OverFlow: Anyone Else Feeling Not That Great at the Moment?
And by "not that great" I mean "hanging on to what little you've got left by a single thread," obviously.
OverFlow is what happens when I overthink, overflow, and over-everything. When my feelings have nowhere to go, I write about them.
Lately, I haven’t been feeling too good—but it’s difficult to diagnose and figure out where the discomfort lies.
Is this pandemic burnout? Is it seasonal depression? I don’t know how to tell. (As some of you might know, I am resistant to therapy—I believe in it wholeheartedly, contradictions exist, deal with it, etc.—so I haven’t actually been diagnosed with a mental healthcare professional.) ¿Por qué no los dos?
What Could Possibly Be Wrong With Me?
Here are the likely suspects:
I’m on new medications and a relatively new diet and exercise routine. (Recently, I added wall push-ups to my repertoire, and my arms were not amused. There’s still a slight ache when I reach up, but it’s getting better.)
The equinox last week signaled the start of autumn, which means drier and colder air—and irritated sinuses and aching muscles. I don’t enjoy fall as a season at all.
My dog is not feeling well, which means that we took him to the vet, which means that we have less money in the bank. But also: Loaf is getting better every day! Apart from typical pet parent anxiety, that’s good news.
I’ve been juggling work from two consistent freelance companies for months. Halfway through September, I added a third company to my list of employers. I’m still adjusting to three different sets of deadlines I now have to consolidate.
My closest family and friends far away. I’ve been feeling isolated—but I can’t bring myself to socialize in person. I care about people! Loneliness is a small price to pay for doing my part and not making this pandemic worse.
The correct answer is all of the above, of course. I’m not dense. I just like things spelled—typed?—out.
What Can I Do to Get Out of This Funk?
According to Merriam-Webster, “funk” as a noun means “a depressed state of mind” or “a state of paralyzing fear.”
It’s also “music that combines elements of rhythm and blues and soul music and that is characterized by a percussive vocal style, static harmonies, and a strong bass line with heavy downbeats.” Sounds much better, right?
Maybe the solution isn’t to get out of this funk, but to transform it—to transcend one definition in favor of one that makes more sense. I don’t mean to actually play funky music. I’m not a white boy, and I’m not Wild Cherry.
Let’s take the essence of what it means to play that type of music and run with it, though: rhythm and blues and soul, a strong foundation, and an aggressive approach.
De-Funking Cognition and Behavior Though Funk Music Theory In Action
You know I steered the post this way just to use that subsection title. 🤣 Let me have it, please!
I’ve been listening to music (yes, including funk and blues and soul) more often. Dancing helps sometimes—nothing fancy, just light head-bobbing and finger-snapping to the beat. I meditate to clear my mind and make sure that I remember and appreciate everything and everyone responsible for making me who I am.
Finally: I actively try to figure out what will make me feel better.
My husband can attest to my annoying habit of opening conversations with “Why do I feel so bad? I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but…” and then trying things—from adding oregano to hashbrowns to walking even if I don’t feel like it—to see if there’s a positive effect on my mood.
(And yes, If you haven’t picked up on it yet: I’m talking out of my hat here and just barely holding on to whatever I think will keep me on the right path. This isn’t medical or expert or even well-thought-out advice from a friend.
Think of this post as an online version of me rambling, sitting across from you in a cafe, as we sip our drinks and occasionally not at each other.)
How Are You Dealing With Pandemic and Non-Pandemic-Related Blues?
A bit of show and tell might do us all some good. What have you been up to in these trying times?
Many friends of mine have turned to gardening or caring for plants. My sister started her own Microbakery. Like me, several people I know—including my brother—went back to long-form blogging. But that’s only half of dealing with the unknowable.
What do you do that’s not measured in terms of productivity? How do you listen to yourself? How do you relax? I want to know.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
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