3 Simple Ways to Move Out of a Funk
Ever find yourself in a funk? You know the feeling that nothing is going right? It happens to everyone. The trouble is that for some people, those funks can last weeks, months, and even years.
Why does this happen?
Negative self-talk, negative beliefs, negative thoughts – these negatives all send negative energy out and bring negative energy right back in like a magnet. It’s the law of attraction.
We attract what we send out. It’s not a new concept; in fact, there are many age-old sayings that model this law:
- You reap what you sow
- The rich get richer
- Give and you shall receive
And so on, I’m sure you can think of a few yourself.
The point is that what you put out, you get back. So if you’re in a funk and feeling or saying things like – I’m never going to lose this weight or I hate my job or Why am I always so darned tired? You’re going to get exactly what you sent out – weight gain, an unhappy and unfulfilling work environment and fatigue. Not so good, right?
The good news is that there are real steps you can take to modify your thoughts and change your life. Simple steps you can take and practice to find the serenity to replace the negative thoughts and attract what you desire most in life.
Gratitude. There are many things we do on a daily basis. We brush our teeth, we watch TV. Maybe we walk the dog, get the mail, go to work, watch the news and so on. Adding gratitude into your daily practice is really just a matter of setting five minutes aside to be grateful. This very small practice can change your life. It’s a funk buster!
Writing down what you’re grateful for will help you get started on those days when you perhaps struggle to find something to be grateful for. You can read your list and remember just how very fortunate you are. Once gratitude becomes part of your life, you’ll find that you can quickly improve your mood or handle any situation by thinking about what you do have instead of what you don’t have.
Responsibility. Take responsibility for your life and your present situation. Now that doesn’t mean that you consciously, deliberately and directly caused all the tragedies and strife in your life. However, you are responsible for how you react, respond, and deal with your present situation regardless of the cause. This very basic switch in mindset takes you from being a victim to being empowered.
The real key here is to respond rather than to react. When something happens to you, whether it’s as minor as a person cutting you off in traffic or something as serious as a loved one passing away, reacting takes the control away from you. Responding, however, takes responsibility and puts you in control of what happens next.
Responding embraces the experience and allows you to be in the moment; in your body and at one with the experience. Try it the next time something happens good or bad – respond. Take responsibility for how you handle things and you’ll be surprised how you’re able to change your perspective and your life. Simply pausing and taking in a deep breath is all it takes sometimes. It’s really about response-ability.
Acceptance. There are times when things happen which we cannot control. People die, the stock market crashes, our car breaks down, our children or loved ones make mistakes. Trying to control all of this is enough to drive anyone into feelings of despair and powerlessness.
At a certain point, it may be wise to accept what is going on or what happened. This is about accepting the reality of the situation as it is. It’s as easy as saying, “I accept that______(fill in the blank).” Stating your acceptance out loud is recommended, but repeating it mentally over and over can also work.
You don’t have to like the situation, approve of it or condone it. We may have difficulty understanding the big picture, but we acknowledge it and know that all will be well. Because, denying it usually leads to more discomfort and staying stuck in the negative thoughts and beliefs.
Any one of these practices can help shift you out of a temporary or prolonged funk. Giving up the need to control and understand everything is important. Be grateful, create and state your intentions and be the very best person you can be and then accept what is present in your life. Go forward and have faith that everything will eventually work out as it should.
© Deborah A. Lindholm
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, but you must include the following resource information in its entirety: In her unique journey as a former CPA and psychotherapist, Deborah Lindholm underwent a profound spiritual awakening during a tumultuous divorce, empowering her to beat an incurable illness while creating a new profession and business. If you yearn to take charge of your life with renewed hope, clarity and focus, reach out to her for a complimentary consultation at SerenityMatters.com