The Cure for March Madness
Feel like you’re in a slump? It’s not just you. I've been getting a lot of DM's from people who feel blah, over it and unmotivated. They don't know why and they are looking for something to shock their mood back to life. If you feel this way, YOU'RE NOT ALONE. I call it March Madness and no, it’s not connected to basketball!
The Inbetween
March is what I like to call "the inbetween": winter is winding down, spring is hiding somewhere and perhaps you're a bit stir crazy. If you have Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, you may be feeling the weight of this time as well. To add to that, this month is the 1yr mark that most of us have been social distancing during a global pandemic. There has been a whole range of emotions and experiences in the last 12 months – ranging from sadness, confusion, grief, regret, resentment, anger to higher emotions like joy, excitement, happiness and now, some hope. Beyond that, let’s not discount the emotions that come with an anniversary marking the end or beginning of something. People who are in recovery often celebrate each year as a milestone, which is something to be honored. However, it’s also a bit emotional because it’s also the anniversary of a time in their lives that was really hard before they got help. It’s melancholy. There’s another anniversary that comes with sadness -- people who have lost a loved one often mark the date of the loss. It’s celebrating the life, but in the context of the loss.
When looking at a global pandemic, there’s a sense of collective grief and loss even if you are not connected to anyone who died. If you lost someone during these last 12 months, this might be even harder. If you’re feeling extra low and not sure why there’s an energy that comes with the anniversary of the beginning of the pandemic. No one was prepared for it, there was no rule book on doing it right, it became political, people took sides, the media (while keeping us informed) created hysteria. In the middle of it, there has really been no time to process. So as we hit the 1-year mark, there is this natural draw to start processing it. Where were we last year at this time? What was put on hold? What have we not been able to do? There’s a natural inclination to measure what we accomplished in the last year. Some people feel like this was a “lost year”.
No matter what you’re feeling, it’s all valid. I also want you to know, if life feels blah or hard now, don’t judge yourself for feeling that way. There is a lot going on. This will take time to process. Now is a great time to give yourself some grace to just go through the feelings. Below are some ideas to release stored up low energy, have some fun and create new energy that will take you into the spring. This is where I’m starting:
1. Make Movement Fun
I’m not big on at home workouts and while I haven’t gained much weight in the last year, I’ve lost a lot of muscle and definition because I’m not going to boot camp classes IRL. Because of this, my clothes are not fitting well and I’m kind of out of shape. It’s easy to judge myself but I have to remind myself: my body may have taken a hit but I’ve stayed home to stay safe and keep others safe. In a sense, I’m putting the way my body looks on a shelf and I’m focusing on how I feel. Right now I’m just finding things that are fun, which for me are Dance Cardio classes. I sometimes dress up in fun outfits. Though I’ve been blasted by my husband for appearing in the background of his zooms while in costume. See below!
I started doing dance workouts and they just make me laugh. I film them and put on Instagram and it makes others laugh.
Peloton has some dance cardio classes and I’m obsessed with Jess King. You can get a free 30 day trial of the app to take the dance classes: https://www.onepeloton.com/
Also, Jess King Instagram lights up my life: https://www.instagram.com/jesskingnyc/
Another great bet is Megan Roup from The Scuplt Society. She has great cardio dance classes and pilates/sclupt and offers a free 14-day free trial. https://thesculptsociety.com/
2. Enclothed Cognition: Dress to lift that mood
Most of us probably have a whole section of our closet of “dress up clothes” that we’re not wearing or maybe you want to wear spring and summer clothes but it feels too early. Trust me, it’s not. I’ve been playing dress up to feel more professional OR I’m wearing summer clothes inside (since I don’t have to be anywhere these days). I’m either dressing for the climate I want to be in, rather than the one I’m in or getting decked out to sit in my tiny office. It’s working – I feel better and happier.
There’s science behind this and it’s known as enclothed cognition. There are studies that show what you wear improves mood and confidence. You’ve probably heard “Suit up and show up” or “Dress for the job you want, not for the job you have". Well, that scientifically proven. So many people joke about not doing hair or make up anymore or wearing sweats all day. It’s time to get back into the habit of putting yourself together. Pick ONE DAY of the week to just get jazzed up and celebrate it. It will raise your mood. And up your selfie game.
3. Make a Vision Board or a “good mood” board
Pretty soon a lot of the world will open up again, people will be traveling, going out, having experiences. Maybe you can’t plan some of these things now, but you can visualize them. I put together a vision board of things I want to do or where I want to go and it helps me focus on things to get excited about. It’s pretty simple: get a poster board, cut things from magazines or print things from online or find pics of favorite memories and glue them to the board. Keep it where you can see it every day.
It’s fun to start feeling the energy of the future, even if there is some uncertainty about what it will be like when we can do more. There’s science behind vision boards that they boost your mood and your energy and they start aligning your energy with your wishes. It’s the #1 key to manifesting, putting it down and focusing on it. Do this with your kids and friends and share them with each other – when we share goals and designers, other people can energetically support us.
I made this video in March 2020 for a group of kids for a school art program that became virtual. It gives tips and ideas of why a Vision Board or Good Mood Board work!
4. I’m teaching a workshop to cure March Madness:
Join me on Zoom on SATURDAY MARCH 20TH at 9AM CST / 10AM EST for MINDFULNESS to cure MARCH MADNESS! Simple Mindfulness Tools that take 30 seconds to 3 minutes to wake you up to new energy.
This fun workshop will be on Zoom and I’ll be teaching 5 simple things you can do to release stagnant energy and welcome in new energy and it will also be a dance party. It’s good for all ages and experience levels.
Click on the image above to be taken to the registration page on Eventbrite. Or click HERE
Also, you can join me every Friday at 12pm CST on my Instagram @TheWorldofDoug for FEEL GOOD ENERGY where I go live with special guests.