Temporary Slumps Are… Temporary

BY ELEANORA MORRISON

It was 2016 when I left my PR Manager job for a more creative and less structured life. The first couple of months felt like a vacation, as I formed new habits and unwound from the ways I had always done things, just as a means to survive a job and a career path that wasn’t my truth.

I was focused solely on developing my own platform as an editor and content creator. It was a very special time for me, but it was isolating. I can remember laying in bed at night worrying about my life choices. I felt such a deep fear that I wasn’t where I wanted to be yet, but I knew the only way to make any progress was just to keep doing.

After enough weeks of the whirling worries, all of a sudden I looked in the mirror and realized that I was in a slump. A funk. A valley.

And I couldn’t blame it on anyone else but myself.

The symptoms started all at once: brain fog, inability to concentrate on any one thing at a time, inability to get out of bed in the morning, always feeling tired, low productivity, feeling like I was in a hole and couldn’t dig myself out, and then I had a panic attack.

As the years pass, every once in a while a slump like this will return. They’re normal, they’re temporary, and when they do come on, I have to remind myself that I have the control to correct course and nurture myself back to joy and productivity. Here is a process I follow to reset:

A Dietary Detox - CLEAN (AND MOSTLY GREEN) EATS

Food is always the culprit of my inflammatory issues. Wellness is a priority of mine and most of the time I’m cooking at home and eating very cleanly, but it’s amazing how quickly I can feel a few slip ups here and there if I snack too much or go out to dinner. I cut out caffeine, alcohol, dairy and most meat, drink 3-4 liters of water a day and eat as many greens as possible. I always feel better even after a day or two and that motivates me to stay the course.
Exercise - MOVEMENT EVERY DAY

Movement unsticks my stagnant, stale energy. When that energy starts to make it to my mind, it’s no surprise that I’m foggy and funky. I just start by taking a walk around the block. Then I push myself to the gym. Twenty minutes of cardio makes me feel better instantly, and programs my good behaviors to kick in. I do NOT allow myself to wallow.
Reading- A BOOK, NOT ARTICLES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Nothing inspires me and sparks my imagination like getting lost in a good book. I don’t have to spend hours reading to get the mental benefits of it, either. Thirty minutes of quiet time can do the trick.
Journaling–MORNING PAGES

This is something I have been doing every morning for years, whether I’m in a slump or not. It’s the way I start my day and it’s essential to clear my mind before I sit down to work. It’s how I process anything and everything, from emotions, to life experiences, to relationships and more.
Practicing gratitude - REFLECT ON THE SMALL WINS

I think of at least five things I’m grateful for, or that I’m proud of that happened in the weeks or days prior. They can be simple, they can be significant. This reprograms a more positive mindset.
Meditating & Tapping - IT ONLY TAKES TEN MINUTES

I take a 10 minute break, put my headphones in, and work on steadying my mind and tapping to release stuck energy with the Headspace and Tapping Solution apps.
Phoning a friend - CONNECTION MATTERS

I pick up the phone and call or FaceTime somebody I really care about. Someone who makes me laugh. Someone who I know also cares about me. We laugh, we joke, we catch up, and afterwards my heart feels fuller. Nothing can replace real human connection.
Cutting my newsfeed time – DISCONNECTING AS A FORM OF SELF-CARE

Easier said than done, but I put the phone down and focus on enjoying the moments I’m actually living in. Unsurprisingly, the anxious thoughts release the less I’m participating in the world’s conversations in my news feeds.

When I take the time I need to honor my reset process, it works. Sometimes I need a few days of re-calibration, and other times I need a few months. But if there is one thing I’ve learned on my journey of self-care, it’s that quick fixes, although we’re always looking for them, don’t exist. The power to choose wellness is always within us.

Eleanora Morrison, Chief Editor

P.S. Remember that no matter what you're going through right now, you don't have to do it alone! There are others like you in our community, where we interact on a daily basis, fight our demons, share our victories, and watch over each other as friends and accountability partners.

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