How to Get Out of a Funk


The weather is cold. The skies are gray. The bills are coming due. They are all things that can lead to the “winter blahs”. There are ways to snap out of it.

Studio 5 Relationship Coach Dr. Matt Townsend shares some tricks to getting out of a funk.


With the holidays over, the winter malaise settling in, many of us fall into a hopeless state or rut that saps our energy, hope and happiness. Many call these downturns a “funk”, which one of my Facebook friends named Monica said F.U.N.K. stands for Feeling Unusually Negative or Kranky. Another Facebook friend named Jennifer sees that our “Funk is an Emotional brick wall!” Because it’s so easy to fall into a funk and so hard to get out of, I decided to ask my Facebook friends to help me come up with some ideas on how to get out of the Funk and these are a few of the ideas that they came up with. Their feedback was broken down into 5 basic rut-busting categories.

Distract Your Way Out

· Exercise, meditation, journaling, watching a comedy, reading (for me it’s scriptures or children’s/young adult lit where there is always a hero who will win in the end), spending time with loved ones, and serving others. There is nothing that will get you out of a funk, or feeling buried under your own problems, than helping someone out of theirs.

· Cleaning and re-organizing or rearranging the home or office always gets us out of a ‘funk’.

· Do something that lasts for a while unlike dishes and laundry—clean a drawer or a closet.

· Being in a “FUNK” is sometimes caused by doing the same thing, the same way at the same time; shake it up and do it differently!

· Sometimes I need time to just rest and then I start doing the exact opposite of what I was doing, no matter what my mind wants

· Learning something new, being/feeling productive helps a lot-which is hard with little kids around, baking something for me and someone else- I love to bake. Exercising and pounding away the funk/irritation/frustration/depression always helps me feel better.


Sweat It Out

· Usually any type of hard cardio helps. My lungs burn, heart races, legs feel stronger. Then I remember what I have to be thankful for. A healthy body & a wonderful family. It’s very therapeutic to spend time allowing your mind & body to work things out. I get out of funks faster if I get physical, then if I just lay in bed feeling sorry for myself. Also getting a frozen yogurt with my best friend/sister helps a lot too!


· To get out of a funk I get my “funk” on and Zumba!

· Zumba helps.

Serve Your Way Out

· Funk, is horrible! Nobody likes to be around funk! I found that serving others helps pull me out of that funk. Gratitude journal helps a lot to realize what you do have! Think positive.

· Spend some one-on-one time with a little child.

· I was laid off last year for the first time I have really fell into a huge funk! Weather does not help matters. I volunteered at the store house it helped me realized I have more than I gave myself credit for.

· Do something for someone else!


· Do something for someone else that is hurting.

· When I do things to lift others up – take them a treat, write them a note of thanks or admiration, or offer to help out someone else – then I am lifted out of my funk.

Let Your Others Guide You Out

· Playing/reading with my kids, music (we turn on Disney tunes on Pandora and sing and dance), and just getting out of the house helps…Taking a timeout for myself and my family is a must. Baking chocolate chip cookies together can help funks too. 






· Social interaction is important to me- even talking to the clerks in the stores is lifting so I go out and wander my favorite shops
.

· Call my sister or brother or good friend. Get the worries out of my head, then they don’t seem so overwhelming. 






· Making an effort to serve others and to get out with family & friends always helps me!

· Talk to your doctor or therapist.

Look For The Light

· I also turn on every light, open every blind and crank up the music!! And get moving!! 


· I throw the kids in the car, and we drive up the canyon. Up above the inversion and depression…We pull over, get out of the car and soak in the warm sun, and the clean air. I literally feel it change my funk, back into a happy groove:)
 






· Fresh air/sunshine, and gratitude. 


· I work in the yard/sunshine, go for a walk (the doc who diagnosed me with chemical imbalance over 20 years ago encouraged me to walk for an hour each morning as a way to decrease stress and take control of my day–23,000 miles later, it is still working).

· Prayer, time with a friend who listens, read, MUSIC (is mood-altering—like drugs can be mind-altering), work on a creative project.

· Gratitude Journals

· Prayer & Meditation



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