During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic the signs in the shop windows reading “Temporarily closed” were everywhere. They left us with feelings of fear, disconnect, and hopelessness about the future and whether things would ever get back to the life we knew and appreciated. These types of temporary shutdowns happened not only to businesses but also to individuals, every single day.  

I have just experienced this situation first-hand and would like to bring this fleeting darkness, aka “a funk” to light. I also want to share with you how to make sure that “temporary” does not turn into “permanent”. 

Returning from a vacation in Florida last week, I was on an emotional high. It was the first time I had traveled in more than a year. A gap in travel adventures that I have not experienced in decades! I was able to spend time with friends, sit on the beach with temperatures in the 80’s and sip a few tropical cocktails. My cup was full and I was energized to get back to working on my blog, coaching clients, and continuing my job search upon my return home. 

To my surprise, I returned to a different reality than I had planned that quickly drained my energy, left me depleted, and caused a personal, temporary shutdown. I kept asking myself “how could that happen after just having had such a great vacation?” 

My senior dog Bennett has recently slowed down quite a bit. He is in that phase of his life when it is inevitable to be confronted with his physical decline. His dog sitter reported that he was quite different this time and I could also see his lack of energy. All of a sudden, he wasn’t touching his food in the morning, which was unheard of and worrying to me. I felt helpless. On top of that, I unexpectedly got violently sick with a GI tract response of unknown origin. All I could do was lay down and rest. Here we were, Bennett and I, two curled-up bundles of misery with no apparent path out of the situation. We were both shutting down. 

In recent conversations with clients, friends, and family, I have heard much about states of temporary shutdowns on a professional and personal level. Whether it is employees that are disengaged or overwhelmed with work, physical restrictions of the pandemic, or other reasons, many people are currently undergoing their own version of a temporary shut-down. So, what can you do to pull yourself out of that funk?  

1. Acknowledge your feelings
2. Take a breath
3. Reflect upon your strengths
4. Seek support
5. Review your options
6. Move on

1. Acknowledge your feelings

No person is always on a high. Feelings come and go; they are fleeting. They ebb and flow. Rest assured that this too shall pass. Give yourself some space and grace. It is perfectly understandable to feel sad when you or your loved ones are suffering. 

2. Take a breath

We all respond differently to events in our lives. My stress reaction is to withdraw from the world temporarily. I don’t want to talk to anyone, see anyone and pretend to be invisible for a while. Others might react outwardly and get angry at the world. Whatever your reaction is, it is normal for you. Take a deep breath and release your pain or frustration. As long as we breathe, we are alive!

3. Reflect upon your strengths

Maybe you need a reminder that life is worth living and that you are unique and awesome. What has gotten you through difficult times in the past? This question may seem hard to answer in a moment of darkness. Think of your innate gifts that have gotten you to this point in your life. Maybe it is your ability to connect with other people, the fact that you can fill a room with laughter, or your resilience and ability to recover from the greatest challenges. All of these skills are still available to you and reminding yourself of them may just get you to take the next step. If you are unable to credit yourself with what makes you unique, move to step 4 and seek support.

4. Seek support

Friends and family are the obvious go-to support network, but they can sometimes jump to conclusions, judge, or provide unsolicited advice which is not helpful. Professional coaches are trained to listen and support you in a non-judgmental environment and get you out of your funk as quickly as possible.  

5. Review your options

Regardless of how hopeless your situation seems at that moment, you always have choices of how to respond and to move forward. You may not see them immediately, but ask yourself some questions such as “what would be a completely different way of approaching this situation?”, or force yourself to come up with at least three options (stay a victim, change your mindset, change the situation, etc.) of how to proceed and choose the one that serves you best.

6. Move on

You have permission to linger in your funk for a little bit. We are all humans and have our highs and lows. However, there comes a time when you have to face the world again and come out of your temporary state of shutdown. 

As far as I am concerned, I have moved through all six steps and I am back, open for business! The hardest part for me was to deal with my dog’s condition, but I sought help and took him to the vet. His prognosis is yet unknown, however, even dogs know that life is precious, and if they are physically capable, they will seek joy in every moment of life. My advice to you – Don’t let a temporary setback allow you to shut down for business permanently!