I’ll never forget how I soaked up, How Stella Got Her Groove Back. I saw the movie with a girlfriend in theaters when it first came out, and for us, it was two hours of bliss. The premise: a gorgeous burned-out forty-something woman reignites her fire by running away to Jamaica and finding a bedmate half her age. Now obviously, this is not what I would suggest for all women in a funk! It’s maybe a little… well… unrealistic. But you have written in ladies. Many of you are running around from work, to meetings, chasing your kids, trying to find the time and energy to reconnect with your husbands, and the daily grind has taken its toll. You’re feeling in a rut. Maybe it’s the November Blues. Maybe you need to change up your routine. Maybe you just need some good sleep. Maybe it’s something a little more serious. I read another blogger’s comment this weekend that was catchy and rings true, “Things have gotten a little funky for me, and the longer it stays, the funkier it gets.”
One of your recent emails to me said, “Lately, I wake up feeling in a rut. I am feeling grumpy and snappy these days. One day just seems to roll into the next, and I’m left wondering, is this all there is?” Wow, pretty deep and dark.
But it’s true. After staying in a funk for too long, the line becomes blurred between funk and depression. Which leads to health problems, and a whole downward spiraling. You have to take this funk by the horns and kick it out!
So how do you get your groove back and kick out the funk?
- Ask yourself, is it a funk or a rut? Sometimes we confuse the two. You may just need to switch up your daily routine to bring some novelty to your day. If you don’t have that gym booked in your blackberry or agenda, GET IT ON YOUR TO-DO LIST. And if you are already going to the gym (good stuff), then perhaps going at different times of the day will help. Also, change up your routine at the gym. If you’re a runner, hop on the bike or elyptical. Our bodies literally become bored with our regimes if we never change them up.
- Is it a funk or just fatigue? Sometimes we confuse the two again. I thought I was in a funk the past few weeks, but in the end, I was simply exhausted. I have been up most nights lately with one kid or the other. My little has been calling me from his crib, “MAKE ME COZY!” as which point I cover him and he goes back to bed, and I’m left watching the clock till dawn. But, the grandparents moved in this weekend, and hubby and I had a little weekend away. If I tell you we did much more than eat, drink, walk, see New Moon, and have sex, it would be a lie. That’s all we did. We spent most of the weekend in bed. We just needed to sleep and regroup. It was heaven.
- Get some extra natural help. If you’re like me, and hate drugs, why not try the natural route first? Vitamin D and B12 supplements are great immune system and mood boosters. You know you get vitamin D from sunlight, so try and get outside when you can. If not, a supplement in winter months is very helpful. Both hubby and I are on a multivitamin (400IU of D), plus an extra supplement of 500IU Vitamin D to fight colds and flues. And Complex B12 is a great help in elevating mood. These vitamins are cheap and natural. Try ‘em. You’ve got nothing to lose.
- Seriously, go see a funny movie! I can’t tell you all the studies that examine the correlation between laughter and health. Laughter is great for many facets of your body. Google it. But, there’s nothing like a great laugh deep in your gut to relax yourself. Make a date with your partner or friend to go see a funny movie today.
- Pamper yourself. While this is expensive, and may seem somewhat superficial, it works ladies! Sometimes we simply need to put ourselves back on our own “to-do” lists. Treating yourself to that mani-pedi, or day at the spa, coupled with some soothing tea, and a great magazine is majorly relaxing. I’m not saying it’s a cure to the funky rut, but sometimes, it helps chill us out a little.
- Reconnect with friends. There is nothing like a great time with your girlfriends to nourish your soul. We get certain things from our girlfriends that our spouses and partners aren’t always able to give us. I always feel rejuvenated after my girls dinners. We laugh, we chat, we vent. It’s like a free therapy session!
- Ask for help from friends and loved ones. If the daily grind has taken its toll, take a mini time-out from your life. Can you drop your kids off at the neighbors, and do something you love? It doesn’t matter what that thing is, just make sure it nourishes your soul. Sometimes taking a few hours to regroup is what you need to feel like a new person.
- And finally, if it’s more than a rut, and a full blown depression, it’s time to seek medical advice. There is nothing more to say on this point. If you cannot pull yourself out from the darkness, and are having chronic negative thoughts, it’s time to seek professional help. There is no shame in saying you need some medical intervention. Sometimes we go through bouts of depression, and dealing with it the minute it arises is crucial to our well-being.
So, if you’re feeling funky, I encourage you to help yourself. Don’t let the funk take over your life. It’s never too late to change its course. Besides a few tips above, and good nutrition and exercise, do you have any tips that have helped you out of a rut? Please share with our readers.
Until next time,
xoxEDxox
PS – I’m Team Edward. U?
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