One of my mentors Les Brown once asked a question in my presence, and the question was, “who motivates the motivator?” What he was really saying was even though I am known as the world’s #1 motivational speaker, I need to be motivated sometimes too.

It doesn’t matter who you are. Whether you are the one that is always the go to person for your friends and family, or whether you inspire and motivate people for a living like myself and Mr. Les Brown does, we all get down in the dumps sometimes.

We all get in that funky mood that just hovers over us like a cloud, and follows us around keeping our moods dark and grey like a Seattle winter. It is not always a bad thing, because sometimes it gives us clarity, or allows us to focus on our self and it can give us a true to life perspective of what’s really going on in our life.

The trick though is not to live there permanently. We do not want to be in that space for too long, because soon it will be affecting every person we come in contact with and it becomes contagious and affects our decision making skills. We cannot make positive life changing decisions when we are in a state of negativity.

The trick then is to change our state to one that will guide us in the right direction, and out of that funky state of mind into a positive state of mind, because that is the only place where positive growth happens.

Here are 3 guaranteed ways to get you out of that funky state of mind, regardless of how you got there:

1. Get in a state of gratitude

This is not hard to do, and I know this to be a fact not just for me, but also for you. I know this, because if you are reading this right now, then you are obviously alive, regardless of the health condition you are in. According to worldometer, at this exact moment of writing this article 78,079 people died today so far, and you are obviously not one of them.

Gratitude is not just about the material things in life, because those things can always be replaced, but the things that can never be replaced are usually the things that we take for granted. Things like waking up this morning, having a family regardless of how big or small, having the opportunity to change your current circumstances regardless of how dire it may seem right now.

Can you walk? Can you talk? Do you have all or some of your limbs? These are all things to be grateful for. I know sometimes thinking about others and how much better off you are doesn’t soften your situation, but the biggest thing that you have to be grateful for is the fact that you have the opportunity to change yours.

“I try to be grateful for the abundance of the blessings that I have, for the journey that I’m on and to relish each day as a gift.” – James McGreevey

2. Right vs what is wrong thinking

This will definitely help you shift your state dramatically. Our minds can and will only think about what we command it to think about. So when you focus on what is right in your life vs what is wrong you will see how blessed you really are, and this will create a shift in your emotional state.

Here is how this works best for me. On a piece of blank paper at the top on each side, write what is going right for you, and on the other side at the top also write what is going wrong. Start with what’s going wrong first, and get it all out of the way, write until your heart’s content.

On the other side, write all the things that have gone right for you in your life. Start with being alive, being a brother, sister, uncle, friend, having a roof over your head, clean drinking water, then start on your achievements. The trick to this is to write down EVERYTHING that comes to mind, and once again write until your heart’s content.

If you truly took the time and did this exercise you will see that there is absolutely no comparison about what is right in comparison to what is wrong. The right side should outweigh what is wrong. Work from there, and use that to help you build momentum.

3. Write down how you feel

Taking time to physically write down how you feel will help you understand why you feel the way you do. It’s one thing to have a thought, but when you put that thought on paper you are now forcing yourself to express exactly how that thought feels.

Before the pen touches the paper a thought has to go into what you are about to write, and if it doesn’t feel right, you will erase or cross out, and put down what it is that you are really feeling. This forces you to think about the state of mind that you are in, and if forces you to face it, because it is right in front of you.

We cannot hide from our thoughts, they will eventually come out in the words we say, and in the words that we write. Once you have your thoughts in front of you, read them out loud, and even better if you have someone to read them to, and ask yourself why am I in this state right now?

“Whether you’re keeping a journal or writing as a meditation, it’s the same thing. What’s important is you’re having a relationship with your mind.” – Natalie Goldberg

What are some ways you’ve helped yourself get out of a funk? Leave your thoughts below!

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