Sometimes I fall into a state of turmoil.

I call it being in a “funk,” “getting stuck,” or “losing myself.” It feels horrible. I can’t think. My chest gets heavy. My head spins. Does this sound familiar?

Call it depression, call it “please-just-leave-me-alone syndrome”—but after talking with friends, I’ve realized everyone gets into funks. The problem is: How do we get out of them?

Three Tricks to Overcome a Funk Now:

After getting into so many funks—where all I could do was get under my covers, feel the emotional pain, and wonder, “Why, why, why?”—I came up with some highly effective mindset shifts that help get me through the experience. I’ve also learned a life-changing technique from spiritual teacher Jeff Krock that brings me back to my Self (with a capital S!) every time.

Warning: These “tricks” appear simple, but they’re powerful and worthy of our time.

1. Mindset Shift: I Remember It’s Temporary.

When I’m in a funk, I feel like there’s no way out. This makes it feel permanent. But funks are always temporary. “This too shall pass“ is my motto of the day. As soon as I think that it’s permanent, the fear, anxiety, stress, and doubt will expand and take me further into the difficulty.

I don’t fall into this trap anymore. Instead, I remember that nothing is permanent. I remember that my body, mind, and spirit will adjust themselves to whatever reality I’m facing, and my true Self will come back (eventually).

2. Mindset Shift: I Remember to Wait.

Not all funks are the same—that’s for sure. Once you recognize that your situation is temporary, it’s time to remember to wait. These steps might seem similar, but it’s good to consciously recognize both. During your “waiting period” refrain from judging yourself for the experience. Being in a funk is part of the human experience and every time we find ourselves in one, we learn more about ourselves and our needs.

My times in a funk will never be comfortable, but knowing that they are temporary and remembering to wait without judgment gives me the courage to endure. Eventually, I’ll be bright-eyed again. These two pieces of advice are mindset shifts, and they’re all about remembering to remember. When everything is telling me I’m worthless, when I’m fearful, or when my head is spinning with self-critical thoughts, I remember to remember, and I say: “This is temporary. I can wait this out.”

I can’t stress enough how much this helps.

3. Technique: I Feel the Ground with My Physical Body.

This is the technique that brings me back. I learned it from Jeff Krock. He’s been teaching spiritual techniques for over 40 years, and he’s created a breakthrough approach to experience real inner peace.

At the core of his teaching is the following technique: Feel your body resting against the ground. Feel the sensation of contact with the ground.

When I feel the ground with my body, the contrast is palpable. My mind calms. I feel free, hopeful, and steady. “I’m back,” are the best words I have to describe the experience. Jeff calls this state “real inner peace.”

Why Feeling the Ground Works.

Here’s how Jeff describes it: Our bodies have energy. Whether we call it chi, prana, spirit, life force, or something else—when this energy is calm, I’m calm. When it’s in turmoil, I’m in turmoil. To calm the turbulent ocean of stress that becomes our experience, Jeff says we need to anchor our energy. And what’s the biggest, most stable thing we have for anchoring? The Earth.

A Technique That’s Not so Easy to Teach.

It’s easy to talk about “feeling the ground with your body,” but I’ve tried to teach my friends, and only a few of them get it. Then I ask them to call Jeff, and they immediately understand. There’s something about Jeff’s kind presence. His voice transmits the information—deeper than words—and his state of calm helps me find the real inner peace that’s already inside me.

Jeff told me that, of all the practices he shares with his clients, “feeling the ground” is the most important one he’d like to share with the world. You can learn to feel the ground on your own, but having a teacher helps greatly.

You Don’t Have to Be Stuck in a Funk Anymore.

People don’t talk openly about their “funks” enough. If they did, we’d do a lot more sharing about the information, practices, and techniques that actually work to overcome them. These three things (two mindset shifts and one simple energy technique) have profoundly transformed my life, and they’ve helped me climb out of some very dark holes.

I’d love to know if these techniques helped you. And if you have a trick that helps you get “unstuck” when you’re in a funk, please share it in the comments below.

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Author: Jeremy Alan
Image: Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash
Editor: Leah Sugerman