Ever have an “off” week…then month…and then year? I’m aware these are basically a rip off of the lyrics to Nine Days’ “Absolutely” (better known as Story of a Girl… what happened to those guys?!). We all fluctuate between the ebbs and flows of life, but too often a bad moment in the day can evolve into a full-on funk. I’ve been dealing with the quarter-life crisis since BEFORE I was 25. As an early bloomer, I’ve had years to experience the ups and downs of post-grad life and the slumps adulthood can bury us in.
Everyone I know (except for my boyfriend who faces my wrath and rants the most) would describe me as the eternal optimist, but I can actually be downright negative during certain times. This “Cup of Charisma” isn’t always full, but I find that it’s important to seek a center, staying positive and purposeful. The truth is that I’m never going to be 100% clear on my future or genuinely “fulfilled” in the success department; as I grow, my hunger for new things will, too. Here’s the part where you might ask: why even bother to feel fulfilled when it’s an unattainable state?
I’ve been beta testing the fulfillment>funk solution for the last four months and am ready to share my very premature findings. I was going to dive into some weighty descriptive analogies relating to mountain scapes and obstacles, but I’ll save that for my Colorado recap. Let’s get down to business on the 5 ways to get out of a funk you can’t control:
Have a Little Help From Your Friends
It sounds simple, but how often have you reached out to a friend or professional as an ear to listen? Be it a personal trainer who helps you to seek your fitness goals to feel more confident or a life coach who puts your real-life-so-hard-to-describe-it-hurts goals in front of your to address, people can be a powerful buoy to stay afloat in a sea of moods. I started being “life” coaching with my friend Alli, who blogs at Guaranteed Giddy, as a fun way to get organized. Alli ran into me at an event while I probably looked like a distressed mad woman (to the demise of my cool alter-ego that wears a polka-dot bombers), but took my interest seriously and brought me on as a client. We dug deep into the areas of life I want to improve and the action items have been instrumental to me.
Practice the Art of Gratitude
One of my action items was to create a gratitude log and it DEFINITELY cut down on my amount of cloudy days. Try starting and ending each day by either writing down or saying one thing you are grateful for. I bought this Happiness Journal that helps me do this while also tracking my daily habits to see patterns in.
Get Your Mind and Body Right
I’ve tried and failed, but am trying again. A quick sweat session or yoga class has just the right amount of punch to knock your mood on the floor and bring on those happy endorphins. I just started the Tone It Up program with three of my close friends because an accountability buddy (similar to my life coach) helps me keep myself in check.
Dedicate “Me” Time
Reading, photography, playing guitar, or binge watching Hulu… find whatever your hobby is (as long as it’s not trolling) and go do it! For example, I LOVE to read but am far from a prolific reader. To fight distraction and the urge to connect to the game of superfluous status updates and meaningless photo likes, I put my phone in another room when I sit down with a good book.
Ask the Big Questions
Do you know what makes you feel uplifted? Face that big bold question until you find it. If your rut is feeling heavier than the typical letdown, there could be a deeper issue weighing you down. Not being where you want to be in life is okay but staying stagnant is far from it.
Do you want to be the apathetic passenger or the driver of your wellbeing? There’s only one way to decide.
Outfit Details: Polka Dot Bomber Jacket // White Denim Jeans (on sale!) // Black Chainlink Crossbody Purse // Watch c/o Daniel Wellington // Sunglasses (older pair but similar version here) // Shoes
