Funks: How to Get Rid of Them

We all go through those little moments where we are in a funk, where we just don't feel like ourselves. Sometimes you cant explain why you are in that funk. It can be as little as waking up on the wrong side of the bed or as big as not feeling good about yourself because you gained 5lbs and your clothes don't seem to fit. In any case, there are days that we are down on ourselves and have no energy to even have any sort of positive thoughts.

For me these funks are very few and far between. I am someone who sees the positive in everything and is always there and willing to bring everyone else into brighter spirits. However, I recently was not my normal self and will fully admit was not in the best of moods. Having the flu did not help in this particular case because I was stuck in bed for 2 days with nothing better to do than to think about everything. And when I think too much I get overwhelmed and I want to run away from the world.


We all think at the moment that we will never feel good about ourselves again. I mean, I am the one who wrote the blog about me being awesome, why is it I do not feel awesome?! But for every case, there is always something to help us get out of those funks. Here are some examples that have not only worked for me, but for some friends of mine as well:

Get out of Town -  Sometimes it's something as little as getting away from the place that you are currently residing in and taking a mini vacation. It can be as big as getting on a plane and going somewhere far away or it can just be getting in your car and driving one hour to the next city. Either way, you are not in the place that funk began in and thus your mind can try and focus on other things.

Do Something You Have Never Done Before - If there is something that you have been wanting to do for so long and have been putting it off, this is the best time to go for it. Not only does it get your mind off of what you are thinking about, but it allows you to cross one more thing off the bucket list. Never been skydiving? No better time than to jump out of a plane (safely) and get that rush that you are looking for. Have a goal to finish the incline in less than an hour? Best time to push your body to the limits. Love reading blogs? Start a blog yourself. You are then able to take pride in yourself for starting something and focus on taking pride in yourself for doing that one thing you have been wanting to do.


Shop till you Drop - Retail therapy can always help bring a person's mood up! I am not saying go out and spend an extravagent amount of money, but sometimes buying one nice thing for youself can lift those spirits. It can be as little as a new pair of sandals for the spring and summer, a new shirt that makes you look and feel good, maybe even revamping your space a bit by buying new pillows for the couch or a new bedspread for your bedroom. Either way dropping a little dough and treating yourself to something always makes you feel a bit better. Note: you dont want to spend TOO much money to where then you are pissed at yourself for dropping so much dough. Usually sales, clearances, or just something little for yourself is good in this case.

Get Outdoors - Even in the winter, getting outdoors and getting some Vitamin D on your skin can help anyone get into a better spirit. Studies even show that people who spend more time in the sun are generally happier. Hence why Colorado people are usually happy and healthy because the sun is out 300 days of the year! But being cooped up indoors is not going to help you get out of the funk because you are secluding yourself in. Get out, go for a walk or even a run to clear your mind. If you have a backyard, do some gardening. If you have a dog, take them for a long walk to the park or on a hiking trail.  It helps because it gives you more energy and, well, there is no better feeling than having that sun beat down on your skin!! (plus you can get some color and work on your tan, and everyone knows one feels better about themselves when they have a darker tint to their skin!)


Be With Your Friends - Yes, when you are in the funk you don't want to be around anybody. But, you soon realize that being by yourself is not helping your mood whatsoever. And if you surround yourself with your closest friends, you can talk to them about what is bothering you. This allows you to not only get all that off your chest but your friends can relate and share their stories about when they were in funks. You can realize that hey, this isnt only me feeling this way and then take their advice as to how to brighten your mood and get back to your normal self.

Immerse Yourself With Work - Sometimes you just need to get your mind off of what is bothering you and so focusing on other things can help you from thinking too much. Whether it is work around the house/apt, your actual job or (if you are a student) getting your schoolwork done, focusing on all these things and getting them done will allow you remove yourself from the funky situation. Being busy is always good because it allows you to not just be sitting around doing nothing but thinking.

These are just a few examples, and everyone has their own way of getting out of their funks. One thing my friends and I have noticed though is that drinking WILL NOT HELP. Drinking will actually make you feel worse about yourself. Yes, usually people associate a fun night on the town with having a few cocktails but alcohol is also a depressant. So when you feel crappy (as in the cases of when you are on the verge of getting sick, you feel worse after a night of drinking and usually get sicker) staying away from alcohol is the best thing because then you dont have those drunk tears coming out. And everyone knows drunk tears are the worst tears because they tend to not stop once they are started.

For me, I am funk free and ready to take on the world as I usually do. And with Spring officially here and nice weather finally rolling in, there is no better time to be in a great mood. Now I just need it to get a bit warmer so I can start laying by the pool and working on getting my summer tan back :)