Moodiness

Ooooof! I have been in a crummy mood lately. A really crummy mood.

To all my friends and family who have born the brunt of my moodiness, I sincerely apologize. Good thing I’m usually so lovable. <wink, wink> I try, I really try not to take out my frustrations on those who are closest to me, but I know that I am not always successful. Ahem.  Sorry.

I know that in the big picture of life, I have no reason to complain. We are all healthy. Our mortgage is paid, there’s food in the fridge, and (though I am somewhat afraid to say this for fear of jinxing it) our jobs are fairly secure. Our lives are so much easier, our troubles so much less severe, than what many other people go through, and I do not take these things for granted.

Why am I in such a funk? And, more importantly, what should I do about it?

To answer the first question, I think the main reason is that my neck hurts. It somehow got tweaked last week, and it’s still not back to normal. That constant discomfort (though mostly low-level) is sapping a lot of my energy. Plus, I’m not sleeping terribly well because it’s difficult to find a comfortable position.

Between the pain and the sleep deprivation, my emotional reserves are much shallower than usual. Which, to be honest, makes me cranky!

Compared to so many people, whose problems are much bigger than mine, I know I’m just whining about nothing. Thankfully, I am not dealing with clinical depression, a serious medical issue. In general I really do know that life is good. But still, I’ve been in this funk for a few days and I can’t seem to completely shake it.

So what should I do?

Normally, my best advice in times of a funk is to get some exercise. I really don’t enjoy exercise. I’ve never been one of those people who get a runner’s high — something I hear about but cannot fathom. Still, I know that after I exercise I both feel better and sleep better.

But with my neck hurting, I think serious exercise is out of the question for the moment.

Instead, here’s my plan:

• Make every effort to eat well. When I’m in a bad mood I tend to reach for the potato chips. I love salt. But the thing is, the bloated and uncomfortable feeling I get afterwards does not actually help my mood. So I’m making an effort to eat well.
• Hang out with my kids. I don’t know why, but hanging with the kiddos always makes me feel better. We’ll be playing cards, telling stories, and just hanging out.
• Continue my stretching regimen, and keep the appointments I’ve made with my fantastic chiropractor as well as with my friend Tamar, a muscular therapist extraordinaire.  Obviously, I need to solve this neck pain problem, though I know it will take time.
• Extra cuddles and snuggles with the boyfriend, known around here as Tiger. And conversation, too, of course! 😀 I know that Tiger can’t solve all my problems for me (though I suspect he would if it was humanly possible), I love his company and companionship, even when I’m in a dark mood.
• Don’t veg-out in front of the television too much. When I’m in a lousy mood I feel like escaping in front of the TV, but the truth is that it doesn’t make me happy. After a long TV session I just feel … tired. So I’m going to try to keep the TV off.
• Instead, do something creative. I always enjoy creative projects, even if the final product is not particularly spectacular. Maybe I’ll haul out my sewing machine or work on an online photo album. Although I’m not fantastically talented in the creative arts, I enjoy them. And regular readers know that I love to bake, which I will definitely be doing this weekend.
• Go easy on myself. If I get behind on some household chores, if we eat more prepared or takeout food than usual, or even if I don’t keep to the plan I’ve listed above, I’m not going to beat myself up about it. No reason to make myself feel worse than I already do.

Please tell me that I’m not the only one who occasionally gets into a funk. What do you do to pull yourself out of a bad mood when it hits?