A few weeks ago I was in a slump. For a couple days in a row I wasn’t feeling great, both mentally and physically. I was tired, full of self-doubt, and overall feeling a little depressed. It was a downward spiral because I then became bummed at myself for not having more energy, for not seizing the moment, and for not being productive. Urg. Just thinking about it, I know what Arnold would say:
Then it hit me. You need to use energy to make energy. I needed to kickstart the energy creation and get my body and mind moving in a positive direction. So I grabbed my headphones and my yoga mat and went outside for some fresh air. I rolled out my mat and started playing some high energy/good vibe tunes. I started with some light stretching and after a while, my energy began to snowball. After 45 minutes I was sweating, my heart rate was up, and I was in a much better place.
The hard part is when I am in a funk, the absolute last thing I want to do is anything at all. Even knowing that “All I need to do is take that first step and I will start feeling better” is rarely enough because the first step feels so hard to take.
Later, when I had broken my mood and was feeling a little motivated, I decided to create something that would make it easier to break out of funk town (and into funkytown). So I made a Spotify playlist. It starts out chill and works its way up to full-on rage dance exercise tunes. It’s been my go-to soundtrack for my morning exercise and stretching routine, and it really sets my mind and body on the right path for the day.
The playlist makes taking that first step one bit easier. I know I’m not the only one who finds breaking a funk really hard, and I’m probably not the only one who has tried to find hacks around it.
I’d love to build a toolkit full of ways to break through that first step. What tips and tools do you have for taking that first step? Please share them in the comments!Begin your day feeling grounded and inspired.
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