Sometimes you just don’t feel like working or cooking or taking care of the kids or even making love. You simply want to lay in bed in the fetal position.
Yep, you are officially in the dumps and your life sucks. And because you are in the dumps you do not have the energy to do much of anything.
I have come to realize that there are two reasons why you get into this funky mood:
- You have low energy – most likely the cause of poor nutrition, lack of restorative sleep, little to no exercise, or (and) stress.
- You get trapped into believing the negative comments – most likely the cause of self-doubt, self-oppression or unsupportive friends and family.
Unfortunately, these two reasons work in tandem. Like tag team wrestling champions, they are masterfully relentless in their assault.
Almost immediately, the mind retaliates by acting like a child. It throws a cranky, selfish, grumpy fed tantrum. This is not your proudest moment but you are suffering, and you’re looking for comfort.
I totally get, and you need to acknowledge the childlike-tantrum but give it very little power.
Instead, you must listen to its needs. Your inner child wants to sleep and to feel comforted. Here are four ways to get out of the dumps:
1. Fix your sleep. You need to give your body the sleep it requires so make it your top priority:
- Get 8 hours of sleep
- Avoid screens before bedtime
- Have a caffeine curfew
- Keep your bedroom cool
- Meditate in bed
- Use blackout curtains
- Exercise in the morning
2. Talk to someone. It helps dramatically to talk to someone else, who can offer you guidance. Make sure the person you talk to will be supportive like a spouse, close friend, a parent – don’t be ashamed to reach out for help.
3. Start doing some work. Only after you have taken care of your sleep and talked to someone – it’s time to get some work done. But don’t go all Rambo, just yet.
It’s better to ease back into work. So create a to do list and work on getting some quick wins so you can re-launch your self-esteem. As you are getting back into your groove increase the workload.
4. It’s fine to feel down. Everyone goes through it now and then. I like to see feeling down as a stopover after a long journey. Sometimes, our body and mind just need a moment to recover after a stretch of bad sleep and ongoing negative thoughts.
You know yourself best. If you see that you’re feeling low after going too long without a break, plan some time off before it gets to that point. The break doesn’t need to be extravagant. It just needs to be something for yourself—like a morning run, a cup of tea at a nearby café, or a walk barefoot on the grass.
You are the most important person in your life. As such you should take great care of protecting your limited energy; because there are people who love you, and who are relying on you.
Question: The dumps will happen it’s the price we pay for being busy adults. But what will you do to make sure you minimize your time in the dumps?
Original Post: ramonbnuezjr.com
Image Credit: Sander van der Wel