Fighting Off That Funk

By the time Saturday rolled around I was beat.  My motivation was kaput and I didn't feel like doing a darned thing.  I was physically tired and emotionally drained.  As my morning progressed I could feel myself slipping into that old familiar feeling.  I was in a funk.

I tend to this after a prolonged period of high stress and anxiety.  Now that the bulk of my stress and anxiety has lifted (thanks to my new job) exhaustion had set in and I felt horrible.  Almost flu like, but not really.  And if I'm not careful depression will set in and take over.  I'm fortunate in that I don't battle deep depression, but my mood will deflate and I'll just feel really low for a period of time.  But I've also been fortunate to learn some coping skills for when this happens.

I gave myself the day to rest, because you have to do that.  Your body needs a break and so does your mind.  I took it easy, ate nutritiously hydrated myself with lots of water and watched a NASCAR race.  Before bed I took a nice warm shower and put on clean pajamas.  Then I went to bed and slept with no alarm and no demands to get up at any certain time.  Fortunately I slept very well.

On Sunday morning I was up by 7:15 and I could tell I was still feeling the same emotionally as I had the day before.  But I knew I was well rested physically and I really didn't want to give up another day to my funk so I decided not to overthink it and do something different than I did the day before.  I certainly didn't want to give an entire weekend up to my funk.  I'd feel terrible all day and likely the next morning, which is not how I want to start out my work week.  And I knew that if I sat down in my chair and reclined back I'd be sunk.  I'd likely be there again all day.

Instead I made myself brush my hair and get dressed all the way down to my shoes.  A change of scenery (meaning getting out of the house) was next on my agenda.  I love to grocery shop so I fixed myself a nice coffee in my travel mug, grabbed my list and headed off to Winco.  By the time I got there I was already feeling better.  The sun was out, traffic was light and it was a quiet, gorgeous Sunday morning.  After I finished my grocery shopping I headed over to the car wash and gave my dirty black car a much needed bath and vacuumed the entire interior, including the trunk.  Then I headed for home.

I stopped along the way to pick up window cleaner at the dollar store and a gallon of milk at Albertson's because Winco had raised their milk prices and I knew it would be less there.  Plus I drive right by that store on my way home.  I chatted with my favorite cashier and then made my way home by 10:00.  Three hours into my day and I was feeling pretty darn good.

The girls were up when I got home and happy to see me.  So were my cats and chickens.  I put my groceries away, grabbed the window cleaner and a rag and headed right back outside to clean my windshield inside my car, it was pretty hazy, as well as the dashboard which was pretty dusty.  Once it was all clean I headed back inside and remembered I still hadn't put the new license plates on the truck.  I went out to the garage and got some screwdrivers, grabbed the plates and headed back out to the driveway and got those plates switched out.  I even put the old ones up on the garage wall (we call it the wall of fame) where I've put up all the license plates I've ever owned.  Then I started the sprinklers on the lawn and a load of laundry in the washer.

By this time my entire perspective had changed.  That lethargic feeling was gone and replaced with new energy.  The fog in my head had cleared and my mood was much, much better.  Sometimes I just have to push through and not let that funk overtake and consume me.  Lots of deep breaths, good nutrition, plenty of water and doing things that are productive and enjoyable to me can often make all the difference.  I recognize my funk for what it is, but I don't have to allow it to completely take over.  I do have some control and I can make it better.

Thank goodness.