to be  so big and gets to be so suffocating that we forget what it’s like to live in the moment.

I’m sure you have heard the same mantra your entire life, “Change your thoughts and change your life”, but there is more to it than you might think.

First of all, think about the way you speak to yourself. If your longest relationship in your life is with yourself, then why would you ever spend time feeding that monster of self-doubt with negative words to yourself?  Your daily self-talk is important because it will set the tone of your day, enhance your life, give you the confidence you need on a day-to-day basis and most importantly–influence how you act in your relationships.

It’s important to be your own biggest cheerleader (plus, how amazing is it to feel like you could take on the world without anybody else’s help or approval?).

Once you give yourself the chance to be the best version of you, you will see changes.

You will snap out of that funk, and you will see that we aren’t supposed to be sad and stressed and angry every day. We are supposed to be happy, but that starts with ourselves and that’s always the hardest place to start.

Instead of watching that horrible reality TV show before you go to sleep, read a book or an article.

When you wake up in the morning and are getting ready for your day, listen to something motivational. By teaching yourself instead of entertaining yourself you will learn that

• You are not alone
• Everyone feels the way you do sometimes, the happiest people in this world just choose to use the mental roadblocks as strength & motivation, not a weakness
• Everything starts with you and the way you speak to yourself.

Once you learn to be your own best friend (need help with this? click here and i can help you) you will notice how much easier it is to deal with roadblocks; you will see that your relationships are different because you’re not dependent on anyone else’s opinions and not as affected by their criticism; and, most importantly, you will start to teach yourself that anything is possible.

We often take for granted how important it is to start our day off right by developing a healthy morning routine. 

It’s easy to wake up from an amazing sleep and begin feel overwhelmed before you’ve even rolled over and opened your eyes.  Getting into a morning routine is the best way to make sure you maximize each day, and also gets you into the best mindset possible to face the day you are already dreading.

The absolute worst thing you can do when you wake up is grab your phone. Give yourself a few minutes before you start scrolling through Facebook, Instagram or even your email.

According to new research studies social media is making us more depressed than ever before because we are constantly comparing ourselves to everyone around us.  Social media these days are a science, a way to brand yourself and rarely does anyone actually post the hard and real parts of their life on it (a sad face doesn’t make for a cute snap). 

If you are already feeling sad and down, avoid opening up your social media to look at all the polished photos of your friends and family who are happily in love or on vacation, sipping tea on a BEAUTIFUL balcony with a rockin’ bod (we all know a girl, right?).

Give yourself some time to accomplish a few things before you start creeping. Instead, when you first open your eyes stand up and stretch. While you are stretching think about three things you are thankful for, no matter how small (hell, I was thankful for coffee this morning) and think of one thing you want to accomplish today. This will allow you to train your brain to focus on what is good (even if it is just a cup of good coffee) and on a task to keep yourself busy without any outside influences.

The last thing to do, make your bed. I know, I know–it seems so minimal. But by getting out of bed and making your bed (this will also probably help you avoid the need to crawl back under those sheets for just a few more minutes) you have just started your day by accomplishing a task. As minimal as it may seem, you are training your brain to accomplish more (sneaky and easy–why not try it?). 

In 2014, at the University of Texas, a US Navy commander of 36 years spoke to a group of graduates about life lessons and keys to success. One important lesson he taught them was to wake up and make your bed. (Listen to this entire speech here, but WARNING: it will change your life). My personal favorite line of his speech was

“A made bed gives you hope for tomorrow and if you STILL have a bad day you have a made bed to come home to”

When we are in a funk all we are really looking for is a little bit of hope. 

Remember: Procrastination is a great way to not accomplish your goals; which obviously contributes to your bad mood! Get something done every day, even if it’s just making your bed and forcing yourself to smile.

So it all seems pretty easy right? Stretch, avoid your phone for a few minutes, and take a minute to say what you are grateful for and make your damn bed!

Well, if you need a little bit more help getting out of this funk – try these simple hints:

B12 vitamins – in college my roommate called these vitamins the ‘be happy pills’ and for some reason that always stuck with me. B12 is a great way to stay alert and keep that energy level up (if you are sad it’s probably already down). Not only that, B12 affects many aspects of your body in a positive way, and you can find it in so many foods that it’s worth a try.  B12 shots have been used to fight depression for years (you may need to talk to your doctor about this one as you need a prescription and being depressed is not the same as getting in a short funk). But seriously, do a quick Google search on the health benefits if you don’t believe me (not to mention it helps you look better as well, and who couldn’t use that during a bad week).

Light Exercise – UGH! I know “it’s so easy”, yet it takes so much work when we are feeling down and out to pick our butts up and go work out. It doesn’t have to be anything strenuous; you will feel a world better if you go for a walk. Also, bonus points if you leave your phone at home for this one. I started bringing my iPod from high school on walks and jogs so I’m not distracted by my phone. 

Trust me it’s a great feeling to disconnect for a half hour!

Even something simple like just doing some stretching and mat work at home – it’s the same concept of making your bed. Once you accomplish a task you will be encouraged to tackle another! Start small!

Smiling- this is my favorite.  “Fake it till you make it!”

Here’s a tip, it has been proven that if you force yourself to smile you will actually start to feel better and look for more reasons to smile. It’s the number one ‘quick fix’ that I believe in, because it takes less than 5 minutes to make it work!

Plus, did you know that it takes more effort to frown than it does to smile?  Now if you live in a place like me where no one smiles you may feel a little awkward doing this (the bitch face is real in Miami). 

Smiles are infectious and who knows, you may even make someone else’s day a bit better just by smiling at them (could also make a new friend too!).

Communication – Text your bestie or significant other and tell them how much you love and appreciate them. It’s another quick fix I live by (hey, my best friends are amazing. It’s important to remind them of that!)

By doing this you not only make the VIP in your life feel awesome and loved, but you remind yourself of all the good people in your life; and that, hey, maybe you are kinda lucky after all!

And if nothing else, maybe they have some good memes to make you smile (my besties always do!)

Create a “BE HAPPY” playlist! Put on some of your favorite songs that make you feel happy and sing and dance along!  I have five go-to be happy songs and it’s another quick fix for a much needed pick me up!

Check out some motivational videos AKA hit up YouTube!

YouTube has over a billion users and has 100 hours of video being uploaded every minute, so chances are if you Google the words ‘motivational speaking’, ‘how to change my outlook on life’, or anything related to bettering your well-being, you will find something that will put a smile on your face.  I have changed my routine in the morning by listening to Ted Talks while getting ready instead of having music on for background noise. For me, it makes me feel like I can take on the world, and listening to other people’s success and motivational stories is also a great reminder that when you are going through hell…keep on going.