Some weeks are just “meh” weeks. It’s not that something terrible happens, but more that nothing good seems to be happening. You don’t feel like you’re accomplishing much. You don’t feel motivated or engaged. You’re tired and might even think about giving up (and maybe binge watching on Netflix to stop thinking about the meh).
This week was one of those for me. But I’ve taken some time to reflect and have learned and been reminded of a few things that I thought might help others who might be having their own meh weeks.
We are supposed to have ups and downs. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do all we can to create a life that has more ups than downs. But take a page from nature. The ocean tides come and go, leaves change colors, flowers bloom and die, we sleep and wake and the circle of life continues to repeat itself. The key here is there is variation rather a constant state. Changing between the states helps keep us out of a place of being static and pushes us towards growth and change by challenging us with a different set of circumstances. While it’s true that being in a static place has some element of safety, it also has such little room for joy (and must be pretty boring as well).
We need time to rest. Sticking with nature, we can’t really have mountains without having valleys, otherwise we’d have one large plain. It’s admirable in life to climb the mountains, whether literal or metaphorical. But if all we did was climb mountains, we would exhaust ourselves. And when you get to the top, it’s not exactly easy there either as the winds buffet you. No, you have to take a step back, take shelter, rest, and then move on.
We need to check where we are. Meh weeks are reminders to take stock of where we are and whether we are on course. When you’re driving really fast, you may get to your destination faster. But if you’ve gotten off course, you will get lost that much faster. And it’s difficult (and dangerous, to yourself and others) to check your map when you’re going fast. Far better to slow down and take a break to get your bearings.
- Has your destination changed? Do you remember why you’re chasing a particular goal? If you’ve been tracking daily actions, can you see that you are indeed making progress?
- Is there enough gas in your tank? Are you feeling meh because you haven’t been taking care of your body so that it can support you – getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, exercising, meditating?
- Who else is with you on the journey? Do you have the right support network? Are you taking time to be present in your relationships to maintain and strengthen them?
Once you’ve taken stock of these, you can decide if the break was enough to get you back on the road, or if you need to modify your destination or the speed at which you’re moving.
I don’t have all the answers, but I’m glad I took the time to stop and ask for directions. I’m going to try to relax and refuel over the weekend and hit the ground running on Monday and leave the meh in the rear view mirror.