Each days brings new emotions. Somedays everything starts and ends just “right” and other days it feels like the opposite. Sometimes a rough day turns into a few rough days. Maybe even into a week or month of challenging days. Which brings us into a funk. A gloomy, low mindset that can be difficult to get out of.
When I find myself feeling stuck in a cycle of lack of motivation and hopelessness for whatever reason, I do my very best to become aware of it and take little steps to shift myself forward. Even one act of self-care can change our mental and physical energy. Ultimately cultivating a more positive, inspired outlook on our day.
Here is a list of 10 ways to help get you out of a funk, bring you back to your true self and start feeling joy again.
TURN UP THE HIGH-VIBE TUNES AND DANCE
Think of that song you have sung to in the car or the shower. You blasted the volume up high and blurted out the lyrics, whether you knew them or not, like no one was watching. The one where your body moved without you even having to think about it. Remember one of those? Ya, now that’s the kind of jam you need when you’re feeling low.
Sometimes when we are in a negative mental space, our brains start to take us to more negative places because it wants us to be “comfortable.” Our mind wants the best for us, however it doesn’t know when it’s actually helping us or self-sabotaging us. So, you may find that when you’re feeling down, you tend to play music that matches your lower vibration. You also might find yourself moving less. Therefore, keeping you stuck in the same unmotivated pattern.
For me personally, I know it’s a sign that I need to switch to some upbeat, techno remixes (or Whitney Houston) when I’m feeling down and all I want to play is sad, sappy songs about how life never works out. Those songs that do NOT make me want to get up and move my booty but rather sit on the bathroom floor and cry. I would say that I am NOT doing myself a favor there.
Once you find the music that makes YOU feel good from the inside out, well then the next logical step is to dance right? Yes! Moving your body is medicine for a holistically balanced mind, body and spirit. Dancing and movement creates oxygen and blood flow, starts to cultivate a deeper connection to your breath and allows you to fire up your creative expression. Even just 5 minutes of dancing will help to move you out of that gloomy headspace.
TAKE A WARM BATH OR SHOWER
Water is an element that is grounding and helps to balance the Sacred Chakra-one of the body’s energy centers responsible for emotional stability. So, giving your self time to soak in the tub or take a nice, long shower is a great way to get yourself to a relaxed state of mind and maybe even work out some of the chatter in your head. Some of my best ideas happen in the tub!
I love to add a mixture of essential oils with epsom salt to my bath or plop in a fizzy bath bomb to relax and rejuvenate both my mind and body. Sometimes I’ll listen to music or a podcast or simply sit in the silence. There is no right or wrong here as long as you are allowing yourself to pause and have this moment for YOU.
Whether it’s a bath or a shower, use this self-care practice as an opportunity to practice mindfulness by bringing awareness to all your senses.
- What do you FEEL? How does the water feel when it touches your skin? Is your mind relaxed or are your thoughts racing?
- What do you SMELL? Maybe a candle burning. Or oils you may have added.
- What do you SEE? Steam rising? Your toes peeking up above the water?
- What do you HEAR? Maybe music playing? The sound of your inhales and exhales?
- What do you TASTE? Are you sipping on tea? Did you have a meal or snack previously?
This practice of becoming more grounded and aware of what is going on for you may be just what you need to calm your nerves and clear your mind to get motivated and move forward.
COOK OR BAKE SOMETHING NOURISHING
When you are feeling a little stuck chances are so is your body. We tend to forget about the one, beautiful body we have when we are feeling sad.
Cooking or baking a fun, healthy meal is beneficial both for mind and body. Yummy, nourishing foods help stimulate all the senses and bring the body and brain back to a balanced state of being.
The act of creating food for yourself (or others as well) cultivates mindfulness, relaxation and confidence. Take your time to get connected to your ingredients-smelling, touching, etc. Get curious about the life of them. Where did they come from? Imagine how they may have been picked. Or packaged. Think about all the time, energy and love it took to get them into your hands.
Try cooking something you have never made before to boost your self-esteem! I love trying new hobbies and experiencing new activities especially cooking new because it personally makes me feel inspired, excited and proud of myself.
So, explore new ingredients and spices. Maybe learn a new ethnic cuisine or different method of cooking. There are so many fun cookbooks out there now and I think we all know that we can find just about anything on Pinterest.
And be sure to offer some gratitude to yourself and to the beautiful meal you made. It may just be the meal that sparks a new interest, hobby or mindset shift.
GET OUTSIDE
Somedays it can seem like getting outside requires so much effort. It’s easier to park yourself on the couch and binge Netflix instead. Especially when you are feeling uninspired and uncertain. I get it..I do it too.
However, the outdoors are actually filled with inspiration. No matter the time of year or where you are at, there is something new to touch, see and hear. Each day is different in one way or another. I find winter to be one of the most beautiful times of the year!
Simply sitting in the sun for even a few minutes can strengthen you immune system and help to fight off feelings of sadness and depression. Bringing some movement to your body whether it’s a walk or jog helps to move stagnant energy and pump fresh oxygen to your whole body and brain, stimulating the release of endorphins-those chemicals responsible for boosting feelings of positivity.
One exercise I find to be very beneficial, particularly when my mood is off, is Earthing, which is the act of grounding yourself to the earth and soaking in its energy. To do this, I walk barefoot outside on the grass or dirt for 10-30 minutes depending where I am. At first I was skeptical, but after giving it a chance, it has become one of my favorite grounding exercises when I’m feeling low or need a recharge. It may not be for everyone but if anything, it helps to get you outside and moving!
BREATH AWARENESS
What do I mean by breath? Of course we are always breathing right? Well, yes, but I believe it’s something we easily forget about because we simply do it without thinking. Because of this, we forget it’s there and so, we forget how to tap into the benefits of it! But, that’s exactly why I added it to the list of ways to get out of a funk.
Mostly importantly, we first must become AWARE of the breath. Notice how the air comes in and out of your nostrils. Notice how your chest and belly rise each time you inhale and exhale. If you find it difficult to focus, try putting a hand on your chest and a hand on your belly to focus your attention to the movement of the breath.
If you would like, you can deepen the breath or just allow the inhales and exhales to be natural. The idea here is to not only bring attention to the breath, but also to the changes in our physical and mental sensations as we practice this.
Using the breath to our advantage is one of my go-to practices when I’m feeling down. It’s actually very easy to work with and the effects of breath awareness can be almost instant! And it’s free and accessible anywhere-in the car, at work, at the grocery store, etc.
So, next time you’re feeling overwhelmed because you just aren’t in the right headspace, remember that you always have your breath. It’s there to guide you to a calmer, happier place.
CREATE A MOOD BOARD
You may have a made a vision board to boost your inspiration and get clarity on what you want (or don’t want) for your future, but have you ever made a mood board?! A mood board is a similar concept as a vision board, however its goal is to manifest the feelings and emotions we want more of in our lives. So, it makes sense that this activity is on the list of ways to boost your mood!
Get creative, inspired and have fun with this. Below are some tips to get your started.
- You can create your mood board on the computer using images found on Pinterest or other websites or cut out images and words in magazines.
- Find pictures that symbolize how you want to FEEL on the inside and out. For example, my mood board has images that make me feel excited, adventurous and calm because those are the feelings that I want more of in my life.
- If you create your board on the computer, it may be fun to print it and hang it on a wall like you may with a hand-created board. You could even laminate it!
If you just can’t seem to get yourself motivated to do any of the other suggestions above, then this is a great start to get yourself inspired to shift forward in a positive way.
USE THE 5 SECOND RULE
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO! This little brain hack was discovered by international speaker, Mel Robbins in 2009. It is very powerful because the brain has 5 seconds to take action on a goal before it talks itself out of it. So, in that moment when you are so debilitated by lack of motivation, try this to at least get up and moving.
How does it work? The moment you have a thought or desire to do something, count down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and ACT! You give yourself 5 seconds to get moving and on 1, you just do it. It will assist you to focus on the goal and help with distracting yourself from your doubts and worries.
It’s another quick and simple exercise that you can do anywhere at any time to help you shift your mood and boost motivation.
LAUGH IT OUT
This one might seem difficult because nothing seems to be funny when you are feeling down, but the trick here is to do it anyway! Trust me, it’s awkward at first, but really fun and before you know it, you will actually be laughing.
When I was completing my 200 Hour YTT, we did a Laughter Yoga workshop. I’ll be honest that I wanted to run away when the teacher explained exactly what it was and why it was so great. It seemed uncomfortable and inauthentic. Why would I want to “pretend” like I was laughing when nothing was even funny? Well, it ended up being one of my favorite memories of the training and since then I have recommended it to people who are feeling low.
How do you start if there is nothing to laugh at? Just. Start. Laughing. I’m serious. Fake it until you feel the true laughter fill up your body. You might not be able to stop. I recommend doing it with someone else if you are comfortable, because it’s just that much funnier.
Laughter is some of the best medicine and having a good, whole-body laugh is one of the best energy and mood boosters you can do! And like many of these other exercises, it’s free!
SMILE AT YOURSELF
This one is similar to the laughter exercise mentioned above. Smiling, even when you don’t want to, taps into the Placebo Effect because it tricks the brain into thinking you are joyful. That you are feeling good. That everything is ok!
I prefer to do this one in the mirror because seeing myself smile back at myself gives me a sense of calm and self-compassion. It’s been a part of my “mirror-work” for awhile now and it always makes me feel better. However, if you aren’t comfortable smiling into a mirror, it can also be done anywhere and still have wonderful benefits.
When I’m having an off day, my husband will sometimes say, “Smile for me.” I used to be bothered by it and respond, “Why? I don’t feel good so why would I smile?” But, of course I would do it anyway and I almost immediately felt better! He is a wise man 🙂
It takes a lot of energy to be angry and sad. So, start your day off right with a smile and see where it takes you.
COMPLIMENT YOURSELF
And last, but not least on the list, give yourself a compliment! We give compliments to friends and family, but do we ever give ourselves a compliment? It seems we are last on our list to say something nice about ourselves.
So, when you are feeling guilty about having emotions of uncertainty and are struggling with a lack of direction, simply give yourself a compliment. You don’t necessary need to go into detail (although I highly recommend that you do). Just say one kind thing about yourself. It can immediately distract those negative thoughts you are telling yourself that aren’t true to begin with, but are keeping you stuck.
You can think of a compliment as an affirmation or mantra. I use affirmations daily to promote feelings of positivity in many different areas of my life. But, the statements that I find most powerful are the ones about myself.
I AM BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT
I AM ENOUGH
I AM KNOWLEDGABLE AND SMART
I AM A KIND AND LOVING FRIEND
I repeat my affirmations and mantras over and over. Even when I don’t deep down believe them, they bring me comfort. And after so much repetition, I truly start to believe I AM all of that.
Next time you are feeling down about yourself, give yourself the gift of a compliment. You deserve it.
At there you have it! Some fun, quick and cheap ideas to boost your mood and move you out of your funk.
Give yourself grace as you navigate times of sadness and lack of motivation. It’s okay to not be okay all the time. It really is. However, that does not mean that it’s okay to not TRY to move forward.
Start by doing something small each day for yourself. For your mind. For your body. As long as you are aware of the emotions you are having and committed to finding joy again, then you will! Be patient. Be kind. Be persistent. And don’t forget to find connection and support when you need it.
What practices do you use to help lift your mood?
