Funk: a state of paralyzing fear; a depressed state of mind; slump
Are you familiar with a funk? Have you ever had one? A couple weeks ago I took to my instagram stories to see if any of you had. This initiated from a conversation I had that morning with a girlfriend who stated she was in one. As we were talking through it, the various factors behind it, how long it’s been going on etc, I said to her, “Man, we just can’t seem to put the finger on the funk!” Now if this were an isolated conversation, then I probably would have just let it go from there, but considering that I hear this from many women, and have experienced them myself, I decided I wanted to dive into this a little more.
98% of you said that you have been in a funk. So something tells me you understand the frustrations that come along with them. I defined “a funk” above thanks to Webster’s dictionary, but each one of us may define it a little differently. Sometimes the funk is just in one area, say our health, or our faith, or in a relationship, but more than likely it’s the overall feeling of blah. I asked you all if you wouldn’t mind telling me the emotions you feel when you get into a funk and let me tell you what! I got a TON of feedback! Here are some of the words I got:
Hopeless, heavy, stress, discouraged, blah, defeated, sad, depression, unmotivated, despair, disconnected, drained, alone, confusion, lost passion, purposeless, worthless, unloved, overwhelmed, flat, apathetic and so on
The MOST COMMON response I got was UNMOTIVATED and OVERWHELMED.
None of those words have a positive connotation to them. None. So we can say with accuracy that being in a funk is a place none of us love.
One of the things that is very common when you enter a funk is that we turn inward. Many times, we go quiet and retreat. I think this is OK if our intent during our retreat is to turn TO JESUS. If our intent during our retreat is to focus on US and the negative situations at hand etc, then we have entered a dangerous place. When we do this, we have the perfect environment to become ISOLATED. And who would love to have us feeling left out and alone? Our enemy. Satan would love for us to stay in the dark during our funk because he knows if we are left to ourselves, obsessing over what we have or don’t have, who did this to us, or feeling like we have nothing to offer to the world, we’ll stay there. He won’t even have to do much to hold us there because we’ve held ourselves there with our own detrimental, dark, isolating thoughts. Friends, we must be on guard.
The important thing for us to do and know during these times is that they are temporary. We will get out of them, we just have to endure. So my next question to you all on instagram was what you did to get out of the funk? Here are some of your responses:
Remind yourself you’ve been there before, plan for future activities, read scripture, get back to healthy eating, get busy with tangible activities, write down things you are thankful for, call a friend or sister, cut back, refocus, exercise, give grace, worship, do the next thing, journal, sleep, self-care, cry, listen to podcasts/sermons and so on
The MOST COMMON response I got was READ SCRIPTURE and EXERCISE.
You know what’s cool about that? I promise you I did NOT plan it this way! The “Living and Active” challenge I created 7 years ago talks to these 2 disciplines and good news for you…we are going to start a new round in January! More on that later, but be sure to stay subscribed here for emails and in touch with me on my social media accounts.
I am talking to this whole issue in this facebook live video I did so I would encourage you to watch it. Things addressed:
- Creating your “get out of the funk” toolbelt
- The spiritual battle at hand
- A warning during the funk
- The timing of it
- Who ultimately helps us through it
and lots of other ramblings and tangents!
(If you can’t see the video below, click here)
I want to put the main things I mentioned for your tool belt so you had it easily referenced. Here they are:
- Who: Who will be your person(s) to reach out to you when you feel it?
- Soul-Care: Which books, worship playlists, podcast etc will you read?
- Self-Care: Exercise, nutrition, sleep, makeup/hair
- Short list: Create a daily short list to be accomplished
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