All of the changes brought on by COVID may have you on an emotional roller coaster. Remember, it’s OK (and completely normal!) to feel down–temporarily! It is okay to allow yourself to listen to your body and feel these emotions but once you do, it is time to get outta that funk and get your creative MOJO back!
It’s that moment you realize you’ve been scrolling, almost mindlessly, through Instagram stories, Tik Tok, Amazon or even binging on shows for hours. You have no motivation to get off the couch or out of bed to do something productive. These are the moments when you have to reach down deep and pull yourself up by your bootstraps… or as I like to say “put on your big girl panties and turn those lemons into lemonade-or trade them for more craft supplies…”. When it comes right down to it, YOU have to make the decision to move forward. Easier said than done, I know, but here are some quick tips to get you started!
Don’t Ignore the Feelings (Just don’t dwell on them either)
We ALL get down from tie to time. We ALL have bad days. We ALL have moments when ugly crying is not worth fighting so we let it all out, scream into our pillows, write in our journals until our hands are cramping and our hearts feel empty, and even lash out at our love ones because we use feel frustrated and alone. It is normal to have these kinds of days but we also have to be willing to do what it takes to move forward.
We can’t control everything thats thrown our way but we can control the way we see the world and how we respond to hardship.
Accept that you are in a hole and allow yourself to feel low without trying to fight it. Take a day off if you need to but after allowing yourself to feel all of those feelings, it’s time to look to your support and take it one day at a time and one step at a time.
Ask for Help & Assess Your Community of Support
Surround yourself with people who understand you, support you and who can help you when you’re feeling down–this may mean picking up the phone and calling someone you trust and getting your feelings out there so that you can work through them. Sometimes just having a sounding board and someone to talk to can help us work through our feelings. Sometimes the issues that feel the most complex can become much simpler when we put them into words.
If, in these moments, you realize you’ve surrounded yourself with people who drag you down rather than lift you up, there may be a bigger conversation needed. It may be time to really assess the people you’ve chosen to be your “support” group and look at making a larger change. Remember, you can “unfriend”, “unfollow”, and “block” people in real life too! My honest opinion? DUMP the negative Nancies! Life is way too short to be surrounded by anyone who doesn’t bring you light, hope, joy, love, motivation and inspiration. Your friends should root for you, lift you up, and push you to be better–not hate on you or insight feelings of negativity.
MAKE THE CHOICE
Lastly, Remember what drives you and make the CHOICE. It may be it as simple as being reminded that you have responsibilities to fulfill (i.e. paying the bills, caring for your family, etc.). YOU have to make the decision to move forward. I’m not saying it’s an easy choice to have to make but you DO have the power to make it!
So, if you’ve found yourself in yet another creative funk, give yourself some time, show yourself grace, call on your support systems and community and make the choice to put one foot in front of the other and get yourself moving in the right direction–forward!
Some of my other favorite (& simple) “funk-busting” activities that tend to help me most when I am feeling down include:
- Taking a walk or just getting outside in general (just sitting on the porch in the open air and sunlight can help!)
- Breathing and Stretching. A quick stretch, gentle yoga and a focus on my breathing can really lower my blood pressure and help me clear my mind when the funk comes around
- Writing, blogging and journaling are all great ways to get your feeling out on paper and work through them. Sometimes all it takes is seeing the feelings on paper to realize that we have the power to kick them to the curb!
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Ă— The Pink Sheep Ă—
