One common misconception that exists in the spiritual community is that we always have to be happy, high-vibe and “on” to lead by example and to walk the walk. The truth is, we’re all human! We aren’t perfect and you never will be either. So stop trying. Stop comparing your bad days to other people’s best and just continue striving to be the best you possible. The truth is, you could be the most spiritually aligned human on the planet and you’re still going to have bad days. You’re still going to be sad sometimes and hurt sometimes. You’re still going to make mistakes. The thing is, though, the more that you dive into your spiritual practices, learn the Universal truths and take action on co-creating your reality, the easier it becomes to identify the underlying issues, heal your wounds and shift out of the low vibe funky moods and into alignment with your authentic truth. Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite, simple tools to help you live your absolute best life starting right now, in this moment.
If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that a few weeks ago, I put myself into quite a funk. I shared my struggles there as I worked through it and promised to write this article for you once I was back on track and here it is:
Sometimes, I get so pumped up and passionate about a certain idea, project, etc. that I throw myself fully into it and then I burn out really quickly and I get overwhelmed and I become paralyzed with fear and I quit. It’s a habit that I’ve been fighting my entire life! But this time, it was different. This time, I was able to look my F.E.A.R. (false evidence appearing real) right in the face, break it down and kick it to the curb faster and more efficiently than ever. This time, I was able to see that my fear of failure, my fear of being seen, my belief that “I’m not good enough” were all just lies that my ego was telling me. So instead of retreating into myself and giving in to the self destructive behaviors that have comforted me in the past, I settled in to the feelings, dug deep and began to heal the wounds rather than simply burring them back down again. I did some journaling, some intense meditation/reflection and I got right down to the core of the beliefs and what was really causing them to creep in and when I felt that I had made enough headway there, it was time to kick the yuck to the curb and realign with my truth. Wanna know how I did it? Read on for 5 of my favorite ways to kick the funky mood, raise my vibration and start feeling good fast.
Pro Tip: Self Care is always the Queen! This holds true in good times and in bad. Always remember to treat yourself as well as you would anyone else that you love. Be easy on you. Love you. Forgive you.
1.Amp Up Your Self Care! Self care is a HUGE umbrella topic. It can be any number of things and it varies for every person, but for this specific instance, I’m talking about pampering yourself. Do something nice just for you! For some people, that means a fresh mani/pedi or a massage or a luxurious bath with bubbles and candles. For me, I’m more of a facemask and jade roll kinda girl. I know it’s going to bring all the glares and side eyes when I admit this, but I’m not really into the whole bath thing. Never was. Outside of sickness and sore muscles, you will rarely find me soaking in a tub. However, when I do decide to take one of those long, luxurious baths, I definitely do it up. I’m talking candles, snacks, music, crystals, all the things! But that kind of bath takes preparation and a big chunk of time that I don’t always have to spare. So my go-to pamper practice is a quick face mask followed by a few minutes of jade rolling. (If you aren’t jade rolling yet, you totally should be! Using a jade roller will instantly combat puffy under eye circles, increase circulation, and is believed to be a boost to the lymphatic system plus- it just feels nice!)
Pro Tip: I like to keep my jade roller in the fridge for extra oomph. It feels fantastic and it gives those pesky under eye circles a nice one-two punch!
2.Move Your Body! Go for a walk, dance, do some yoga, work out, have sex, jump up and down; it doesn’t matter what/how you accomplish this, just move. Do as much or as little as it takes to get your endorphins going and move that stagnant energy OUT. Yoga is a tried and true favorite of mine. Some days, my body asks for a challenge, to sweat, to work hard and other days, it asks me to slow down, to breathe, stretch and connect. The practice of tuning in to what our body really wants/needs is a powerful one. Try it for yourself. Roll out your mat and just see where it takes you.
3.Feed Your Soul! Nourish your body with good food. Nourish your soul with the time, energy and attention that it craves by stepping in to the kitchen and cooking yourself an actual meal. How many of you are guilty of skipping meals, choosing unhealthy foods just because they’re quick/easy, opting to order pizza so you don’t have to clean up the mess from dinner? Yeah, me too. And sometimes, those things are okay. I gave up the mom guilt long ago and I fully accept that some nights, I need a break; I need something easy. But when I’m already in that low vibe mentality, taking the time to shop for, prepare and enjoy a home cooked meal is one of my favorite ways to feel better fast. I often choose a recipe from the vault that doesn’t get made often either due to the type/quantity of ingredients needed or the time that it takes to prepare. This time, I chose a Vietnamese Pickled Salad. I absolutely love this dish, but making it requires a special trip to the Asian market which is nearly 45 minutes from my house. It also involves a lot of chopping, cutting, picking leaves off of stems, time and patience. This recipe asks for lots of love, is fresh and healthy and I consider it to be a real treat which makes it perfect for this practice. Which feel good recipes could you pull out of the vault for a quick mood boost?
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4.Explore Your Feelings! It’s easy to want to bury them, get rid of them, send them away, but that’s really just postponing the inevitable; unless you get to the root of the feeling and begin to heal the wounds, you are without a doubt going to repeat the same patterns over and over again. So, feel the feelings. Allow them to be real. Lean into them and begin to discovery what lies beneath them. I’m a huge fan of therapy and I highly recommend that everyone has a therapist that they know and trust, but when I need a quick release, I turn to meditation or my journal or meditation then my journal. Sit in stillness. Try a free writing practice- put your pen to paper and just let it go. Sometimes, you’ll surprise yourself with what comes out! And if you’re new to the practice of meditation or are just looking for something different to add to your library, maybe start with a guided mediation like one of these from Gabby Bernstein. There are also tons of free options available out there! My friend Zhanna Romm has some great meditations available on her website including a free meditation for alignment that you can find here. Just keep looking until you find something that speaks to you.
5.Commit an Act of Kindness! I often turn to this one when I’m feeling down on myself. While I tend to shy away from gifting around the holidays or when it’s expected because “it’s just what you do,” I love to surprise friends/loved ones year-round with random cards, handwritten notes, little gifts and care packages just because. Being kind is an excellent way to raise your vibration while also lifting others. Seriously, though- never underestimate the power of a postcard or the reward that comes with paying for a stranger’s morning coffee.
And if you somehow made it through all of those things and you still feel like a big pile of crap, I suggest that you use the secret weapon: Gratitude. This one, simple practice has the power to turn even your darkest moments/thoughts/experiences into something useful/powerful/worthy. Take a few minute to write down all of the things you’re grateful for, starting with the big things and working your way down until you get to the cells in your body that circulate your blood and carry the oxygen to your lungs. Choose to see your rock bottom moments through the lese of love- find the lesson, discover the purpose and know that you are being led to bigger and better things and just give thanks. Do this over and over again, every single day and watch how quickly your world begins to transform. Gratitude is a total game changer.
What are your favorite tools for getting out of a funk? Identify them now so that you can easily pull them out later and if you’re feeling generous, share them with all of us! Head over to my Instagram and drop a comment under the post for this article and see what everyone else has come up with too.
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