I’m having one of those periods where I feel like I have fallen into one of Dr. Seuss’ slumps and then wandered into the Waiting Place (from Oh, the Places You’ll Go! if you’re not a Dr. Seuss aficionado).
It usually takes me a couple of days to figure out that’s where I am and then I have to find my way out again. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has this happen. I’m sure it’s a normal part of life. But just because it’s normal doesn’t mean we have to stay there. I don’t know what you do, but here are some of my tips for getting out of the Waiting Place.
Express Gratitude.
Often when I realize I am in the Waiting Place, I find that I have failed to have an “attitude of gratitude” in my life. I forget to be thankful for all the blessings I have and focus on my challenges instead. When I begin again to count my blessings and focus on the good things in my life, almost immediately, I can feel the fog begin to lift. This one thing alone can go a long way toward moving me out of a slump.
Do Something Different.
I am such a creature of habit. I find I’ve gotten pretty predictable in my daily routine. This all by itself can send me to the Waiting Place. Just changing the first thing I do in the morning, rearranging my daily schedule or just getting away from my work and my chores for a little bit–even walking the dog–helps pull me out of my slump. Instead of getting up first thing in the morning and knocking out a blog post or two or throwing in a load of laundry, maybe I need to whip up a batch of bread dough, go outside and see if I can photograph some early birds or early-blooming flowers or even go for an early morning bike ride. Just something different.
Get Some Exercise.
If you’re like me and you spend a good chunk of your day in front of the monitors (I have two on my computer–but my son has three!), it’s easy to get sedentary and lazy. A little exercise not only gets your circulation going and your heart pumping, but it can clear the cobwebs from your mind. So, now that my bike is working again, getting out is definitely in order (my favorite forms of exercise are hiking and biking and swimming–but swimming is kind of pricey these days and requires public appearance in a bathing suit-need I say more?). When I don’t have time to ride, I take the dog out for a walk; that way we’re both happy and out the Waiting Place.
Have Some Fun.
We adults, we get way too wrapped up in all the stuff we HAVE to do. Good thing for me, I have kids. They are more than willing to remind me that I need to make time for fun. Fun is every bit as important as work. We all know that “all work and no play makes [me a dull mom].” It also doesn’t do much for my motivation and my creativity.
Eat Chocolate.
Scientists tell us that dark chocolate does all kinds of good things for our moods. And who am I to argue with such pleasant science? It stimulates endorphins, contains sertonin, lowers blood pressure and helps to relax us. Sounds like a recipe for getting out the Waiting Place to me. In fact, I think I’ll go have a little dark chocolate right now.
I’m feeling better already.
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What do you do when you find yourself falling into the slump? How do you pull yourself out and become positive and productive again?