Feeling tired? Are you sad? Don’t know what is wrong with you? (insert sad music)… These are usually the phrases drug companies use to make US think we have depression.
Everyone has down days from time to time. I think what worries a lot of us is the fact that often we do not know why we are feeling low, then we panic and think something is wrong with us (i.e. depressed).
I am definitely one of those people who worries about feeling worried. I am working on “letting go” as they say but tracking patterns has led me to find that often times my ‘unexpected’ funks come from a few particular sources:
1. Pushing away unwanted thoughts, or not dealing with specific fears then having them all in my head at once.
2. Having a very stimulating experience (party, gathering, performance) followed by a relatively quiet or normal day (back to class/work/alone at home).
3. Lack of exercise for more than three days.
Yesterday was one of those days. I was feeling low in energy, sleepy and unmotivated. I tried to do work but I just kept staring out the window. I went through my day like a zombie until I could have some me time. I took a nap but that didn’t help. I took some photos but then I just felt guilty for ‘wasting time.’ I reached out to some friends, they made me laugh and that helped a lot. I wasn’t going to do my 150 reps but then I remembered you all are challenging me. That helped me push through and do the bare minimum.
I have found a few solutions that make those days a little more bearable and sometimes help me snap out of the funk all together.
1. Do the bare minimum, get what you need to get done. Don’t tell yourself you will do extra tomorrow. That will just make you feel worse about today.
2. Do not be alone. Find friends, a park, a coffee shop, just get our of your room, even if you are still in your pajamas.
3. Call a friend. You don’t have to tell them what is wrong just talk to someone, make them tell you a joke.
4. Do whatever you feel like doing without feeling guilty. If you have a lot of work and you just can’t get yourself to do it, allow yourself to do something else. I love taking photos and blogging.
5. Sleep it off. Sometimes you just need sleep.
