By Jessica Mariah
(twelve minute read)
I, like a scarily high percentage of the rest of America, know what it’s like to be “in a funk.” A few years ago, I was practically the Queen of Funk. (And not in the cool, musical sort of way, but rather the pathetic, I’d-rather-lay-on-the-couch-than-engage-with-life-because-nothing-matters sort of way.)
So, what is a funk? It's when shit is piling up around you and you just can’t find the motivation to deal with it. The “simple” tasks of life feel about as easy as slaying a dragon. Is your house a mess? Absolutely. Is your life a mess? Highly probable. Is it more important than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns and eating Twizzlers? Absolutely not.
Is there some sort of invisible “funk” creature that attaches onto us without realizing? One day we’re fine, and then the next our idea of a balanced meal is strawberry sorbet and potato chips. How does it happen?
Well, let’s look at these so-called ‘funks’ from a Chinese medicine perspective. As far as depression is concerned, the culprit is usually the Liver. Now, let me remind you that Chinese medicine is a system that takes into account not only the physiological functions of the organs but also the energetic effects that they have on the body. So, what does the Liver do?
In Western medicine, the Liver filters toxins from your blood and aids our metabolism. It also stores bile, which is necessary for digestion. In Chinese medicine, however, the Liver is responsible for the free-flow of qi. If our Liver is not functioning well, then toxic chemicals, feelings, and energy starts building up in our body resulting in what Chinese medicine calls ‘Qi Stagnation’. Each of the organs are ruled by one of the five elements in Chinese Medicine, and the Element of the Liver is Wood.
The season correlating to Wood is spring. The metaphor of Wood is of a new sprout bursting forth through the snow. The energy of Wood is active; it’s in motion. Wood energy is about pursuing our dreams, overcoming obstacles, expressing ourselves and letting our creativity flow.
When we feel ‘stuck’ or thwarted in life, lack the confidence or ability to pursue our dreams, or find ourselves feeling stressed out and unhappy most of the time, all of the ‘forward motion’ energy gets stuck in the body and basically turns in on itself, creating the exact opposite—couch potato syndrome.
According to the Foundation of Chinese medicine by Maciocia, symptoms of Liver Qi stagnation include a feeling of fullness and distention along the base of the ribcage, frequent sighing, abdominal bloating, melancholy, depression, apathy, irritability, feeling a lump in the throat and cold hands and feet. For women, it’s described as having irregular periods, PMS, distention of the breast before the menstrual cycle, and propensity towards binge-watching seasons of Sex and the City and the L word. (That last part I added.)
Of course, there are varying degree of funks. They can last for days, for weeks, for years, and for some sad cases, a lifetime. But regardless of the severity, there are things you can do to help yourself. So. How do you get yourself out of a ‘funk’ once you’re in it?
I’m glad you asked.
#1 Notice when you’re in a funk.
It’s hard to decide to change something if we don’t even notice that there’s a problem, to begin with. So, this means paying attention to the preliminary signs that you are entering into a funk. Is it a feeling of boredom? Is it finding yourself at the fridge when you’re not hungry? Is it a heaviness that’s settled down on your chest? There are always subtle preliminary clues that cue us in to realize that we are entering funk territory. Whatever it is, it’s important to notice and decide to do something, right then, to change your mental state. Not an hour from then, not the next day—but the moment you realize that you’re starting to amble down that dark dreary path towards the land of funk.
Liver qi stagnation begets liver qi stagnation. You can think of this as the metaphor of a balance beam. The more off-center you become, the harder the pull of gravity gets and the harder it is to come back to center. The exact same rule applies to the funk. The moment you notice something amiss is the moment you need to decide to take action. So, what are some actions you can take?
#2 Clean your house or simply get a change of scenery.
Ever notice how it’s hard to feel depressed in a beautiful garden or on top of a mountain? That’s because our environment has an immediate and direct effect on our emotions and well-being. It can be hard, incredibly hard, to get the motivation to do the dishes or take out the kitty litter when you are in a funk. But according to Chinese medicine (and several other spiritual philosophies) qi (or essential life energy) is everywhere. It flows through your body just as it flows through your home and cleaning has a direct and immediate effect upon the energy in your body.
Cleaning is the first and most important step to shifting your mood in a more positive direction, but if you really can’t find the motivation to clean, change your surroundings some other way by going to the library, a coffee shop, or getting out into nature.
#3 Exercise
We’re not always in the mood for a full-body cardio workout, but even getting yourself outside for a walk can make a huge difference in the way of freeing up some stagnant qi in the body. Studies have shown that regular exercise is more effective at elevating mood than anti-depressants.
#4 Go on a cleanse (or at the very least lay off the booze).
When the liver is physiologically overloaded with toxins, it impacts its ability to regulate the free-flow of qi in our bodies and it affects our emotions negatively. So going on a cleanse can help relieve qi stagnation by giving your Liver a break. There are a million types of cleanses but the cleanse I prefer is a simple one, which involves cutting out all sugar, processed foods, meat and dairy for three days. I make a lot of quinoa and vegetable stir-fries with tamari sauce and apple cider vinegar during this time.
If restricting your diet that much for three days feels daunting, you can make smaller goals that will still be helpful, like laying off of alcohol or fried/ greasy foods (which are especially taxing to the liver) or trying to add an extra serving of vegetables to your meals per day. Even eating slightly smaller meals can give your Liver a break.
#5 Do some deep breathing or relaxation exercises.
The internet is a deep well of resources for these types of things. Simply search “relaxation/meditation” on youtube and you will come up with a million options. When we relax through breath-work or meditation, it actually allows a ‘restart’ for our bodies. There are two modes of the nervous system; flight/fight and rest and digest.
Physiologically, stress creates stagnation in the digestive and hepatic system because our blood and energy is going to the systems involved in the sympathetic (flight and fight) response. Ensuring the smooth flow of food in your digestive system helps the flow of qi in your overall body. (There is a reason why people poop in the morning, after a night of rest. Just saying.)
The depth of meditation/ relaxation is up to you. In my experience, it typically takes at least five minutes to get the body out of a sympathetic response. The more you do it, the more you will benefit, but even taking just five minutes twice a day can be immensely helpful.
#6: Stop treating your emotions as the enemy.
Essentially, we have to realize that emotions, in themselves, are not good or bad. They can have positive or negative effects on our life, but that relates to how we deal with and channel them. At their core, emotions are just energy. And if you’re in a ‘funk’, it is 100% possible that it’s because you’re not letting yourself feel something that wants to be felt. The emotion of the Liver and Wood element is anger, but not expressing other emotions can create stagnation, too.
Whether it’s anger, fear, loneliness, grief, or shame, you have to DO something to move the emotion! If you struggle with allowing the feeling of sadness, put on a sad movie. (My Sister’s Keeper, the Fountain or the Fault in our Stars are all excellent tear-jerkers, by the way.) If you’re feeling angry, sign up for a kickboxing class and go beat the shit out of an inanimate object that can’t retaliate. If you’re feeling guilty, reach out and make amends. There are so many different ways to connect to our feelings.
Creativity is helpful as a means of expressing emotion because it often involves shutting off the ‘logical’ part of our brain. Different ways you can express yourself creatively include abstract painting, poetry, stream-of-consciousness writing, music improv, and dance.
#7: Call a friend.
When you’re struggling to get yourself out of something, reaching out to a friend can be immensely helpful. Not only does it help to feel supported and cared about, but hanging out with a friend is a great way to shift your mood. Friends can also provide a fresh perspective, and it’s therapeutic to share your thoughts and feelings with someone.
(One disclaimer, however: this may be less effective if your friends are just as miserable and depressed as you are. Or if you don't have any friends. If that’s the case…well, that might be a whole other blog post…)
#8: Look at the sabotaging beliefs you hold about yourself.
Do you stay complacent in life because you truly believe that you’d fail anyways even if you tried? Do you feel like it’s pointless and effort is futile? Do you think you don’t deserve good things in life? Well, if you believe that, then it’s going to be really friggin’ hard to get yourself off of the couch. Unfortunately, life doesn’t come with our own personal cheerleaders installed. So you have to be your own cheerleader!
When negative thoughts enter that say; “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t do it,” turn the belief around! Tell yourself that you can and you are worth it to lead the life you want, tell yourself that you can meet your dreams and accomplish your goals and you instantly increase your chances of actually doing it a hundredfold. It’s ok if you don’t believe your affirmations at first; just keep repeating them anyway and eventually you will start to, I promise.
#9: Watch funny cat videos online.
I don't know if this one needs explaining, really.
I don't know if this one needs explaining, really.
And finally, #10: Let yourself be in a funk.
So, you’ve employed steps one through nine, and you’re still in a funk. What do you do, now? Well, my dear, the answer is to just let yourself be in a funk. You’re thinking; “what? But Jessica, you just said that we need to pay attention and get ourselves out of a funk as fast as possible!” Well, yes. I did say that. But then there’s also this inconvenient life thing that sometimes presents us with incredibly difficult situations.
If you just lost a loved one, are going through a bad break-up, are exhausted after a move or lost your job, you may just need to cozy up with some Ben & Jerry’s for a bit and ride the funk out. This is the art of balancing self-discipline with self-compassion.
The key here is giving yourself a time-limit. Don’t say to yourself; “I’m going to stay on the couch until I feel 100% better and magically motivated to conquer all of life’s daunting tasks!” (aka: never.) Say instead; “Alright. I’m going to take tonight to just lay around and watch movies,” or maybe two. Or maybe a week. It’s your call. And then, after the time limit you've set, try steps one through nine again. Just remember that even if you are in a funk, you will get out of it. Especially if you utilize these tools I’ve provided for you.
So, there you have it, ten ways to get yourself out of a funk. I have absolute faith in you. I did it, and so can you! Good luck!
References:
Maciocia, G. (1989). The foundations of Chinese medicine: A comprehensive text for acupuncturists and herbalists. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
