#MondayWithAimée
Lovely Monday morning, sweethearts!
I’m in a slump. A very annoying, very deep and heavy slump. I’m thinking that after midterms and being productive and focused on school work and now falling into a week off (if you can call it like that), my body and brain just gave in. They just decided we technically had time off classes so we would stop existing. Does that ever happen to you? I can sit down at my desk, but getting to work is hard. I want to read but then I remember all the school books I need to read and get unmotivated (yeah, for a Literature student, you’d think I’d enjoy reading my school books a lot more). I’m just stuck in this slump and I’ve decided not to fight it. Once in a while, when you feel it coming, let it. Live through it, and then move on. Here’s my little tips and tricks and general thoughts on The Slumps (They’re better to live when you name them).
Acknowledge and accept your feelings, your thoughts and your mood.
Just like naming them makes them seem lighter, you need to be put face to put with your Slump. You need to sit with it, look it in the eyes and talk to it. If you deny it or act like it isn’t there, it might take longer to leave. It demands to be seen. You can write down your thoughts. It’s a great way to acknowledge what is happening in your brain that makes you feel this way. It also helps you put the yuck out on paper and let it out of you so it doesn’t poison you. You can also just have a talk with someone, or just sit back and tell yourself “okay, I’m going through something.” It’s as simple as that. It can be easy with the colder weather and shorter days, or with the Big Bad Pandemic to feel unmotivated, sad, heavy or just..grey. It’s a totally normal feeling, you just need to acknowledge it and accept that you are feeling this way and that sometimes, you can’t push through. You can’t make it disappear under piles of work, or can’t ignore it. You need to accept that some emotions, especially the bad ones, can’t be rushed or erased. They need to be lived. Once you’ll accept and do that, your negative emotions won’t be so bad. You just can’t always fight them. Sometimes, as cheesy as it sounds, you just need to remind them they are seen.
Live through it.
Once you’ve accepted that your mood isn’t the best and that there is no magic answer to it, you can sit with your miserable (that’s a strong word, yes) self and enjoy The Slump. Our slumps are all different and they require different things for each of us. Maybe your Slump makes you want to watch the 15 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy in one sitting. Why not start the show and see that after two seasons in a day, you get slightly tired of it and want to move on. Or maybe you can’t just watch the trilogy of Captain America and call it a day. Will you only do this of your day? Yes, but it’s not a day lost. We need to stop needing to be productive all the time. There is a time for it, but there is also a time to rest. Resting sometimes implies good old potato couching. Maybe your Slump makes you want to stay in bed an extra hour. Why not! For a few days, allow yourself to be a potato, a messy head, and just embrace your Slump. Do whatever makes you feel better, or soothes your Monster Slump. Listen. I’m not saying it’ll be a fun ride, but it’s a ride you should take anyways. You grow the most through harder events, and the more you allow yourself to live it to the fullest, the faster it will go. Embrace your bad mood. Live with it, let it guide you, and don’t feel guilty for it. It’s okay not to do anything, once in a while.
Move on.
Most importantly, one day, get up, stretch, look your Slump in the eye and walk away. You can’t stay in this mood forever. Accepting it and living your Slump will help you walk through it quicker, easier. Instead of pushing it down and away everything it comes back, you’ll have accepted it and it’ll want to go. It’s time to part ways with your Slump! Wave goodbye and walk away and take your life back. Your Slump Days are over and you can go back to your normal life.
Remember, there is a reason why your body goes into Slump Mode. Maybe it’s hormones, maybe it’s your body and brain joining forces to tell you they need a break, or that something needs changes. It’s not pure laziness, it’s your body reacting to something threatening. That’s why listening to it is good and living your Slump helps, because it forces you to pause and observe. It forces you to notice what you’re lacking, what you need, or maybe what requires adjustments. Your body constantly talks to you, makes sure you’re part of the conversation.
I hope your Slump does not hit you too hard, and if they do, you can always find comfort and encouragement in the arms of the b0ld team, or on the Facebook and Instagram pages, you know the drill. We love to see you there, always.
First snow kisses and scary boos,
Aimée.
