The Stream

Monday, March 1, 2010

The Funk



The Funk found me! How? I was hiding so well, taking my vitamin C (cheerfulness). The Funk. It was Friday afternoon when I realized I was unmotivated to do anything. Blank stares bounced off my windows. I sat at my table agitated, annoyed, and unhappy, all signs pointing to The Funk. Mat's text earlier that day: "We can go out tonight if it will make you feel better. Whatever makes you happy." Very nice of him, but then that made me defensive because now I was crazy (totally my problem, not yours-- my dearest).

I try to take all the steps to avoid this.

Step 1:

I shower first thing in the morning to avoid not showering until 3PM

I made a to do list of things I should be doing before things get busy when the weather is nice

I find one or two things to muck out so I can at least go to bed feeling like I accomplished something (cleaned under my bed and my sewing stuff)

I make my kids get dressed and turn off the tv

I work out, in fact, I ran extra because I could sense The Funk's presence.

I got outside, no matter how cold and icy my hill might be.

The Funk was unavoidable. Unmistakably, I was having self pity, snappiness, and I felt like I didn't have time to think without a constant interruption. I wanted to do things I wanted to do, if only I were alone and then I flipped-flopped and decided I didn't want to do them in the first place. The things I wanted to do were all lame.

Step 2: Self Evaluation

Was it boredom? Slightly. I had gotten all of my necessary things to do out of the way when school was cancelled for two weeks and now it was stuff I needed to do, but didn't have to do, but should do, but, bottom line, didn't want to do.

Was it the snow and the incessant cloudy days? maybe--well most likely, I'm a magnet to sun, but it seemed like blaming snowy days was the easy way out--it is winter after all, so I searched deeper.

Was it that I was tired? Yes, I'm always tired by the end of the week

Was I hungry? I'm never hungry--hunger pangs are practically death

Was it that I had short conversations with my husband only between chapters and dessert? Definitely, but there was nothing to change that except for willing that the 23 days until his boards would pass quicker, causing The Funk to settle even more.

The girl thing? I never know.

Step 3: Resolution

I decided that what I needed was to go for a walk to Kroger with my family (kroger is a 1/2 mile from my house). This walk would cure a few things: 1) a longer conversation with my husband, 2) exercise and fresh air 3) shopping for things I needed to get for the weekend which = two bird with one stone (my motto--the bird and the stone are the particles that make me) 4)my kids don't interrupt me because they are too worried about who will get to Kroger first. To make sure The Funk is dead and gone, I took a 2hr nap yesterday and put it to rest. I'm cured. Much better today and much more productive.

Hope I don't pass it on to someone else after posting this. Remember my DeFunk program and take the necessary steps to get rid of it.


5 comments:

candrkoch said...

Mic, loved your post, as I've been suffering from The Funk myself lately, with the climax coming today. We've put up a backsplash in the kitchen, I sewed some pillows, made the kids a job chart & have tried to enforce said chart (cheerfully), worked on a cross stitch, bought a little decor to keep myself occupied & moving things around in the house, & the funk has still come. I feel like I can echo all the feelings you described -- nice to know I'm not the only crab around. I can't wait for spring. And I'm afraid my funk hasn't quite passed yet, so thanks for the steps to take to overcome. We'll see how things work out....

Rachel Oswald said...

I hear ya girl. Thanks for posting so I know I'm not the only one. I love your step-by-step plan to overcome it! Kolby has been in NY all weekend house hunting for us, and I just realized how I can't STAND it when he's gone for 3 whole days. I'm so glad you guys have Kroger up there too - good old Kroger!

Erin said...

What a great post Mic! I think we've all been there a time or two...or 10,000. I've been especially bad this pregnancy. It's killing my energy level and overall drive to get stuff done. I'm going to take your advice and shower first thing today. Maybe that will help. This post is one to mark and re-read often! Conquer THE FUNK! :)

Erin said...

p.s. Funny to hear Kroger. It's so East Coast. Do you have a Food Lion around you too? Food Lion was our old stompin' grounds. :)

McArthur Family said...

so you and I must be on a similar wavelength. Last Friday and Saturday I was totally feeling the same thing. The difference between us is you still look to find the positives and find the solution...good job!

Sun is coming...I can feel it...and I checked the 10 day forcast.