Funk – not always just awesome music!

23 May Funk – not always just awesome music!

I LOVE all types of music. Well, everything except jazz which my father calls “cats on a piano”.

Never been able to train my head to appreciate the randomness of jazz. I DO love the blues, 80’s rock, 60’s, country, metal, alternative, punk, goth and funk! We are hear to talk about funk my little snowflakes!! When I hear funk I think of “we got the funk” by George Clinton and my heart just smiles. I know, its in your head now… you are welcome! You can’t sit still when you hear “one nation under a groove, gettin down, just for the funk of it” by Funkadelic. Love funk when it is music.
We also have “A funk” meaning I am in a funk. When one is in a funk you are not dancing or feeling any groove but depressed, stuck, frustrated, or… what comes out in a funk for me is avoiding something out of fear. Regardless, it is not a fun or pleasant situation to be in. We all get in a funk once in a while and for the most part people can move themselves out of it pretty quickly. I have worked with several clients who need a bit of help in turning that funk inside out. With the latest Mercury retrograde I let myself get into a funk and learned a lot about myself.

How can you/we do turn a funk into my normal groove again?

1. Look back. I know we don’t like to look back or think we shouldn’t but if you are going through a hard time…look back at how far you have come. Could the person you were 6 months ago handle the situation you were in? Did you ever think you could overcome obstacles you have gone around, jumped or just plowed over? Nearly everyone I have spoken too agreed that they can and have handled more than they ever thought.
2. Is there a theme to what you are depressed about or avoiding? For me, I have had fear around finances from time to time which a LOT of people do. One day I was assessing my funk situation and realized that most of my issues were related to finances (didn’t feel like balancing my checkbook, tracking my expenses, submitting my work expense report, protesting our taxes, resolving a paypal validation and lost two credit cards in a month). Instead of 6 issues it was really just one… the energy around finances and that awareness helped me move out of that funk.
3. Either give yourself an break or get over yourself. If I can’t break free I have a conversation with my head.
ME: “Ok hamster wheel, what is going on? Are you feeling sorry for yourself again? rough day?”

Hamster wheel head: “YES! I am NOT having a good day. I am FRUSTRATED and I can’t stop. No one loves me. whaaa!!”

ME: “OK hamster wheel head, do you have a job? a home? clean water? a family? can you walk? can you talk? can you see?”

Hamster wheel head: “hmmm. I don’t like this logic stuff. I feel sad! I feel sad! My life is worthless!”

ME: “OK, lets fee what is really going on. We are in Mercury retrograde, your job just changed, you have not been able to sleep with all the thunder, you found out your vitamin D is low. Give yourself a break”

Hamster wheel head: “yep, there has been a lot going on. things are happening because I am bad and worthless… but just happen”

Sometimes we need to add some levity. This is not making light of your situation but allowing you to see the light in your situation. Humor opens up a lot of healing avenues.
4. How much can you really control? When I get stuck it is normally from something I cannot control. When I worry about lay offs, global climate change, war, famine, etc is it easy to get down. How much can I really control? When I feel really frustrated, it is usually over something I can’t control but am trying to. No wonder its frustrating…. if you can’t control it or change it but you are believing you can? yikes.
In example number 3, I can’t control Mercury retrograde but I can be gentle with myself. I can’t control the storms but I can wear ear plugs. I can take supplements for Vitamin D deficiencies. But war, famine, lay offs, etc… I can’t and need to let that go. I can have compassion for others but in the end that is all I can do.
How do YOU get back into your normal groove and out of your funk? I’d love to hear!
Kristen MH