via @_violetbanks
Often times I find myself stuck despite my will to want to have a good day/week. In instances like this I find the best solution is to do a small factory reset on my mental and physical health. This involves doing external tasks that help me feel "whole" again. Here are a few things I do to help pull me out a funk.
Replacing Staples
The saying "when you look, good you feel good" did not become so popular by chance. If I'm in a funk I know that a part of it is due to feeling physically unkempt. And this isn't because I don't have a new bag or something extravagant, it's something as simple as simple as I've been walking around my house in slippers I should have thrown out weeks ago.
When putting myself together, 8/10 a cropped tank and tee is somewhere in the mix. Recently I noticed getting ready was made complicated by tees that had a small stain or two or a neckline that was a little too loose. So over the weekend I went out and got replacements for trusty white basics. It didn't cost much since they were just basics but tossing out the tops I held on to way too long and replacing them with crisp alternative made me feel refreshed. And over the past few days the process of looking/feeling good has been a lot easier to accomplish.
Eating tons of fruit
I've always been a fruit-loving kid. When I would visit my aunt on the weekends she would always make sure she had the fridge stocked with every kind of berry and melon just for me. I attribute fruit to resetting a palette and curing most stomachaches. So when I'm in a funk I like to increase my fruit intake. In just a few days of constant snacking my body feels reset.
Flowers
You all know the LIVISH motto... Buy Yourself The F*cking Flowers! I don't preach this because flowers are pretty to look at — they are — I repeat this because they are reminder that you are loved and appreciated. Everything from the act of going to the store and picking out a new combination of flowers to laying everything out on my dining room table and pretending I'm a seasoned florist makes makes me feel lighter. Once I'm done I have a beautiful arrangement that puts a smile on my face every time I walk by.
Irritation To Do List
When nothing seems to work and everything bugs me I put together something I like to call my "Irritation To Do's." I write down all of the things that are bothering me in the form of a to do list. These are issues (that can be resolved within the next 48 hours) that would make me feel better if I completed them.
Ex. I feel off because my I don't feel like going out... what's preventing me to from going out?... It requires my hair to be done and it is a mess. So on the list I put down a simple "Wash Hair." or I can't think straight because my room is cluttered (personally, my creative space has to be clean)... why is it cluttered?... I have a bags of clothes in the corner that need to be donated. So I put "Donate Clothes" on my list, load the bags into my car — just to get it out of my sight — and make it a priority to stop at a local Goodwill the next morning. All of these little irritations are now items I can visually see and have a timeline to be dealt with. It helps rationalize why I'm in this funk and gives me the satisfaction of imminent relief.
For those of you feeling stuck, we’ve all been there. It would be the biggest lie to say you don't experience lows once you reach the heights of a positive mindset. It’s okay to feel off. Just be sure to acknowledge the it so that it doesn't linger. Trust that it won't last—and find a few simple tasks that help you get a little closer to feeling good again.