People always say to dress for the job you want, live a life of inspired thought, and spread kindness wherever you go. I've always heard that you should treat each day as though it's your last. In other words, never put anything off or tell yourself you'll do it later. Never waste a good outfit on a bad day, never miss an opportunity to do something spontaneous, etc., etc. All these things sound fantastic, but the challenge comes with fulfilling the goals that society tells us to set while dealing with the obstacles that the universe throws in your path.
Now don't get me wrong! I love dressing up, taking road trips, never missing an opportunity to tell someone how I feel, and I think that being kind is the greatest and most important part of life on earth. But we all have off days. Days that go downhill from the minute you get out of bed. Days where the closest you get to a great outfit is looking at that photo of the gorgeous girl with effortless style that popped up on Pinterest while you talked yourself out of getting out of your PJs for the fifth time that day. Yeah...eating a salad with quinoa and organic beets would be fantastic, but so would a bowl of cereal and half of the brownies you made last night. Sometimes you're really bitchy to people you love, and you don't know why. You're not mad at them, and they haven't even done anything wrong, but you just can't find any sympathy or kindness within yourself.
This is what I like to call,
The Funk.
You convince yourself that you'll exercise tomorrow...it's too late in the day to go for a run, you could do yoga but then you'd have to move the pile of clean clothes on your floor to make room for a yoga mat, you could find a pilates video on youtube but your laptop is almost dead and you don't know where the charger is. The list could go on. (fun fact - these are all excuses I've used in the past 24 hours).
So what's to be done? How do you combat the "life sucks and everything's awful and I want peanut butter cookies but I also wanna get back in bed and watch chick flicks until SNL comes on" blues? Here are some of my tried and true techniques:
01. The "Snap Out of It" method
I've tried this several times. Telling yourself to get over something can actually either make you feel worse about the situation and you'll find yourself sitting on the kitchen floor eating ice cream from the carton, or it'll have an instantaneous, miraculous effect on you and you'll be feeling better in no time.
*This method works better when executed by Cher*
02. The "Listen to Music That Makes You Dance" method
Laughter may be the best medicine, but when you're in a funk, laughter can quickly turn to crying. Play it safe and angry dance that funk away (the louder the music, the better).
03. the "Change Out of Yoga Pants and Into a Vintage Ballgown" method
Try it. Even if you change back into your PJs five minutes later.
04. the "Stay In Your Yoga Pants and T-Shirt All Day" method.
If 03. doesn't work for you, try this method. See which one works best for you.
05. the "Eat Comfort Food" method.
Mac n cheese, Indian food, spring rolls, cinnamon bread, red beans and rice, bagels and cream cheese, Chinese food. The list could go on.
06. the "Sit On The Floor and Cry If You Need To" method
If anyone approaches you, kindly let them know that they can either join in and cry on the floor with you, or go far, far away and leave you to cry in peace.
Let's face it. We all need a day off once in a while - a day off from eating right, dressing in our finest garb, being the designated listener, etc. And even if you don't want a day off, you can bet your life the universe is gonna give it to you anyway.
So make the most of this opportunity. Shut off social media, wear the clothes that look like shit but are the comfiest garments you own, don't feel like you have to explain yourself or justify your feelings, eat the damn brownies, go for a long run or just stay in bed all day, it really doesn't matter. Do what feels right.
You won't always be in this funk.
xoxo,
Eliza
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