What to Do When You’re Feeling Blah
I’ve been feeling a little down this week. Therefore, I decided to write a post about what to do when you’re feeling blah in case it’s helpful to anyone else!
Of course each of us is different and has to find our own approach. I just thought that spending a little time writing about my personal approach might help me find my way back into the sunshine and could potentially give others ideas if they are struggling, too!
Step One: Let it Flow in Like the Tide and Know that It Will Flow Back Out
I think overall I need to do a better job of feeling my feelings when they come to me. I have a tendency to hurry and compartmentalize negative feelings in an attempt to move on quickly.
It’s normal to feel sadness and frustration and exasperation. It’s normal to feel tired and unmotivated at times. It’s been a busy month with traveling to the Bay Area, Washington D.C., Seattle, Los Angeles, and Dallas in the first 10 weeks of 2020. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed when you are doing your regular job (Executive Director) and parts of other people’s jobs to cover maternity leaves (Director of Growth & Development and Principal).
Step Two: Go Easy on Yourself
While step one is happening, it’s important to slow down and tune into yourself. This might look like going to bed a little earlier. Indulging in more Netflix. Reading a book instead of cleaning the kitchen. I have to be careful in this stage because it can actually start to make me feel worse and worse.
Step Three: Get to the Root
When I’ve sufficiently acknowledged the funk that I’m in and reconnected with myself, I then like to shift gears and try to identify the root of it. Journaling helps me a lot.
A lot of stuff starting coming up for me above. I’ve been traveling a lot. I’m also not having a lot of fun with parenting right now. And work is super-busy. And then when my life fills up in these primary areas, other areas have to shrink to make room. The main things that have been shrinking are my exercise and my connection with Matt. No wonder I’ve been feeling off!
Step Four: Generate Next Steps Aligned with the Root Causes
- Download good books! I am too frequently popping onto Facebook to fill random moments or to decompress. And that strategy doesn’t actually make me feel rested or rejuvenated! Instead, I need to download some good books. I love reading but don’t always remember that fact! I’m reading this one right now and am excited.
- Resume Date Lunches with Matt: Matt and I need more time to connect with each other as adults. Our conversations after school/work constantly get interrupted. Now that Henry is older, the bedtime routine isn’t over until 8:30pm or 9pm. I’m totally spent afterwards, so it’s not a great time to try and connect emotionally to another human being.
- Finish the TV series I’ve been watching: Honestly, whenever I’m sucked into a good TV series, I end up feeling funky. It saps all of my energy and creativity, and it ultimately feels endless. So, Schitt’s Creek, it’s been fun but I’m glad I’m getting to the end!
- Exercise! I need to try and walk for at lease 30 minutes 4 times a week. I also think I would really benefit from 5 minutes of stretching every night.
- Drink Enough Water! Keeping our bodies healthy is such an important part of feeling happy.
Step Five: Identify “Low Hanging Fruit”
Sometimes there are things in my life that are bringing me down. If I can identify them and tackle them, I end up feeling a lot better! For example, here’s what’s going on right now:
- My inbox has over 300 messages. I need to clear it out. I will feel better!
- Our counter has piles of junk. If I clear them off, I will feel better!
- There’s a pile of laundry in my room. If I put away my clothes, I will feel better!
- The boys have been building a lot of forts in the living room. If I take time to restore the couch and make a comfy spot for myself to read or blog, I will feel better!
Step Six: Plan Something to Look Forward to
When I’m a little down, I like to have something to hold in my heart and mind that I’m excited about. That way, I can think about it as I’m falling asleep, for example. Right now, I’m excited about Spring Break in Los Angeles!
Step Seven: Bask in Gratitude
When things aren’t going right, it can really help to shift my focus to what is right. And I shouldn’t just do this when I’m feeling down!
Thanks for listening, Friends!