Sunday, January 12, 2014

Funk Busters

Okay, the moment has arrived. Confession time.  Here it is: I spent much of the latter half of 2013 in a funk. A big one. I blamed it on a million little things that added up, but the truth is, it had more to do with my own stress management and letting these little things get to me than with the things themselves.  

I'm determined not to let 2014 go the same way. Because, after all, who is really in control here? Me, of course! 

And so I give you my list of activities that are pretty much guaranteed to bust me out of a funk, even if only temporarily.  I should probably carry this around in my pocket all year as a reminder that I can actually do something about my mood. And -bonus!- these are things that are mostly free or at least inexpensive and pretty easy to do on the fly.

1. Dance party! Anywhere, anytime, and almost always involving the kids.  Usually in the kitchen, or while jumping on the bed. But dance parties can be mobile, so anything goes.

2. Watching the baby (okay, toddler, if I'm being honest with myself) sleep. Seeing a body that is constantly in motion during waking hours finally still; lips puckered, long eyelashes fluttering against the softest cheeks... brings an instant sense of peace.

3. Watching the big kid sleep. That four-and-a-half-year-old mouth that never stops making noise is finally silent, lips parted slightly, breathing deep and heavy.

4. Taking a long bubble bath with a good book and a glass of wine.

5. Watching Glee. I have always been, and will always be, a sucker for a good, slightly cheesy, song and dance number, especially when intermingled with the occasional love story.  YouTube clips of flash mobs that end in marriage proposals also slay me.

6. Reminding myself that it's normal. Whatever parenting or life challenges I am having, I'm not the first mom to have them, nor will I be the last. 

7. Listening to the Raffi Christmas album. I don't intentionally set out to listen to it in the middle of summer, but sometimes it randomly pops up on the iPod and I've discovered it's actually physically impossible to be irritated with my kids while listening to "A Child's Gift of Love" or "On Christmas Morning."

8. Unleashing my frustrations on a heavy bag or some Thai pads.  (If you're new around here, you should know I'm kind of a ninja.) 

9.  Finally getting a decent night's sleep. (This one is easier said than done.)

10.  Skipping down the street holding hands with my four-year-old.


Tell me what your funk busters are - I'd love to add to this list!



14 comments:

  1. Funny how the kids manage to be both mood-lifters and well ... (um you know ...))...
    Dance parties are pretty awesome! Theo got Mark and I doing what amounted to some kind of advanced, customized zumba class that had us sweating our a*ses off one night. Hilarious.
    If I'm sans enfants, lieing on the floor for ten minutes and staring at the ceiling (yes reallly) or a walk outside always helps. I also love (oddly) making soup. I used to watch Doc Martin for a mood-lift but managed to blast through all ... 6 seasons!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, Theo the zumba instructor/drill sergeant! ;)

      Delete
  2. Hmm. What get me out of funk? Quiet time at night once the kids are in bed. Coffee, twitter and me. Buying something new, I know totally flaky but does the trick every time (clearly not free:).
    I feel like we haven't chatted in ages. Hope you are enjoying the beginning of 2014. We should try for Sunday brunch soon. Our turn.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! Brunch with fun friends is a funk-buster too. ;)

      Delete
  3. Watching Korean Drama on my ipad, playing games with the kids, playing the piano or just going out window shopping do help to keep me in a good mood :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ooh glee is a major upper for me, too :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. watching my kids sleep always does it for me. They always look so angelic and peaceful. It reminds me of how small they still are and makes me forget all of the "funk" of the day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Agreed! Angelic while sleeping, a little devilish while awake. ;)

      Delete
  6. We have several "funk busters" in common. Dance party is #1 and my girls love seeing their mama whip out her dance moves every once in a while.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Henry snaps his fingers and busts a move to pretty much any song, so he's often the dance party instigator. From there, it can get a little crazy. ;)

      Delete
  7. Replies
    1. I tweeted him and told him his Christmas album was the cure for irritability with my kids! He's awesome.

      Delete
  8. I am SO with you on the dance party. Anything dance related usually helps lift me out if a funk - class, party, shows. Anything Disney usually helps too, or reading with the kiddo. Beating the cap out of something is good too. If I have some kid free time, curling up with a yummy Starbucks latte and some fun chick lit works wonders.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh how I am with you on this. I had a particularly 'funk'y year last year too. Mine for much the same reason as yours too - stress management. I became entirely too myopic in my perspective, only focusing on work....all work and no play, and all that. So I made a list, much like this one (although not ten things) of things I had let go of doing last year to remind myself to do every day. I couldn't believe it when I realized that I had stopped listening to music, stopped dancing, stopped going outside to get out under the sky. So things I do to keep me out of the funk:
    1.Pray/worship
    2. Sing/listen to music
    3. Exercise/Dance!
    4. Sky Gaze
    5. Get plenty of sleep!

    Here's to a happy 2014!

    http://hammockinthehoneysuckle.blogspot.com/2014/01/10.html

    ReplyDelete

Comments: I love 'em. Tell me what you think!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...