I was recently asked: “Do you have something small, even silly perhaps, that is guaranteed to jump start your day or pull you out of a funk?” {this question is part of an exercise for this January’s session of the Mondo Beyondo e-course}
Here are my answers, in no particular order:
(feel free to add your own in the comments!)
- do a little yoga**
- go swimming**
- bake cookies**
- buy flowers
- buy plants
- garden
- meditate
- take photos — appreciating the little details and beauty everywhere
- cook a meal from fresh ingredients
- shop at a farmer’s market
- read blogs that inspire me
- write a blog post
- sew
- paint**
- draw
- design something on my computer
- write notes and letters to friends
- write in my journal
- upload and share photos
- snuggle the cat
- look through old photos/letters/e-mails/essays/blog posts
- reach out to friends and family; send presents
- take a nap
- play with dogs**
- take a walk**
- stargaze
- eat chocolate
- listen to some of my favorite music (particularly useful to me for lifting a funk: Ani DiFranco, Erin McKeown, Deb Talan/The Weepies, Modest Mouse, Postal Service, Eddie from Ohio, Ingrid Michaelson)
- read a book
- listen to an audiobook
- go for a drive (roadtrip preferable, listening to an audiobook a super-plus!)
- visit with (happy) farm animals
- play with children
- beautify: rearrange a shelf, a room, artwork on a wall. Or even just dust something.
- light candles
- read magazines
- take a hot shower
- laugh at something; call a silly friend or watch a ridiculous movie I’ve seen a million times (i.e. Office Space, Home Alone, Big Daddy), or if all else fails visit cakewrecks, oddly specific signs, cute overload, i can has cheezburger, the “blog” of unnecessary quotation marks, or autocomplete me (why DO walruses go to tupperware parties?).
**These are usually my no-fail go-to options. Proven over many trials to work wonders.
Blue Monday happens to be coming up next week, January 25th. Remember this time last year? Yeah, I’m feeling much better than I was then. Ok then. I think I should probably do one of the things on this list right now. I’m not so much in a funk, but they all sound like so much fun!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
That is a really long list. I find that when I am in a funk I am too stubborn to try to pull myself out of it. Maybe next time I’ll try one of your tricks.
Yay for things that don’t suck lists!
I tend to do exactly what Sheri said – but I keep a list like this b/c I love lists and every now and then I use it. My (healthy) top things are music, laughing via tv/internet/reading, friend time, doggy time, hubby time, cleaning, cooking, organizing, and outdoor activity. And combinations of these are guaranteed to make me feel better! Thanks for the reminders… 