I must be honest with you – I’ve been in a bit of a funk this week. To the extent, I decided I wouldn’t even send out my newsletter.
What is THAT all about?
I’m not ill… just been feeling kind of ‘bleugh’ – disconnected from all the good things in my life.
In fact, for the first in a long time, I would go so far as to say I experienced the Monday morning blues this week and that feeling (having started on Sunday) remained with me right through Tuesday.
It’s been a long time since I felt this way and I must say, it has been quite debilitating.
In last week’s issue of the newsletter, I wrote about the power of the mind and how we get what we focus on. Upon reflection, I can see that I allowed some negative thinking into my space this week. I didn’t even see it coming … it just crept right up on me.
Something non-eventful occurred – I received a letter – which triggered a reaction. A reaction of fear, disappointment and even a degree of shame. I was concerned about what ‘someone else might think of me’. WHAT??? YES indeed! That really happened for me this week. I’m not invincible. I was concerned what someone else might think of me.
Well, peeps – let me tell you now…. What anyone else thinks of you is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
That’s a reminder to myself – but also for those of you who need to hear that message too. What anyone else thinks of you is none of your business. It’s theirs.
Having subsequently taken some time out to journal, and to acknowledge my feelings and process what was going on for me, I am reminded of all the great things that I have going on in my life and all the wonderful people who surround me.
And so – from my place of renewed energy, I thought I might use the newsletter this week to share some ‘tactics’ with you. Some things you can do whenever you are feeling less than 100% and want to take charge of the situation.
Journal
Write down your feelings. Acknowledge the negative emotion.
I don’t mean in a way that is self-indulgent. But rather, to acknowledge that our feelings are there to help us explore a situation – to guide us. Whatever the feeling, it is completely worth the time and energy to spend a little longer defining it more specifically. Do not be afraid to identify whatever it is that you are angry, sad, scared, or frustrated about. These feelings are valid and need to be acknowledged before they can then be released.
Often simply becoming aware of what we’re feeling helps prevent us from being consumed by them. Even if you feel powerless to break out of a funk, just admitting to yourself that you’re in one can be helpful. And even help you appreciate it. Let’s face it – we would never fully appreciate the ‘highs’ if we didn’t experience the ‘lows’.
Read a book or watch a movie
Both have the power to transport us, to provide a perspective far removed from our own, and in doing so, unlock emotions we want to feel: joy, hope, warmth—even sadness. When in a funk, what we feel doesn’t seem to be as important as finding a way to feel something.
Get moving
When I’m in a funk, I resist for a while but must admit that my mood improves when I go for a walk. Or I drive somewhere new (just an hour away), take a walk and capture the beauty of the new location through the lens of my camera.
Connect
Who we are and how we experience ourselves often has more to do with who surrounds us than anything else. When feeling low, one of the fastest ways to pick yourself up is to connect with the people you know who inspire and energise you. So, call that friend and re-connect.
Dream
Get off the hamster wheel NOW and just spend a few minutes day-dreaming. Imagine yourself in your perfect life. Close your eyes and picture it. How does it look? What excites you about it?
Imagine how good you will feel when this dream life is your reality. Positive emotions like excitement help bring us back into a place of high vibration.
Change the soundtrack to your life
Music is also a great way to change our energy and get back into a space of high vibration. You know that song that comes on the radio when you are driving home from work and you just can’t help but move or sing along. Find it now on iTunes or Spotify and download it to your phone. And while you are at it, why not create a playlist of similar/high energy music. Create a soundtrack to the life you love. Play it and notice how quickly your energy shifts and consequently your mood improves.
So, there you have it. My top tips on how to get out of the ‘funk’ and start enjoying life again.
And as a final thought, for us high achieving women….
We feel responsible all the time. We want to control things. We have high standards. We want things to be perfect. But here’s the thing… we need some fun in our lives. So, go schedule some time to play. Call a girlfriend, take the afternoon off and go do something fun. The more childish and playful, the better!
My friend Jane and I enjoyed a ride on the carousel during our recent trip to York – it was so much fun! I mean it when I say – the more childish and playful, the better. Let yourself go!
Until next week
x Sending you lots of love x
I would love to get to know you more, connect with me here.
