1-1-1: f the slump era
read about how to get out of a 'slump era' (deep depression), a motivating quote about life, and some travel updates!
august, 2023
edition 27.
I’m watching the rain hit the trees and fill up the beautiful lake bled in slovenia — a country I have never been to before (and if I’m honest, couldn’t even pin on a map before I flew here) but have been so pleasantly surprised by.
I have also learned that I have a few slovenian followers on instagram which is absolutely wild. I’d love to learn where you’re reading this edition of the newsletter from so please comment your home country/city!
the privilege of travel is not lost on me. I wrote in my journal this morning and sat in the feeling of gratitude to be able to explore so many different parts of this world. I know traveling like this isn’t accessible to everyone, and I hope that I’m showcasing these parts of the world with justice.
next week I’ll be writing from the US (but not from LA, yet!) and I’m excited for the feeling of familiarity — finally — after being abroad and out of my routine for so long. for now, let’s talk about the slump era.
you can expect one email from me every week containing:
one quote that has been inspiring me
one journal prompt
one piece of advice*
* = if you want to submit a question for my upcoming emails, you can find the form here.
podcast
on hiatus until september — listen to past episodes here <3
one quote
“here’s what they don’t tell you — you’re never really going to figure it out.
you’re never going to figure out the world, or why the things that happened to you happened, or how to ensure that your future is faultless. you’re never going to figure out how to perfect your existence, because it was never meant to be perfected.
instead, you will figure out how to move forward, day by day.
you will figure out what kind of breakfast you like in the morning and what kind of people you want by your side. you will figure out the places that make your soul feel at home, and sometimes those places will be human beings.
you’ll figure out how to live with yourself, how to be your own companion. you’;; figure out how to be kind to even the most broken parts of yourself.
see, you’ll figure out how to embrace life. how to truly accept it as it comes. and it won’t always be easy or clean-cut; it won’t always make sense, and you won’t always have control.
but it will be yours. it will be yours.”
—unknown, via @sophiaecarter
one journal prompt
if you feel lost or like you don’t know who you are, create a running list of everything you enjoy. how you like your coffee, what types of tv shows you are drawn to after a long day, and the funny genres of music spotify categorises your playlists as.
you’ll find that you’re a more unique mix of experiences and interests than you ever thought possible.
one piece of advice
“I have been feeling pretty low lately and nothing excites me and I never look forward to anything anymore. any advice on what to do and how to start enjoying things again?”
hi hello and a formal welcome to the slump era. defined (by me) as a period of life where nothing feels exciting, life feels pointless, and you’re going through the motions each day watching life go by. in other words, you’re in a ~slump~
my name is katie and I’m the #1 slump era survivor. for a ramble version of how I pulled myself out of this period, I would highly suggest giving this podcast episode a listen. for a condensed version, keep reading:
keep up your basic hygiene: in this period, I notice that my hygiene routines would start slipping. make sure you brush your teeth and wash your face twice a day, do your skincare routine, wash your clothes and sheets, and generally don’t let things pile up (if you can help it)
give yourself grace: yeah yeah I know, I hate this piece of advice too. the idea of letting myself be miserable and in my funk and telling myself it’s oKaY is wild to me as well. but I don’t just say this to repeat useless advice — being mean to yourself in this period won’t make you want to help yourself more. cheer yourself on when you complete something “small” and talk to yourself with kindness.
treat yourself like you’re a child throwing a tantrum: this won’t work for everyone but it works well for me so I thought I’d include it! if I’m having trouble getting out of bed, I (1) validate my feelings and then (2) give myself 2 choices of actions to complete. for example, “hey katie, I know it’s really hard to get out of bed right now. that’s okay! but I can’t have you lying in bed all day. what sounds best to you right now? washing your face and doing your skincare routine or making your bed?”
complete the journal prompt above: this will (attempt to) address the part of the question where you say nothing excites you anymore. if it helps, try to look back at things that made you excited as a child: reading YA books, splashing in puddles, drinking a frozen lemonade, wearing a ridiculous outfit… whatever it is, just note it down for now. you’re using most of your energy right now to survive and the thought of doing something extra may be overwhelming, but it’s a handy list to look back on when you do have a little more energy.
get off your phone: trade that social media doom scrolling screen time for reading or doing a puzzle or playing a game or basically anything that isn’t sitting in front of a screen, trust me,
move your body in whatever way feels good to you: I find that I never “have” the energy for a high impact workout in the gym… until I get there and see the weights and tell myself “okay, I’ll just do a little bit.” next thing I know, an hour has passed and I’m feeling better than I have. I know it seems counterintuitive to use your limited energy to exercise (and I know it sounds cliche) but I promise it’s the #1 thing that helps me.
set a goal for each day: do something different. get out of your head and back into your body. whether that be going to a coffee shop to scroll on social media instead of lying in your bed (I know it sounds absurd but just try it, okay?) or spending 5 extra minutes making your food, try to do something that allows you to take a metaphoric step forward everyday.
remember, when you’re in a slump era (or a period of deep, deep depression), most of your energy is being expended on keeping yourself alive. that’s okay. go slow — some days will be better than others — and give yourself as much time as you need to pull yourself out of this hole. I’m rooting for you <3
reading updates
currently reading: the blood of olympus by rick riordan
finished this week:
the mark of athena by rick riordan
the house of hades by rick riordan
*after 11 straight rick riordan books, ya girl needs a silly little romance I SWEAR*
if you want to keep up with my reading throughout the week, this is my goodreads :)
enjoyed this edition?
until we meet again,
katie
Germany! Found your newsletter through your broadcast! Best thing that could happen to me🌷
From India thank you for this 💗 love reading this newsletter x