It's a Funk

Do you ever get in a funk? I do.

There are days when all I want to do  is to sit and do nothing!

No exercise!  Eat whatever I want when I want!!  I do not want to read, study, or be sociable!!!   I simply want to feel sorry for myself. If I were a kid I would suck my thumb.

So out of curiosity, I  looked up the word funk. Guess what I  discovered?

The British definition for funk is a coward.  Well that did not go over well with me so I looked further only to discover - when used as a verb it means to avoid a task or thing out of fear. 

Ok. That’s not much better, but over the years I have learned  how to overcome fear.

You know: the  fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of feeling overwhelmed, or  simply the fear of not being good enough.

I have learned that fear is an automatic response of my brain. The source is a tiny part of my brain called the  amygdala.  The amygdala creates my "fight or flight  response".  It is primitive, automatic and inborn. 

WOW!  So a funk is something that can and should be worked through.

Well that’s pretty simple, not easy, but simple.  Just do it!  So when I apply the methodology I  learned  in  overcoming fear it’s possible to overcome a  funk.  

In other words  be  SMART.

Develop a specific plan, implement actions that are measurable and attainable.  Be realistic with the activities and time frame.

Then it occurred to me, Mother used this ideology when I was growing up.  She taught me systems, how to overcome  obstacles, and even work when  I did not want to.

Maybe your life was similar to mine.

Mother used a  star chart on the refrigerator door. There was the immediate reward  of putting a star on the chart and the intermediate reward of counting how many more were needed to  reach the special reward. Remember the  special treat,  new  socks,  getting to pick the show for family movie night, or the grand prize of going on  date all by yourself with  Dad?

Funny as it sounds the  same process works for adults in overcoming a funk. 

So, if you are in a funk, develop a system and go for it!