Do you know the feeling where you are unmotivated, feeling ‘blah’, and just kind of blue?  I think it happens to all of us at some point.  Even some of the peppiest, happiest people I know have an off day every now and then.  How do you break out of a funk?

A cold, rainy day on the trail. This taught me to enjoy the warm, pretty days.

Today’s post is part of my “Lessons From the Trail” series.  At this time in my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail I was in Virginia.  There are 500 miles of trail in VA and a lot of people get the “Virginia Blues.”  Part of the excitement of hiking the trail is crossing one of the 14 state borders on the Appalachian Trail.  It gives you a great feeling of accomplishment.  Virginia can be hard since Summer temperatures are starting to fire up, the trail crosses ridge line after ridge line, and the trees and rocks all start to look the same.

In life we sometimes just wake up on the wrong side of the bed and have one of those days.  Other times life just becomes a grind and it seems like we are constantly being challenged by work, family and circumstances out of our control.  There are also times where we just wind up in a rut or a funk and can’t really figure out how we’re going to get out of it.  Life has a lot of pressures…bills, relationships, housework, children, chores, etc.

We all need to recognize that it is OK to have an off day, or week, or even a month.  A lot of times getting back to the basics has helped me.  When I’m eating a bunch of junk food and spiking my blood sugar with soda it leads to some pretty serious peaks and valleys followed by some extended stays in the valley.  A bit of ‘healthy-ish’ food and water can help a lot.

Sleep is the other one that gets me sometimes.  Sleep and I have a weird relationship.  I can go for a few days here and there with very little sleep and have a super productive run and stay pretty peppy.  But I’ve learned that I can only do that for a few days before there is a price to pay.  This year I have been focusing on going to bed earlier and getting up earlier.  That consistency has been doing pretty well for me.

Getting the old body moving can help a lot!  We were created by God to move and work.  Our office jobs and sedentary lifestyles can put us in a real funk and mess with our bodies.  I have really been enjoying my treadmill desk.  I noticed a difference last week when the treadmill decided not to work.  This week has been SO much better since it decided to start working again.  A 15 minute walk during lunch or even a quick walk around the office also helps a lot.

Enjoying the view along the way.

There are any host of factors in our relationships that can put us into a funk.  Unsettled issues with a spouse, child, or family member can wreak havoc on our conscience.  Resolving issues can be daunting but can pay off big.  Other times we compare ourselves to the ideal image that others project on social media.  Comparing yourself to others never helps.  Run the race at your own pace!

It is also important to mention that things get out of whack with our bodies.  Men and women both have shifts in the elements that keep our minds and bodies running smooth.  If I were in a long-term funk I would visit the doctor for some lab work to see if there is something a little bit out of whack.  With all the bad things we do to our bodies, it wouldn’t be surprising if the body decides to fight back or give a few warning signals.

When I was on the trail I had little games I would play with myself and different things I would do to pass the ‘blue’ days.  Some days the miles went by slow so I would pick a unique tree on the horizon and see how long it would take to get there.  Once I was there I would pick another and see if I could get there faster.  I carried a small radio that I would listen to sometimes in the afternoon when the days were hot and the miles were long.  When the days were really hot I started taking a siesta to keep myself from getting beat down by the heat.  Sometimes a quick nap fixes everything!

We can play the same games on long days at work or at home.  I applaud every parent and grandparent that spends the day with young children.  Don’t put a bunch of pressure on yourself to keep a perfect home, be real and just have some fun or be lazy with the kids.  At work I like to use a list on my whiteboard.  If it is an especially challenging day I will break tasks into smaller chunks just so I can cross more things off 🙂

Sometimes you just need to let loose and do something unexpected.  It’s no surprise that Summer Solstice (the longest day of the year) falls during the time when most hikers are in Virginia.  You may or may not know that Summer Solstice is “International Hike Naked Day.”  Hiking naked would definitely mix things up.  No, I did not hike naked.  Shirtless was extreme enough for me.  The only people I saw all day were two old dudes hiking in their boxers.  It was awkward but it was a funny distraction for the day.

Maybe you just need to do something fun and out of character.  I know the kids love it when Mommy and Daddy just start dancing around the house like crazy people.  Sometimes being funky is the best way to get out of a funk.

What kinds of things do you do to help get rid of the blues or get out of a funk?