Have you ever spent day after day in a listless fog wondering where your vitality went and how you could reclaim that sparkle? Or maybe you’ve noticed that you’re exhausted all the time and can’t figure out why. Despite me being described as the girl who wakes up and barfs unicorns and rainbows, you might be surprised to know that I often find myself pulled down into the depths of blah. And, if you’re reading this, I take it you too find yourself taking a dip into the sea of despair. Maybe even right now?
I remember as a child I would get super despondent the day after my birthday or a big event that I was really looking forward to. I’d often find myself moping around, confused by the sudden dip in happiness when just the day before I was on cloud 9. Fast forward 30 years and I experienced this same feeling (on a much grander scale) after my wedding festivities wrapped up, and especially after our honeymoon. We even planned on traveling for a year as a way to edge out that expected post-wedding/honeymoon dip.
One of the things I love most in this world is finding patterns and making meaning out of those patterns. So, over the years I started noticing a pattern of when I feel less than great. I’ve applied the learnings and experiences I’ve had with ancient wisdom sciences like Ayurveda and Astrology, body intelligence, intuitive coaching, and more into helping myself (and now you!) come back to your essence.
These are the questions I ask myself when I feel out of balance and spiraling into despondency.
1. What am I eating?
When I ask myself this question, I’ll probably discover that I’ve been overindulging on snacks aka creating a scattered mind OR not eating enough. We know food is foundational to having a balanced state of mind yet so often we forget how integral our food is for keeping us level. If after investigating your food choices lately, ask yourself how you can bring in more balance and eat seasonally.
2. When’s the last time I moved my body?
Movement is medicine, but when I’m off-balance and in the spiral, I forget how therapeutic it is to move my body OR maybe I’m moving my body too much. If I’m feeling frustrated or angsty and I force myself to do intense, sweaty workouts, I’ll experience more A simple solo walk in nature is often enough to shift my funk but if not, I look at my relationship around movement and see if I need more or less of what I’m currently doing.
3. How am I spending time alone?
We need time alone. No matter how much we love being with people, spending time alone is necessary for recharging our energy. When we spend time with ourselves, we reconnect to our truest truth. We discharge external energy and come back to our essence. When I’m feeling out of sorts, it’s often because I haven’t spent enough time clearing away all that’s not mine and coming back to me. It’s not a luxury to have solo time, it’s a necessity. Take yourself on a date and feel the disparate parts of yourself find themselves back together.
4. Am I not speaking my truth?
This is a sneaky one. When I don’t speak my truth for fear of hurting someone’s feelings or wanting to maintain harmony in a dynamic (hello Libra!), resentment builds. If I remain unconscious, that resentment will fester until I’m fully burdened by the weight of my untruth. Resentment builds disease. Take inventory of anything that’s weighing on you. Are there any moments where you held your tongue or spoke a half-truth in order to keep the peace? Where have you forgotten yourself along the way? If it feels right, clear the air by speaking your truth or find a way to release yourself from the heaviness by asking yourself what you need.
