Action man.
I am not a happy guy.
I never really have been.
I come from a long line of manic depressives and suicide and was raised by worriers. These things can affect ones psyche and outlook on life. And making a living from your creativity is a tough route for someone who’s easily thrown off course.
But this ain’t a sad story because I’ve learned the tools to get me out of depression and bring light into the darkness. With these, I can create, make and even share happiness and joy.
Action, action, action.
I’m an action figure. Everything I do to find the light involves action.
Action beats too much thinking. Action beats worry. Action wins all the time.
I wake very early in the morning. I’m thankful for my body alarm clock, but at 4:30AM it’s set a bit early for most. But if I don’t get out of bed, my thoughts begin to congeal around loss and self-doubt and poverty, so my first action is get my ass out of bed.
I love my early mornings. I’ve built myself a nice spot surrounded by my plants and I have a lovely coffee routine. So by 5 o’clock I am out on the porch under the stars, before the birds wake, winter, spring, summer, fall and I get to work. This routine gives me something to look forward to and every morning is unique and different and every sunrise is special.
The opposite of depression is expression. Depression is carrying the darkness around with you in your head, ruminating on everything that is wrong. Expression is getting out of your head and into your hands and body and start making.
I don’t use the practice of journaling, but I write everyday (this post was begun this morning at 7:30AM right after my run). The act of putting your struggle and difficulties into words and sharing them can help— and can make the way easier for others, letting them know they are not alone.
My best and most reliable tool for attitude adjustment is through movement. We spent 95% of our time living in our heads, negating the rest of our bodies, but our minds lie to us our bodies don’t. I get out of my head by getting out of my studio.
My gym is my church. That’s where I go to turn off my mind and focus on my body. Through exercise, you replace all the oxygen in your body—out with the old in with the new. Movement pushes all those bad chemicals of adrenaline and cortisol that have peed into your system out, and replaces them with new oxygenated blood. A mental re-set.
If I can’t get to the gym, then I’ll go for a run or even a walk. And I never bring my phone.
Any movement helps, even a 1 minute dance party. Put on some good music and throw yourself a dance party. Try Erma Franklin’s 1967 “Piece of my Heart.”
Action is the word. Action helps me adjust my perspective and find that deep well of creativity. Physical movement, allows me to turn my mind off and become the seven year-old “Jimmy” who’s always waiting for me.
What tools do YOU use to get out of your funk?
Same, same, same - the solo dance party, the church of the gym. Boxing does the world more favors than punching walls; rambling roads offers more routes to creative expression and collaborative connection than just taking the next exit into total seclusion. Getting out of bed before the litany of whatever-shall-we-do begins to sing its beloved little dirge. Above all else - making some kind of meaning from whatever materials I can find. Thanks for this post.
The unserious side of making, my sparkling water box becomes a tray in my studio, my oatmeal canister becomes a tool holder. I cut, paste, paint what might normally be discarded into useful vessels around my space. The low stakes keeps it light and fun and fails don’t matter.