7 Ways to Get out of a Funk ...

Sometimes you can make yourself feel better by making someone else feel better. Doing something kind for someone else or simply being nice to someone can be a great boost for you as well. After all, when you do good things, you feel good as well – especially if you are making someone else's day brighter in the process.

Trying a new recipe may seem a little silly if you're in a funk, but think about it this way: successfully cooking something you've never made before can give you a serious feeling of accomplishment. Any time you do something successfully, it makes you feel better, makes you believe in yourself a little more. And cooking is therapeutic anyway, especially if you get to beat the hell out of eggs or something.

Again, accomplishing something, no matter what it is, can get you out of a funk in no time. To that end, cleaning up your space and banishing clutter from your home and/or your life can be extremely helpful as well. When you stand back and see a job well done, it can lift you up out of your blue feelings.

Sometimes, simply writing out your feelings, giving voice – so to speak – to the reasons your down, can help you get over them. You don't necessarily need to analyze what you feel, but you can examine it or try to understand it. Then, too, simply getting it down can sometimes put things in perspective. Often, all you need to do is vent, even if you're venting to yourself.

In line with number one, doing something nice for other people can make you feel great as well. Volunteering at a school, a soup kitchen, a hospital or nursing home, a homeless shelter, are all great ideas. You are doing good things for other people, you are making their day better, and you can make your day better as well. Sometimes selfless acts are the ones that mean the most.

Spending time with a loved one can make you feel better about almost anything. To clarify, this can be a friend, a family member, or a partner. It can be a group of people you care about, in fact, or you can just spend some one-on-one time with your BFF.

There's no harm in being good to yourself when you're in a funk. In fact, you should. Pamper yourself in some way, do something you love. Go for a walk, get a massage, take a bath, read a book – just do something that makes you happy, and it will help you banish your funky feelings in no time.

When I'm feeling in a funk, my favorite things to do are write, listen to music, or read a book. Sometimes a nice, long bath helps as well. What do you like to do?

Top Photo Credit: Isabel Becker