7 Things to Try When You're In a Funk

Lately, I've been working on a lot of mindset stuff. Just basically things that I know I need to work on, things that are good for female business owners (and didn't realize the first time around), and additional things to teach clients when they go through my program.

I've been turning to podcasts, webinars, and an e-book someone in my marketing intensive recommended and a lot of journaling and thinking.

I'm not gonna lie. It's all slowly changing my life. My reactions to things are far different than how they used to be. And altogether I'm much happier and even-tempered than I was even a year ago. It's pretty amazing. It's such a far cry from the neurotic, chaotic personality I was in high school. Youch.

But it all had to start somewhere. And it started with formulating a go-to list of things that I'd force myself to do when it all starting rolling downhill. I also learned that if I had that list, I could be proactive with reversing the anxiety, sadness and even depressive bouts, like when I was really feeling any negative emotion.

They weren't the only things that helped, certainly, but for a quick fix, yes, definitely helpful.

Without these things, I'd experience very reactive emotions. I'd lash out, literally get in my car and leave a situation, I'd get sarcastic in a very not-funny way, and then I'd spend the next few days beating myself up for all of it when the moment passed. So much self-blame.

It was really bad. I don't even know that person anymore. I don't want to know that person anymore. For anyone that did know that person at some point or witnessed it, I apologize. I wish it hadn't been that way.

So anyhow, this post isn't really supposed to be about me- let's get to it!

7 Things to Try When You're In a Funk

1. Pick a person and try to get in their heads. From their perspective, what are they seeing? Can you think about where their thoughts might be stemming from?

2. Learn how to be alone for a short time. Make a secondary list of things to do when you need to be alone. Pick from that. Tell anyone in the situation that you need a few moments and that whatever can be hashed out when you have a clearer head.

3. Find a distration. I've used things like a fidget cube, stand-up comedy, stupid cat videos, a book and sleep as my best ones.

4. Work out. Get outside and walk or run. Do a workout that allows you to get some frustration out. It's a great physiological counter for all the stress going on in your system.

5. Accomplish something. Make it a point to complete something, or a small to-do list, even if it's chores. Just simply the feeling of knowing you've been productive counters negative emotions and when you see the results, the good feelings are lasting.

6. Do something for YOU. Too often we put outselves last. Even if it's a good 15 minutes that you set into your daily routine, the emotional effects are longer. You spend time looking foward to it, you enjoy the experience of those 15 minutes, you reflect back after the 15 minutes about how helpful it was. The cycle repeats. That's a lot more time spent on positive thoughts and emotions.

7. Eat a good meal that is high in nutritious value. Processed foods that are full of chemicals can upset various hormone receptors. It's possible that what you ate may have been part of the cause. Have this thought in your mind when you go to prepare or order said meal. Tell yourself that indeed, you are what you eat. This fuel will help to normalize you and you'll feel accomplished that you ate healthy afterward. Perhaps even a cranky digestive system will thank you.

Save this list. In times like this it's hard to predict when you'll need it. What are some of your favorite go-tos for destressing?