It happens to all of us. Everything seems to be going great. And then suddenly we’ve hit a mental wall. The inspiration and excitement we’ve been feeling sudden disappears. Our once overflowing well feels more like the Sahara. We’ve hit a mental funk. Now there are a few ways I like to break out of one. These are the test methods that aways seem to help me get back to center. So today I thought I’d share them with you. Whether you’re in a funk or hoping to help someone out of theirs, I hope today’s tips will can help you shake off a mental funk in no time.
Start With Why
Ya’ll know I love a good why. I always find that in order to solve a problem I need to know where it came from. Otherwise, I’m more likely to repeat the insanity and get the same results. One of my more recently mental funks came after I finished catching up on a favorite tv show. Yes, I know it’s not major but hear me out.
There are a handful of shows I find myself getting truly sucked into. I identify with a certain character only to become emotionally attached as though it is my own life. When something devastating happens to them, I feel it. And when they lose the love of their life on a tv show, I mourn with them. Inevitable, this puts me in a mental funk.
Did I know this about myself until recently? Honestly, no. It was a shocking but useful revelation. However, once I discovered the why behind my feelings and what triggered them, I realized how to break it. Or at least, I realized what I needed to do to counteract it. If you’re in a mental funk, start with why so hopefully you can find your breakthrough. Plus, it means you’ll have a better chance of preventing it from happening again.
Move Your Body
If I’m in a mental funk, sometimes the best thing I can do is to move my body. The physical exertion alone helps me work through whatever frustration or anger I may be feeling. In the past, I’ve found running helpful. Sometimes I will opt for yoga. I tend to choose whatever I feel like will help me balance my emotions out in that moment. If it’s a sense of frustration, I’ll opt for something that is more physically demanding. And if I’m feeling like I need to re-center, I might choose the slower moments with yoga. Whatever you decide, getting out of your space and just talking a walk can be major in helping you shake a mental funk. Just start with moving your body.
FIND YOUR RESET
I always find that when I’ve hit a mental funk I probably need a good reset. Reading, cooking or getting lost in a good movie always seem to help balance me out. But those are my particular hobbies. It might also be grabbing dinner with a friend or doing something that makes me feel productive. You always know I’m going to have a breakthrough when I start cleaning and organizing things. The visual act of getting my life together helps me shake off whatever funk I’m feeling every time.
This could look completely different in your life. Nevertheless, breaking your mental funk means hitting the reset button on your brain. Make time to do something you love that you know brings you joy. Because more likely than not, the joy you feel from whatever hobby you’re doing will help you push past the funk you’re in. And you’ll be back to a full tank in no time.
TAKE A BREAK
The older I get, the more I hate to waste my time. It’s a precious commodity I can’t replace or create. So if I’m in a mental funk, sometimes I find the best thing I can do for myself is to walk away. Yes, I could sit and stare at the problem. I could spend 3 hours trying to fix it to no avail. Or I could take a break, however long is needed depending on the problem, and come back with a new perspective.
Now this doesn’t mean I completely abandon things because quitting also isn’t going to change my problem. But if I’m so wrapped up that I’m in a mental funk, I know I need to walk away. It could be for 5 minutes or a 5 hours. Either way, it needs to happen. And I’m talking about the cold turkey kind of break. No peeking here or there at the issue. Nope. Set it down for the allotted amount of time before you come back. Sometimes you need to “sleep” on a problem or just take a break to break your mental funk.
DETOX YOUR LIFE
Let’s be real. This wouldn’t be a Savvy post if I wasn’t telling you to do a little life clean out. I’m a big fan of taking inventory in your life and ditching the clutter. This could be literal for you. Maybe in order to feel inspired again, you have to ditch the things in your closet that don’t bring you joy. Thank you Marie Kondo*.
But this might also mean taking a closer look at who you’ve allowing to pour into your life. If you haven’t read my recent post about 5 things to detox in your life this month, it’s worth your read if you think a detox will break your mental funk. Regardless, if you’re surrounded by bad energy and things that aren’t adding value to your life, you’re bound to slip into a funk. A detox might just be the cure you’ve been looking for.
JOURNAL IT OUT
I will forever and always be a fan of journaling. For me, it’s like having a more clarified version of the conversation in my head. Half the time when I’m in a mental funk, I need to freely think through the problem. Occasionally, I find feedback helpful. However, I often find that it’s just as helpful for me if I can write out my issues. I stop chasing the thoughts in circles and start to see the true problem.
If you’re in a mental funk, a good round of stream of conscious journaling can be really helpful. Don’t worry about whether or not it’s coherent sentences or a well worded essay. The idea is to simply take whatever is floating around in your head and let it go. You could write a bunch of questions you have floating around or the fact that you can’t stop singing Seventeen from the Riverdale Heather’s episode*. Just me? You might also jot down your frustrations. But if you’re on the thought merry go-round, you’re going to need something to make the ride stop. Writing it out can help give you a better of idea of what you’re thinking and feeling.
If you’re in a mental funk, I hope some of today’s tips will help you feel like you can break free. And don’t be afraid to tweak my methods to make them work for you. I’d love to know in the comments below what you do to break through a mental funk. Also, it would be great if you shared this with someone you think it might help. Until next time. Xoxo, Savvy
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