Ways to Navigate Life When You are in a Funk
Do you know what's super annoying? Making it through the cold, dark Chicago winter without any hint of Seasonal Affective Disorder or Depression and then getting hit with depression during the sunny beautiful Chicago summer aka the few months of the year we can leave the house! I've navigated this before and so thankfully I have a ton of handy tools in my toolbox.
Here are a few things I've found to keep life moving forward while struggling with depression.
Reach out to people. I am really lucky to have an amazing support system. So, if I'm struggling even a little bit there are a few core people I reach out to immediately.
If by any chance you do have a friend, family member, or co-worker reach out to you when they are struggling with depression and you aren't sure what to do to help, I'd suggest you ask what support they need. They may need someone just to listen, they may need someone to help them get out of the house, or get the grocery shopping done. The best thing you can do is ask what would be the best way you can support them. Depending on if they are just feeling blue, or it's a full blown depressive episode, I'd also suggest making sure they've reached out to their therapist as well.
Wallow in it. Honestly fighting depression is exhausting!! I've found I can either spend a month fighting it, or just succumb for a couple of days. So, I spent the bulk of my weekend feeling my feelings. UGH. Just even typing that makes me want to run away. That meant I spent a lot of time in bed or on the couch. But, by Sunday afternoon I was starting to feel like myself again. If the depression won't abate then please seek medical help.
Feel a sense of small accomplishment. I pick one thing to get done. One small thing. Last weekend it was keeping the kitchen counter clear. That meant all the clutter and dishes didn't pile up in the kitchen. That type of chaos really has a huge negative impact on my brain. So having a clear kitchen counter meant dishes made it into the sink and eventually into the dishwasher. That small action felt huge.
Don't should on yourself. Basically don't beat yourself up for all the things you didn't get done. I felt like I should have sent this newsletter weeks ago, and I should have painted my bedroom, and I should have gotten the things done on my to do list. But, you know what? I didn't. And that's ok and I just have to move on from it.
Sometimes feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious can also trigger those same sad/depressive feelings. These tips can help you move through that as well. I'm going to point out that I am not a doctor, but these are things that have helped me and my coaching clients move through some rough times.
At the end of the day it helps to remember, "You've Got This".
