Are you feeling blue? I get it, me too! But today we are going to work on that because I'm sharing 9 of the Best Known Ways to help you Get Out of a Funk.
It's winter and I'm in a bad mood. I think I am in a funk or have the winter blues. What are the symptoms you ask? Well- I'm tired, irritable, have low energy and I swear I haven't smiled in weeks. I seem to get this way year after the holiday let down. It does not help that it's cold, gets dark early and January seems to have 450 days in it.
So what's a girl to do? I mean what I really want to do is either put my toes in the sand on a warm beach somewhere or sit on my couch in a cozy blanket and binge watch Netflix. Unfortunately a vacation isn't in the cards right now and I know that lots of Netflix is not going to solve anything. So it is up to me to fix it! My hero
Mel Robins says "
No one is coming to save you. No one is coming to push you. It's all up to YOU...You CAN do it... you just have to stop waiting to feel like it."
9 Ways to Help with the Winter Blues
Go outside
Even though it's cold, go outside for a few minutes. Stand in the sunshine, take some deep breaths and get some fresh air. My doggo Lizzie makes sure I get outside and go for a walk every day. She's selfless like that. But it does help. In
this article it says, e
xposure to natural light stimulates the body's production of vitamin D and serotonin, both of which play key roles in boosting moods. These are key reasons why even small amounts of time spent outside are associated with an increase sense of overall wellbeing and a decrease in anxiety and depression.
Drink Water
I know this is on every single self care list I make, yet sometimes I still struggle to get enough water. It's super easy to drink water but that means is super easy not to.
So what does drinking water have to do with being happy? Some think it's because of dehydration. Being dehydrated can dry out your skin, reduce your energy, make you feel dizzy and speed up your heart rate. This feeling can lead to depression, uncertainty and irritability, negatively altering your emotions. Drinking water, on the other hand, stimulates the flow of nutrients and hormones that generate endorphins in your brain and leave you feeling happy. It helps you stay awake, boosts your daily productivity and flushes out harmful toxins. It gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration and bowel movements while keeping your temperature regular, helping your joints and protecting sensitive tissues. You may not even realize the enormous difference drinking more water could do for your body until you try.
Eat Real food
What is it about being bummed out that makes one want some junk food? While I'm doing my binge Netflix watching and wallowing in self pity, all I want to do is eat candy and chips. But guess what? That is the exact opposite of what will help a person feel better when they are down. “Eating a heart healthy diet -- high in fiber and low in saturated fat -- is a great place to start to boost your mood. There isn’t any question about it, says Diane M. Becker MPH, ScD, director of the Center for Health Promotion at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Conversely, “a high-fat, high-glycemic load meal can make you physically feel dysfunction in your body. People who eat this type of meal tend to feel bad and sleepy afterwards,” she says.
Serve Someone Else
When I say serve someone, you may be thinking. "Ugh, I barely have the energy to take care of myself." But serving someone doesn't have to be anything big. You could text a friend, send a note via the mail, deliver a treat, or even say a prayer for someone. There is some evidence to suggest that when you help others, it can promote physiological changes in the brain linked with happiness. This heightened sense of well-being might be the by product of being more physically active as a result of volunteering, or because it makes us more socially active.
Get Dressed
If you are in a funk- one question I have for you is when is the last time you took a shower and got ready for the day? I have found that hanging around all day in my pjs with a half way ponytail is no way to feel better. I have said many times that one of the ways I take care of myself is by getting ready every day. It is more motivating and just plain makes you feel better. At the bare minimum, take a shower and put on some fresh pajamas.
Redo something in your house
One of the ways I like to bring new energy is to redo my space. I rearrange furniture, redecorate, or clean out a spot in my house. While trying to get out of my aforementioned funk, I recently cleaned out my closet. I went through all of my hanging and folded clothes. I donated a bunch of non worn clothing and refolded my clothes nice and neat. It made a really big difference. Check out these other
Low and No Cost House Changes.
Do a craft project
Sometimes when you are down, you just need to do something fun to take your mind off of things. And what is more fun than doing a craft project? Not much! You know I have a plethora of craft projects.
Journal
I have been a big advocate of
journaling for a long time. When I'm in a funk, it usually follows me not journaling for a while. All of my feelings get all big and ugly without getting them out of my head and onto paper. Writing things down helps you get the stuff out of your head where you can look at it and gain some perspective.
Put down your phone
When I am sitting around being grumpy I usually spend a bunch of time on my phone. Looking at all of the beautiful photos and fun things that everyone else is doing, can really mess with a person. I have 2 things to say to this 1. Social Media is not real life. 2. Put down your phone and go and live your life.
When it's winter time, there's not a lot you can do to fix the weather or the date. But there are plenty of things you can do to help your mindset. Try out one or all of these 9 Ways to Get Out of a Funk in the Wintertime.
