How often do you find yourself getting into a funk lately? When stress rises and you see no end in sight it can happen quite easily.
Maybe you are firmly entrenched in the daily grind of your work yet find yourself spending most of your time doing things you don’t want to be doing. They need to be done. You might be more than capable. You just want to be doing other things that you are more passionate about doing. Especially if those are the things that make the biggest difference in the success of your business.
Perhaps you are feeling the weight of the world squarely on your shoulders. Maybe you’ve been going and going and going but don’t feel like you are getting anywhere. Certainly not where you thought you’d be at this point in time.
Maybe your funk is carrying over to your home life and having an impact on your family. Are you feeling down, do you get snippy with others, or are they being impacted and acting out towards you? Maybe they’re in a funk too!
It can feel very debilitating and disheartening but maybe you can get yourself out of it, and back moving positively forward, by consciously taking one of these steps.
5 Ways To Get Out Of A Funk
Re-Inspire Yourself
Stop for a moment and visualize your why. Those deep reasons for doing all that you are doing to move forward in your business or for certain aspects of your life. By reconnecting and visualizing your dreams you can re-inspire and re-motivate yourself. I like to do this every morning as a “prevent the funk” kind of measure.
Find a quiet space and just breathe. Slow down, go for a walk, and/or meditate. It will allow you to let go of stress or anxiety building up, clear your mind, and then step forward in a direction that matters most in that moment.
Listen to music. I find music can be a very uplifting, funk busting, kind of thing. Not just any music. The music that speaks to you the most. That’ll differ for everyone but create an inspirational play list you can listen to when you need it most.
When I am feeling disillusioned by the weight of the world these are a few songs I like to listen to. Preferably when out for a run or walk in nature.
- Over The Rainbow/Wonderful World by Israel Kamakwiwo’ole
- Imagine by John Lennon
- You’ve Got A Friend by James Taylor
- Three Little Birds (Everything Gonna Be Alright) by Bob Marley
Go to your happy place
Remember the movie Happy Gilmore. When in a funk go to your happy place. Maybe that’s the happy place in your mind (see above) or an actual happy place. That place where you feel relaxed, at ease, and at “home”. Let it remove that funk type feeling and return you to a better mind space.
Recently I spend a few hours at a nearby lake. We stopped for a short visit to a friend who has a place on the lake. They were saying how they love the 45 minute drive from home to lake to escape the stresses of the city.
Where is your happy place?
Give
Do a random act of kindness (RAK) and make someone else’s day. You will feel better by doing so. It doesn’t have to be anything big or even for anyone you know. Pay for someones coffee, hold the door open for someone, pick up some litter. Do something unexpected with nothing expected in return.
Express gratitude. Leave a note for someone telling them how much you appreciate them or something they did.
By directing your focus on others you will elevate your own sense of joy.
Let It Out
By talking to someone you trust about the source of your funk, and maybe just venting, you will let it out from within and feel much better. You will no longer let your inner filter (meaning your inner voice) maintain control over you and keep you stuck in your funk.
Maybe that involves writing in a journal or confiding with a close friend. Perhaps it’s a heart to heart with your spouse. Then again, maybe you would benefit from the support of a coach and trusted advisor or a professional counsellor or therapist.
Decide what you need most right now. Remind yourself of what you will gain by addressing it. Then summon the courage to take that step. A load will be lifted from your shoulders.
TCOYS/B
One of the best ways of getting out of a funk is to begin to take care of yourself (TCOYS) and take care of your body (TCOYB). Have a look at how you move, what you eat and hydrate with, and the quality of your sleep.
Re-discover what brings joy. Unplug and get out and play more often. Create and experience a greater level of work-life balance. One that is right for you.
By beginning to take care of these things you set the foundation for feeling better, looking better, and feeling better about yourself, your business, your life, and the world around you.
Getting into a funk is a pretty normal part of our existence as human beings. It’ll happen to the best of us from time to time. Staying stuck there is another thing altogether. Any one of these five areas can help you break free and return to a path of being happier, healthy, focused, and productive. Discover what works best for you and in what types of situations. Then use them. Use them as a preventative measure and certainly use them whenever you fin yourself feeling overwhelmed, overworked, down, or disillusioned.
Better days are ahead!
Beginning with a degree in exercise science and kinesiology, Brent Haydey has evolved over thirty years as an entrepreneur; building four businesses, and as a health, executive, and life coach.