syndrome.

ever find yourself feeling a little down in the dumps?

a little sad for no reason?

slightly bored?

monotonous?

in a funk??

if you're saying "no" right now, i'm convinced you're lying...

because we all feel that way sometimes!

we're not alone!

but even though it's natural,

it stinks to be there...

so, why stay??

let's de-FUNK ourselves

here's a few simple things i do when i feel like i'm slowly sinking into the quicksand of routine, worry, anxiety, depression, boredom or anything else that causes Rut Syndrome.

TAKE THE TIME TO SPIRITUALLY NOURISH YOURSELF BY:

1. READING THE BIBLE AND MEMORIZING IT

as a Christian, this seems like a no-brainer...but it really isn't...

because most times, you start feeling anxious and realize after the fact that you haven't been in the Word at all!

the Bible is a Rescue for us that meets our needs specifically.

fear? no problem.

anxiety? yup, it covers that.

finances? in there, too!

2. PRAYING AND JOURNALING

again, a lot of times reading the Bible and praying are the first things to go out the window when you're experiencing a funk...and it shouldn't be...they're the most important.

TIGHTEN UP QUALITY CONTROL STANDARDS BY:

3. DRINKING MORE WATER

there are countless benefits to drinking plenty of water.

from hydration, to proper organ function, to cancer prevention

drinking water allows your body to feel clean,

allows your mind to think clearer...

and it promotes healthy skin!

4. EATING LESS CANDY

i am completely jelly beaned out!

we invited those little devils into our house over easter weekend and my consumption of them have had my nerves on edge.
maybe you don't have a candy addiction...

maybe you don't eat chocolate for breakfast

 (who would do that??? not me :)

but take a good look at what you are eating...

your sugar consumption could be throwing off your moods.

(it's important to remember that sugar isn't just candy.
sugar is also anything starchy like breads, etc.)

5. GETTING ACTIVE

nothing makes you feel worse than sitting around doing nothing.

now that the weather is getting nicer, it makes it easier to get off our butts, intake some Vitamin D, listen to the birds and just get our bodies moving.

STABILIZE YOUR EMOTIONS BY:

6. GETTING CRAFTY

or do something that makes you happy,

whatever your hobby is...

doing something that you're good at or is self-gratifying

will help you feel good about how you spent your day.

7. SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH

PEOPLE YOU LOVE AND LOVE YOU

if you're with these types of people, then you are likely

 smiling,

 joking,

 laughing and

 hugging more!

all of these things are important to healthy living!

EVALUATE YOUR ENTERTAINMENT BY:

8. LISTENING TO CHRISTIAN MUSIC

your body responds to everything you put into it...

even the things you put into it through your senses.

if you listen to angry music,

you'll feel angry,

if you listen to sad music,

you'll feel sad.
if you listen to encouraging music,
you guessed it, you'll feel encouraged.

also, a lot of christian music is based on bible verses so it's a great way to keep God's word in your heart. 

my go-to spirit-lifting, christian music is Leeland.

they just sound like a sunny day to me.

9. WATCH LESS/NO TV

i watch so much Investigation Discovery sometimes that it gets me thinking that everyone is plotting a murder conspiracy...maybe even against me!!

i joke, but really...

there's a lot of junk out there!

10. READ AN ENCOURAGING BOOK

with all the time leftover from not watching tv,

there's plenty to read a book!

i don't like to read {gasp}

but short, encouraging snippets are good for me.

i love the book, "The Rabbi's Heartbeat" by Brennan Manning.

(i stole my copy from a friend)

It talks about the intimacy we can have with Jesus...

an important topic when in a rut.

So, that's all i have right now;

although, i know there's so much more that could be added.

these are the things i'm working on now and thought i'd share in case it could be helpful to someone else out there in Blogland that's diagnosed themselves with Rut Syndrome.

Being in a rut is no fun....

believe me, i've been there

 and felt myself going there again which is why i made this list.

i'm no expert,

but i'm experienced.

it's also important to remember,

that ruts are usually temporary,

there's a reason for every season,

and Jesus is just a prayer away...

even if it's only frantic ramblings we're offering,

He's happy to hear from us.