Getting Out of a Funk (By First Letting Yourself Be in It)
Recently, I found myself deep in a funk.
One of those stretches where even the thought of “helpful advice” like go for a walk, get some fresh air, clean your head just made me want to roll over and pull the doona tighter.
And here’s the truth I realised: sometimes, you have to go through the funk to get out of it.
No shortcuts. No bypassing. Just sitting in it.
Letting Yourself Be in the Funk
When I was in mine, I didn’t fight my body’s “nope” signals.
I cancelled plans.
I cut down my work commitments.
I let myself rest.
I had a good cry (more than once).
I allowed all the feelings to bubble up — the sadness, the irritability, the flatness.
And you know what?
Even though part of me wanted to “fix” it quickly, another part knew that nothing was going to shift until I’d given myself permission to just… be here.
That also meant facing the guilt that often comes with doing less — the “I should be more productive, I should be doing XYZ” thoughts. Fighting that guilt is hard, but it’s necessary. We are allowed to be a non-productive human for a little while.
Why We’re in a Funk (and Why It Doesn’t Always Matter)
Sure, I could point to reasons:
- Hormonal fluctuations (hello, perimenopause 👋)
- The post-holiday crash back to reality
- Overwhelm from work
- Parenting teens and all the emotional load that comes with it
But honestly? Sometimes we don’t know why we’re in a funk. It might be subconscious, or a mix of little things that just tip us over the edge. And that’s okay — we don’t need to have a clear “reason” before we allow ourselves to rest.
The Glimmers of the Upturn
The beautiful thing is that eventually, little glimmers appear.
For me, they were small and almost unnoticeable at first.
I walked the dog again.
I watched and sang along to my favourite musical Hamilton
I chatted with my husband about how I was feeling.
I reached out to friends instead of withdrawing.
I cried again, but it felt like a release this time.
I turned to my flower essence blends — Self Love and Help were my companions during those days.
It wasn’t about snapping my fingers and being “back to normal” overnight. It was about building small moments of connection, care, and movement back into my days as my energy returned.
Tips for Easing Out of a Funk (When You’re Ready)
These are the gentle, doable things that helped me once I was ready to shift:
- Start small – If a walk around the block feels too much, just stand outside for a minute and feel the air on your skin.
- Talk to someone safe – Let a friend or loved one know how you’re feeling without trying to package it neatly.
- Move your body gently – Walk the dog, stretch in bed, sway to a song you love.
- Let the tears come – Crying is a release, not a weakness.
- Use your tools – For me, that’s my wild flower essence blends. Self Love helps me feel softer toward myself, and Help supports me when I feel overwhelmed.
- Notice the glimmers – Celebrate any moment, no matter how tiny, where you feel a shift.
- Be patient with the process – You don’t have to “bounce back.” You can gently rise.
Final Thoughts
Funk seasons are part of being human.
They’re uncomfortable, yes. But they can also be strangely fertile ground for deep rest, quiet reflection, and gentle self-compassion.
So if you’re in one right now, know this:
You’re not broken. You’re not lazy. You’re not failing.
You’re simply riding a wave. And when you’re ready, the shore will appear again — one small glimmer at a time.
Alisha x
Getting Out of a Funk (By First Letting Yourself Be in It)
Recently, I found myself deep in a funk.
One of those stretches where even the thought of “helpful advice” like go for a walk, get some fresh air, clean your head just made me want to roll over and pull the doona tighter.
And here’s the truth I realised: sometimes, you have to go through the funk to get out of it.
No shortcuts. No bypassing. Just sitting in it.
Letting Yourself Be in the Funk
When I was in mine, I didn’t fight my body’s “nope” signals.
I cancelled plans.
I cut down my work commitments.
I let myself rest.
I had a good cry (more than once).
I allowed all the feelings to bubble up — the sadness, the irritability, the flatness.
And you know what?
Even though part of me wanted to “fix” it quickly, another part knew that nothing was going to shift until I’d given myself permission to just… be here.
That also meant facing the guilt that often comes with doing less — the “I should be more productive, I should be doing XYZ” thoughts. Fighting that guilt is hard, but it’s necessary. We are allowed to be a non-productive human for a little while.
Why We’re in a Funk (and Why It Doesn’t Always Matter)
Sure, I could point to reasons:
- Hormonal fluctuations (hello, perimenopause 👋)
- The post-holiday crash back to reality
- Overwhelm from work
- Parenting teens and all the emotional load that comes with it
But honestly? Sometimes we don’t know why we’re in a funk. It might be subconscious, or a mix of little things that just tip us over the edge. And that’s okay — we don’t need to have a clear “reason” before we allow ourselves to rest.
The Glimmers of the Upturn
The beautiful thing is that eventually, little glimmers appear.
For me, they were small and almost unnoticeable at first.
I walked the dog again.
I watched and sang along to my favourite musical Hamilton
I chatted with my husband about how I was feeling.
I reached out to friends instead of withdrawing.
I cried again, but it felt like a release this time.
I turned to my flower essence blends — Self Love and Help were my companions during those days.
It wasn’t about snapping my fingers and being “back to normal” overnight. It was about building small moments of connection, care, and movement back into my days as my energy returned.
Tips for Easing Out of a Funk (When You’re Ready)
These are the gentle, doable things that helped me once I was ready to shift:
- Start small – If a walk around the block feels too much, just stand outside for a minute and feel the air on your skin.
- Talk to someone safe – Let a friend or loved one know how you’re feeling without trying to package it neatly.
- Move your body gently – Walk the dog, stretch in bed, sway to a song you love.
- Let the tears come – Crying is a release, not a weakness.
- Use your tools – For me, that’s my wild flower essence blends. Self Love helps me feel softer toward myself, and Help supports me when I feel overwhelmed.
- Notice the glimmers – Celebrate any moment, no matter how tiny, where you feel a shift.
- Be patient with the process – You don’t have to “bounce back.” You can gently rise.
Final Thoughts
Funk seasons are part of being human.
They’re uncomfortable, yes. But they can also be strangely fertile ground for deep rest, quiet reflection, and gentle self-compassion.
So if you’re in one right now, know this:
You’re not broken. You’re not lazy. You’re not failing.
You’re simply riding a wave. And when you’re ready, the shore will appear again — one small glimmer at a time.
Alisha x
2 comments
So have been following you for many years now,
Thanks for sharing your stories I have found you honest helpful.
When my mum passed some years ago I didn’t think I would stop crying, but I can talk about her now without get ting upset, and I loss my best friend to cancer around the same time.
Now I us wish I had a friend I could ring a share feeling with tooHi Alisha,
Firstly thanku for sharing. Its true we all need time to rest and recover but don’t often allow ourselves to do so. We’re so used to having to ‘perform’.I hope you continue to feel ‘more like yourself’ each day.
Lastly, your words remind me to allow my children to have their time also. My daughter is finding year 9 exhausting, along with still adjusting hormonally and finished last semester on a real low. She was flatter than I’d seen her in a long while. School holidays helped a little.
I’ve allowed her to miss some classes this term, hoping she can have a little reprieve here and there. She’s still struggling with it but little steps. Its hard with schooling as you don’t want them to fall behind too far or feel like they’ve failed but very mindful of her mental health.Your words remind me to allow ourselves to be human and it’s ok to do what you can and leave what you can’t. And using the help and self-love drops to support through.
Thanku for sharing your help and experiences. Very grateful. 🙏
Grateful for any other suggestions of support.
🩷 Sonja
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