Getting Out of a Funk

After Thanksgiving, a funk settled into my brain.  Just up and moved in with suitcases full of blahs, a few tears and an "I don't care" attitude.  The highs and lows of the holiday season are felt by many, but the "norm" in society is to be happy this time of year...and usually I am.  But for some reason the stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed longer than ever and it took all I had each day to get up and go to work.  That funk would not go away.  Oh, I tried.  I tried focusing on the fun parts in life - aka the weekends, where a new adventure with an almost-two-year-old was always waiting.

 

The weekends were like putting a band-aid on a cut.  The bandage covers it up, shields it from further harm, and - slowly - helps it to heal.  But take that band-aid off and it's a constant reminder, staring you right in the face.  I tried to suck the life out of each weekend and live in the moment.  Moments such as Ava chatting with old men or playing with her cousins...

I threw myself into photography, even snatching up a private lesson with Jonathan Hawkins, the Indy Photo Coach photographer who I've taken classes from and HUGELY admire.  We did a lesson on portrait lighting at his home studio - which is totally drool worthy to me.  Ava's favorite babysitter, Lindsey, agreed to be my model.  This session definitely was a step in the right direction for getting out of my funk.  That funk up there in my head started packing its bags, that's for sure.

But the best way to send my funk packing was to spend a weekend with Julie.  You may remember her from the Jersey Top 5 post.  One of our favorite things to do together is visit wineries, so on Saturday we did just that, and what a cure for a rainy, cloudy day!

Spending the weekend with your best friend and watching her love on your daughter as if she were her own...priceless.  Ava took right to Julie as well, calling her Juju and Jewel, following her around and giving her tons of hugs.  Now if that isn't a mood lifter, I don't know what is!

Julie and I were even able to sneak in a girl's night out with my good friend Holly.  The three of us bonded over Thai food, classy drinks at The Ball and Biscuit...and of course a late-night run to Taco Bell.  Friendship, food and fun - and not to mention the last weekend before winter break - finally did it for me.  Funk...gone.

I'm in a better mood than ever now, as tomorrow is the last day with students before winter break, it's supposed to snow, I've got plans this weekend - and Christmas is just over a week away.  I'm ready to enjoy the "highs" of this season: shopping, snowflakes, perhaps a fire in the fireplace, and tons of get-togethers with family and friends. 

 

 

See you later, funk.  'Tis the season now, and I'm ready to enjoy it!