How to Break Free From a Mental Health Funk
Let’s be real, we all have those days where nothing seems to be going our way. All we want to do is curl up in the comfort of our bed and never get up. We feel sad, irritable, and just overall down. Nothing that anyone says or does is able to snap us out of our mood. This feeling can last for hours, days, and even weeks. And it sucks. So how do we break free from this crummy mood? The answer lies within yourself!
Bad moods are inevitable: no one is perfect and no one is going to be happy all of the time. However, the good news is that they are not permanent. The goal is not to figure out how to avoid them, but how to respond to them. Here are ten tricks that you can do to turn your day around.
Acknowledge your funk
The first step to getting out of a funk is acknowledging that you’re in one. Recognize the way that you are feeling and accept it. A good way to do this is through journaling. Grab a piece of paper and a pen and start to jot down everything that you are feeling: anxious, sad, confused, overwhelmed, bored, disconnected. Whatever it may be, write it down. This act allows you to validate your thoughts and emotions. When you’re in one of these moods there can be so much bouncing around in your head and it is so helpful to take the time and figure out what exactly it is that is causing you to feel down.
Music
There is no better way to spark up some serotonin than by blasting some of your favorite songs. If you want to take it a step further (which I recommend you do), break out into a full-blown dance party. Turn your volume all the way up and just let loose! Sing and dance the stress away as you laugh at yourself while doing so. If you need a happy playlist, Spotify has some great pre-made ones or you can try out my go-to: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/57dHV0e3aLNcMZjR1dmi4n?si=wAJ55Y-TQSSXlooa35LKWg
Yoga/Exercise
Another excellent way to bring you out of your funk is through moving your body. You can simply go for a walk around your neighborhood or take it a step further and head to the gym; whatever feels right for you. On days like these, I love doing yoga and practicing being intentional with each movement. Exercising not only boosts endorphins, but also gives us a sense of self-pride which is so important on down days.
Connect with friends and family
Sometimes when we are stuck in a funk the last thing we want to do is talk to our loved ones. However, that can be exactly what we need. Call your mom, your sister, your grandpa, anyone! Talk to the people that make you happy and distract yourself from everything else going on around you.
Food
Eat! A lot of times when we are feeling down, we don’t pay attention to what we are putting in our bodies and fail to recognize how that can affect our mental being. If you eat foods that make you feel like crap, you’re going to continue to feel that way. When we’re feeling down, eating a healthy, nutritious meal can be exactly what we need to boost our mood.
Do something nice for someone else
Making someone else happy can subliminally make you happy too. It is such an amazing feeling knowing that your actions brightened someone else’s day and leaves my heart feeling full. Cheer yourself up by doing something sweet for someone else. Bake them cookies, buy them flowers, or write a nice little
Clean/Declutter room
I don’t know about you, but the state of my room is a direct reflection of my mental health. When I am overwhelmed and stressed, it will show through the stacks of clothes piling up on my floor. On days when you’re stuck in a funk, take ten minutes, put on some good music, and get cleaning. You’ll start to feel productive and proud and then be more inclined to do other activities that will keep up that good feeling.
Use the “downtime” feature on phone
During moody days, our phone can be our worst enemy. I find myself spending hours mindlessly scrolling through social media, completely detached from myself and everything around me. To break free from this cycle, you can take advantage of the “downtime” feature on iPhones. Just go into screen time on settings, and then choose the apps that you want to allow yourself to use and set the time that you want it to last for.
BUy yourself a plant or flowers
Stop waiting for someone to cheer you up and cheer yourself up! This is definitely something that I struggle with but it is so important. Run to a flower shop or even just a grocery store and pick up a bouquet of your favorite flowers. Put them next to your bed or on your kitchen and let them be a reminder that you are awesome and deserving of beautiful things.
Do something you love
The last tip will look different for each person since everyone has their own unique passions. Take the time to do something just for you and bond with yourself. For me, this means indulging in a Marvel movie or creating a fun Pinterest board. Figure out what makes you happy and jump on it!
Your feelings are valid and natural! Life travels so fast and it is important to take a step back and recognize that it is okay to not always be okay. Funks happen to everyone, and we can only control the way that we respond to them. Take these tips with you the next time that you’re feeling down and cheer yourself up.
