Episode 233: 13 Ways to Pull Yourself Out of a Funk (Part 2)

This week we continue the conversation of how to get yourself to a better place when it feels like life is just... heavy. 

If you missed part one, click here to take a listen, otherwise go ahead and dive right in! 

7. Workout (don't skip this one). 

Again, there will probably be a lot of resistance here. But working out is such a fantastic way to shift you into a better state of mind for so many reasons. You get a boost of happiness hormones like dopamine, you increase your energy, you get to listen to that badass playlist we talked about, you get physically stronger which makes you mentally stronger, and you're forced to be in the present moment which is where the most peace can be found. 

8. Go to therapy. 

I've taken every step on this list, and I can tell you that absolutely nothing beats having a good therapist. A lot of us get stuck in a bad head space for a long time because while we're trying to pull the weeds from our garden, we aren't getting to the root, so they keep coming back. 

9. Change your routine. 

Part of my funk was feeling like I was living groundhog's day. I'd spend 90% of my time in the same 4 places: 2 coffee shops, one gym, and my apartment. 

So I made a list of about 30 coffee shops to try to pull me out of my routine. And again, it helped! I don't know what it is about something as simple as going to a new coffee spot but it almost mimicked the change in energy I experience when I travel. 

I don't know if this happens to you but when I travel, I often become more social, I'll chat with random strangers, take in my surroundings more... and the same thing happened when I switched up my day-to-day routine. 

10. Change your environment, in big ways or small. 

Speaking of traveling, if you can get away even for a few days... do it. I just so happened to have a trip to San Francisco planned to meet my infant nephew and I felt like a new person by the time I came back home.

Probably because of how many other tips it combined: I listened to my favorite playlists on the flight, I changed up my routine, I worked out, I spent time with people I love, and I had time to read some good books (see the next tip). 

But even if you can't travel, do small things to shift your surroundings. Normally work at home? Work at a coffee shop for a day. Normally go to a gym? Get outside to move your body. Normally go to the same 5 restaurants? Pick a new one you've been wanting to try. 

When your change your scenery, your brain is forced out of autopilot and goes to work intaking all the new information which is a great way to break the negative pattern you've gotten stuck in. 

11. Read books that give you hope, strength, and courage. 

My funk was born of an ending with a guy I really liked. So one thing I started doing was finishing each night with a few pages of Yung Pueblo's "The Way Forward," a poetry book all about moving through the pain of an ending. Every passage I read left me feeling a bit more uplifted, a bit more capable, a bit more optimistic. 

12. When any good thing happens throughout the day, think "things are going my way."

This is a trick I learned from Emilie Leyes, a brain training specialist on Instagram. Our brain is wired to seek validation of our current beliefs. So when we're in a shitty headspace where it feels like the world is against us, our brain will find evidence to support that, and down the negative spiral we go. 

To change that trajectory, we need to start noticing the small ways that life is on our side - it could be something as simple as catching a green light, or someone smiling at us, or enjoying a particularly good cup of coffee. Just be sure to notice it and take a moment to let that good feeling sink in. 

13. Give yourself grace and patience. Remember, no feeling lasts forever. 

You can do all the right things, follow every one of these steps, and they may help in the moment, they may help you get to a better place faster. But nothing heals like time.

So give yourself compassion when you have bad moments and remind yourself that you have made it to the other side of every turbulent moment in your past, and this one will be no different.

I hope you found this episode helpful. If you did I would love for you to share it with your friends, family, and to social media. When you do, don't forget to tag me at @follow.your.gut.nutrition!

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