Go On, Be Weird

Ever have a day where you literally don't feel like doing anything?

I don't mean when you're not in the mood to work. I mean when you don't want to do anything.

Ever just kinda sit around on your couch telling yourself you'll get up in fiiiiiive more minutes? Ever realize it's already 8pm and you didn't "do anything" today?

Oh have I been there, friend.

In fact, I'm there right now. I'm sitting in a cafe because "I don't know what to do with myself." I tried going for a walk. Didn't feel better. Tried snacking. Didn't help. Watched an episode of Friends. Nothing.

Maybe you feel like you're not sure what to do today because you're the indecisive kind of anxious person. Maybe you need to find the "best" way to spend your time and can't decide what it is, so you get frustrated and abstain from making any decision at all. Don't. Do something. It's okay if it's not the best way to spend your time, because I honestly don't think that question has an answer.

But maybe you feel like nothing feels good today. Maybe you, too, are recovering from depression, and don't know whether your bouts of lethargy are "normal" or "symptoms." 

But here's the deal, depression/anxiety or not,

usually just means

Think about it. Are you having trouble enjoying your break because you're worrying about your to-do list? Too mentally tired to work on anything, but also worrying too much to actually enjoy your break? 

Here's what this looks like in The Studio: I have music playing but I'm not actually listening to it. The TV is on but I'm not actually watching it. I'm telling myself I'll take a 15 minute break. When time's up, I'm telling myself 5 more minutes.

It's terrible.

What we need in these times if a frame-break. Something to keep our attention long enough to calm down/loosen up/whatever it is we need. But our usual comforts are probably not going to work right now, because it's easy to do them mechanically (i.e. without actually thinking about what you're doing.) Usually, when I'm feeling stressed, a short walk while listening to music does the trick. I come back full of energy and feel good again. But I've gone on two walks today, and I still feel lethargic.

So what's gonna help?

You need to do something weird. Something that doesn't make you uncomfortable, necessarily, but feels strange. Trust me. It works wonders.

Here are some things I do:

I have a pair of houndstooth heels that I adore. And when I need to do something mundane (think: laundry, sorting paperwork, vacuuming, etc. etc.) and I can't get myself to get out of bed, I put my heels on. There's something about experiencing your apartment 4 inches above your usual height that feels so damn refreshing. And the soft clicking while I walk is oddly therapeutic.

If you haven't tried Lush's bath bombs yet, go get some right now. No. Seriously. Where are your keys? Bath bombs are fizzy, soapy little things that change the color and consistency of your bath. They smell delicious and--if you get in the bath before you toss one in--feel bizarre. Taking a bath itself is a frame-break for me since I usually exclusively shower, but bath bombs add an extra, wtf-is-happening-right-now kick.

When I say "dense," I'm not talking about books that are badly written. Or old. Or convoluted. I'm talking about books that require you to process a lot of information. Not a fast-paced, action-driven story. Something slow. Something heavy. Something thought provoking. Sometimes I read a few pages out of Reasons and Persons, by Derek Parfit. After fifteen or so minutes, I'm satisfied. I stay away from opinions articles on news sites because, even though those articles basically do the same thing, the internet is a trap. I know I'm going to start with the article and wind up on buzzfeed.

This feels weird for at least a few hours. I have no idea why, but it throws me off. I feel like the weight on my head settles differently, but I know that's not actually true since hair weighs all of about 0.3 oz.

(If you want to be precise, 2ft of hair is around 0.25 pounds.)

Welp , that's all I've got for now! What helps you break out of a blah mood?