Rebounding from a Funk

Image Courtesy of: Cali4beach on flickr

Okay, so we all have those weeks. You know, the ones that can start out amazing, but slowly spiral downward into an emotional tailspin. Well, all dramatics aside, my week was kinda like that. I think I will blame the fact the Friday the 13th fell on this week. Obviously, my life was operating under some bad mojo.


Anyway, I spent the end of Thursday and the majority of Friday in a serious funk. I pulled out my grumpy pants and wore them openly. Fortunately, I do not particularly like that look on me and decided this morning that I am going to kick this funk and be back to my old self. With this plan in mind, I devised a few tricks that helped me get happy again.

Now, everyone works through funks differently and I am not saying all of my ideas will necessarily work out for you, but I think you should truly give some of them a shot. The real key to breaking out of a funk is breaking out of your current mindset. So, here we go!

Embrace Silence 

Now this might seem a bit weird, and I would say that this tip, in particular, is one that might differ depending on each person. Personally though, I have found that when I am a bit grumpy or in a bad mood, it is best for me to take some alone time. I step away from everything and everyone, turn off my phone and just relax. Sure, my thoughts go over my day or week and this might be a bit counterproductive, but it allows me to review what has happened and accept that that is all in the past. I no longer need to carry all those bad feelings with me. I really do not believe you can move on and feel better about something, until you come to terms with it first.

Do Something Just for Yourself

This one is pretty typical, but it is important to remember. Just do something that is going to bring you a little joy. Maybe take a walk, go to the movies and treat yourself to a popcorn, go to a park, go to a cafe and just read; anything that you will enjoy. For me, this one often ties in pretty closely with giving myself some alone time. I will usually treat myself to a coffee or go to a store to look around. I generally never buy anything, but just walking around, letting myself be completely absorbed by a pleasurable activity always makes me happier.

Treat Yourself to a Good Meal

I am including this tip because I feel like we often forget how much food affects our mood. When you are in a bad mood, it is so easy to give in to eating snack foods and sweets. While these are delicious, they often do nothing to improve grumpiness, sometimes they even make it worse. So, I suggest that you either go-out for dinner at a restaurant you love, or even make a great dinner all on your own. I love cooking when I can put some music on, take a drink out and create something that is extra delicious. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate because honestly, that is probably more stressful, just something that gives the sense that this night is a little more special. Not only will your mind remain preoccupied while preparing the meal, you will also be given a sense of accomplishment when it is ready. Also, even if you prefer to go out for your special meal, your mood will certainly boost once you had that first bite.

Regain Something You've Been Missing

Okay, so we all have things we used to enjoy but have, for some reason or another, stopped doing. This might be anything from painting, to scrapbooking, to fishing and anything in between. Well, whatever you might miss doing, I suggest that you find some extra time to rekindle that passion. Maybe you have a few spare hours on your weekend, why not pick up that drawing pad? After all, you enjoyed it before. I believe that picking up an old hobby will not only keep you preoccupied with working on a project (not stewing in your bad mood juices) but it might also help you connect with people who have similar interests.

These are just some suggestions that I have found very effective in helping my own mood and hope they might help you too. If you have any other suggestions, please write them in the comment section. We can, of course, use all the help we can get when it comes to rebounding from a funk.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend and very happy mojo!