What to do When in a Slump

There are all types of slumps – creative, financial, relationship and personal. I’m sure there are others, but those are what come to mind – I’ve experienced all of them. I think that comes with living the kind of life I lead. There are times when it seems like I’m on a never ending roller coaster ride with lots of ups and lots of downs. The one thing I try to do when I’m in whatever kind of slump I’m experiencing,  is to focus on the areas that seem to be working in my life.  I’ve learned to take the bitter with the sweet.

Here’s some other remedies I have found that help get me out of a slump:

• GET OUT – I mean that literally as well as figuratively. I break the pattern of what I am doing that doesn’t seem to be working and “get out” of that place. I also literally – get out – I change my environs – I get together with friends.
• TRY SOMETHING NEW – I do something that I may have been thinking about, but I usually talk myself out of with every rational reason I shouldn’t do it. So, I follow my irrational instincts.
• WALK AWAY – This is especially true when you are dealing with something technical and you just don’t “get it”. There have been days when I have struggled with something that wasn’t working – like when editing in Final Cut Pro – and I need to give myself some time away from the problem. But this only works if you aren’t up against a tight deadline. I try not to force a learning curve into situations with tight deadlines.
•  FOCUS ON WHAT IS GOING RIGHT – There is always something to be grateful for – focus on that.
• BE STILL – I think this is perhaps the most important remedy that I have learned to embrace and that is – to give something time and not  force it. If something is meant to happen then it will – and in its own time.

Every one of these “remedies” is pretty much centered around the same thing,  and that is to recognize that there will always be slumps in one way or another – but they will make those sweet times that much sweeter.