We’ve all been there. Sometimes, life seems to be hurdling at you way too fast and it almost seems like it’s too late to start the braking process. You feel like you’re going to be caught up in this whirlwind of overwhelming responsibilities, duties, and obligations and a hopeless future seems to be looming ahead. All you want to do is crawl into bed, close your shades, and watch a full season of "Shameless." Trust me, I’ve been there and done that. However even though becoming a turtle and hibernating in your shell is often the safer and more desired route, there are other options you can participate in to start feeling better quicker and in a slightly more productive way. It’s definitely alright to take a ‘me’ day once in a while and spend a full day in bed, but when this starts to become a constant in your life, decide that you need to make a change. Here are 3 of my top tips when I feel like I’m in a rut:
Go for a walk
It may sound simple but walking is really one of the greatest ways to clear the mind and get your blood flowing. If you’ve been inside all day feeling unmotivated, maybe it’s because you haven’t been moving enough. Feeling sluggish only makes you want to remain sluggish, but forcing yourself to get up and get moving is a great way to release some endorphins and get your mind moving as well as your legs. It’s really important to remember that your brain is a muscle too and it needs to be exercised. Getting out of the environment that has been hindering any creative mental activity may be the first step you need to getting out of a funk. Put some tennis shoes on, grab your headphones, and step outside into nature. Being in a natural environment will not only clear your mind, but you may just bump into a source of inspiration that could rejuvenate the juices in your mind and get you excited again.
Engage in an activity you're passionate about
For me this would be writing. It could be anything at all, but try to pick something you love but you just haven’t done in a while. Sometimes when I feel like I’m in a creative and mental rut, I pick up a pen and a piece of paper and just write whatever comes to mind. This definitely clears my mind and actually allows me to subconsciously vent and get everything out that has been blocking my creative abilities. Think of your favorite activity as a stress reliever. I feel like we tend to put our hobbies on the back burner and that’s definitely understandable. When we have more pressing responsibilities at hand, it’s easy to forget about doing things we genuinely love. However, once we neglect our passions too long, I find it actually slows our process in our everyday responsibilities. We have these passions for a reason, to create those little intellectual sparks in our mind that give us motivation for other areas in our lives. So don’t forget to do what you truly love once in a while! Whether it be painting, crocheting, playing tennis, literally anything.
Put on your favorite outfit
Okay, this one may seem a little weird but hear me out. Sometimes I’ve found that I’ve literally been in the same 2 t-shirts and pajama shorts for a few days straight and just that fact alone gets me feeling even more sluggish than ever. I tell myself, "well you’e already in PJs anyways so you might as well stay home and veg out." This is when you need to stop, re-evaluate your situation, get your butt out of bed, and put on a cute outfit. Your clothes really do influence your mood sometimes. Girls, get in your favorite dress and maybe curl your hair while you’re at it! I guarantee it’ll have you feeling like you can conquer the world and it might just get you excited and more motivated to tackle the day. While I don’t think much emphasis should be placed on physical appearance because it doesn’t define how good of a person someone is, I don’t think there’s anything wrong in dressing a little more fancy or actually taking the time to plan a cute outfit if it will help your mental well being.
So these are my top 3 tips for getting out of a mental lull, and re-lighting that spark that we all have inside of us! Don’t feel bad for feeling down. Just try and make a conscious effort to pick yourself up and everything will be fine.
