Burnt out. Lacking inspiration. In a slump. Feeling “blah.” No matter what you call it or how you got there, you know that you need to get out. You’re not accomplishing as much as you’d like and you’re not tackling the right projects. This affliction is a common one. Its solution is simple in nature, but perhaps a little more difficult in practice.
In order to make any positive change in your life, the lives of others and the world as a whole, you have to take care of yourself. You have to take care of not only your physical being, but your emotional and mental being as well, which can be a lot to keep track of! But it’s necessary. How are you going to affect positive change if you’re running on a dying battery, moments away from complete shutting down?
Chances are, you treat your phone better than that. Most of us are constantly checking our phones and other various devices to see if they need charging, but don’t do the same for ourselves. You can, and should. Simply checking in every now and then to assess your state of being will make a world of difference in the long run. Most of us don’t really pay attention how we’re feeling or why we’re feeling a certain way until we’re feeling particularly bad or good. Take a cue from yourself on this one and treat yourself with the same maternality as you do your devices: Keep your battery as full as possible at all times, charge when possible, conserve energy when you can, conduct only essential tasks when power is low, and make sure you have a mobile charging option.
In a world consumed by technology, our instincts often fall by the wayside. We forget to follow the basic rules of nature, the number one being to listen to what our bodies are telling us. Readjusting habits takes practice and time, but ironically, taking cues from technology can help us get there.
Need help now? For a quick — yet temporary — fix, I find that doing any of the below helps give me the boost I need to get to my next charging station. Take care!
1– A quick meditation session. Doing this really helps me clear my head and remember what matters. The rest is just background noise. Consider downloading a meditation app. I enjoy Headspace and their “Take Ten” series, where each session is — you guessed it — only ten minutes each.
2– Taking a bath or shower. There’s a reason people say their best ideas come to them in the shower. Its relaxing nature and the negative ions makes stress melt away, leaving you inspired.
3– Doing yoga. It doesn’t even have to be a class. Watch a YouTube video, or tutorial if you’re a beginner. There’s something to all of that chakra talk.
4– Going for a walk or run. The treadmill won’t cut it. Actually get outside and breathe in the fresh air, feel the sun on your skin, hear the sounds of nature. Even if it’s cold, you’ll warm up fast only if your pace is that of a slow jog. Mother nature is the best healer out there.
5- Making a “grateful for” list. Seeing those items stack up on paper will solidify how many great things there are in your life and how they overshadow the bad ones. (Even “I woke up today” is something to be very grateful for!)
6– Having a quick jam sesh. If you choose the right song(s), simply nodding along and letting the music flow through you will do the trick. But consider going bigger. Dance like nobody is watching (because nobody besides your cat is) or go for a joy ride and belt those lyrics out at the top of your lungs! You’ll release endorphins, scientifically proven to boost your mood.
7– Going to a cafe with a notebook or tablet. See what flows onto those pages over a nice cup o’ joe.
8– Drawing or coloring. Let’s be honest, adult coloring books are awesome, and surprisingly therapeutic. If you’re feeling more creative, grab a blank page and scratch out a drawing.
9– Calling Mom or Dad. They always know what to say.
10– Considering all of the “what if’s”. “What if I did this?” “What if I did that?” Asking these questions reinforces the idea that we can truly do almost anything we want, and that the only limits we have are the ones we put on ourselves.
Samantha Wulff 