image from Vogue
I generally try to share a little bit of my life without verging towards diary territory, but I've been in a funk the past couple of weeks and thought putting pen to paper (so to speak) might help a little bit.
For the vast majority of life, I spent the month of August getting ready for school (Pre-K through Master's degree). I always loved that end of summer routine where you got to mix things up - get a new haircut, buy some new clothes, pick out lots of pens and paper. Going off to college only meant things got better, because there were stacks of textbooks to buy, dorm rooms to decorate, and friends from all over to finally see again after long months apart. Plus, I loved the whole learning part. Call me a nerd (it wouldn't be the first time), but I loved the opportunity to jump head first into new classes, hear the perspectives of new teachers, and just learn something new each and every day.
Post school life has always left me in a funk around August. It's that time of the year where instead of feeling refreshed, I start to feel really beat down and somewhat bored. As of yesterday, I've decided I need a serious jumpstart, but here's where I could use some help. The current line of thought is to kick things off with this book, pick out some new recipes to liven up the post work scene and...here's where things start to trail off. Mix up my fitness routine? Finally buy that pair of glasses I've been wanting? Pick out a reading list? Look up classes to take?
So, dearest readers, any advice? What do you do to get out of a funk? Any advice/recommendations/thoughts? I'd really appreciate anything you've got!
Well the nerd that I am, I still do all the things that I did in August when there was school. Yup, I go out and buy new office supplies, get a fresh haircut, buy a couple of fall clothing pieces. I've even gone so far as to get a non fiction book to recreate that "learning" feeling when September starts.
ReplyDeleteI refuse to let go of my little rituals. And when you think about it, it really is hard to let go of a habit we had for nearly 17-18 years. And I've found that if I do all these little things, by mid September I'm just enjoying fall and college football and not having homework all the time, and it starts to feel like I've got the better deal now than I did then!
Thanks for the advice! Right after I read your comment, I scheduled a hair cut and went to Barnes and Noble to pick up a couple of books and pretty much every September issue on the magazine shelves. I feel like that should count as some type of adult learning, right?
DeleteI’ve been pondering this one since I first read it. First, let me just say that the picture you chose to illustrate the funk is PERFECT. I love that you found a high fashion way to convey the mood.
ReplyDeleteNow, in answer to the question at hand…I know it sounds cliché, but I do recommend working out or switching up your workout routine, depending on what you’re already doing. Lots of cities have classes (workout, photography, etc.) that start up in the fall and take you through to the week before the holidays. It can be just enough to keep you in that back-to-school pattern but without the tests and pressure that used to accompany it.
Also, this is going to sound kind of silly, but I actually switch my duvet/shams each season, just to keep things fresh and remind myself that the seasons are changing. All of my sets are blue/white variations so I can keep using the same sets of sheets year round. I just switch up the duvets/shams/accompanying pillows and it lifts me up for at least a couple of weeks into the new season when I go into the bedroom. I know, high class solution for a high class dilemma, but it works for me!
I also recommend plotting out your next vacation, even if it’s just a weekend getaway. It’s always nice to be looking forward to something!
Thanks for the great advice! I love the idea of changing out your duvet and shams. I told my husband we were going to change up our throw pillows on the couch when Fall came, and you helped remind me of that!
DeleteI also have a couple of trips coming up that I was feeling lackluster about, but once I started planning out stuff to do, I'm getting pretty excited! So thanks for your help!