In this Livestream, we discuss strategies for getting out of a funk and how to stop beating yourself up  mentally.

Mental funks happen.

We get in them.

And we can get out of them.

A positive mindset and having perspective while being in a rut, get help us overcome that mental funk faster.

We have control to change the way we think (positive thoughts over negative thoughts), how much we think about something (i.e., not ruminating), and what our inner voice is saying to us (ciao, negative self talk). 

All of those things sound nice. They sound like they work (and they do).

But, we can probably all agree that when you're in a rut it's hard to get out of one.

Here are three ways to get yourself out of a funk:

Dip into Your Joy Jar

Before you do that, you need to make a joy jar. A joy jar (that's what I call it, but you could just as easily call yours a pep talk jar, a sunshine jar…etc) is a jar that is filled with folded strips of paper with positive things written on them. Each time someone gives you a sincere compliment or you accomplished something or you made a splash in some area of your life…write it down on a piece of paper and save it in your Joy Jar. Doing this will help you out on a rainy day. When you read something nice about yourself or something that sparked joy in you will give you a positive endorphin rush and remind you of all the good in your life. It also helps us keep perspective because we are reminded that we have good days and we add value to this world.

Uncover the Teachable Moment

Another strategy is to turn the “failure” into a learning experience. Specifically, you are seeking to uncover the teachable moment in what has got you in the rut in the first place. As you're playing back the moment in your head, ask yourself what that experience can teach you. Try to do this with one single replay, this is important so that you can be proactive about thinking of the experience and find the silver lining. Moreover, being strict about not overplaying the memory will help you steer clear from nasty rumination, which can have serious deleterious effects on your brain-health long-term. Yikes. If you want to know how to quit rumination check our our post and video here. Don't let rumination hold you back any longer, this is how. Again, you're in control so you know when to hit that play button on  your memories and how many times to do that.

Phone a Friend

And lastly, this strategy is all about taking the spotlight off of you for a hot second and focus on someone else. It's amazing how helping someone else (a friend, parent, sibling, neighbor) can feel so so good. When we take the focus off of ourselves, we forget about ruminating and we forget about being in a rut. So, it's really good practice to reach out to others when you sense a mental funk coming on. Taking care of someone or something other than ourselves really alleviates the tension and anxiety mental funks tend to bring with them. This could be taking care of a pet, watering plants, taking care of your house. It could also be volunteering and helping people in need. It's healthy to get out of our heads every now and again, especially when we find ourselves in a rainy, stormy mental space. 

So those are some of the strategies we discuss in the live conversation, but you'll need to watch the video for the complete set of strategies. We talk about some juicy stuff like practicing voluntary suffering or discomfort, which is a tenet of the ancient philosophy of Stoicism. So be sure to check it out!

Happy Explearning ⚡

About the Author and the Explearning Academy:

Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive interpersonal skills, and personal development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.

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