1-1-1: let's talk about the feeling of numbness
read about how to give yourself grace during a slump and some of my favourite coping mechanisms for when life gets to be too much.
january, 2023
edition 04.
these newsletters feel like a public journal entry :’)))) but I kind of vibe with them. this one is a little raw, a little real, and a little all over the place. please bear with me as I pull myself out of the weirdest slump I’ve ever been in.
you can expect one email from me every tuesday 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.
announcements
none today — i’m working on a really fun podcast episode for next week so stay tuned for that!
one quote
“some days you’ll find that you are struggling with yourself.
it’ll seem like you have taken more steps back than you have forward, you’ll find that your heart is sitting confused between two chapters and your mind is stuck between thinking back and looking forward.
sometimes it will really seem like there is a war within yourself — between you and yourself, your mind and your heart, logic and emotions. at times you may even find that you are struggling to understand yourself, to understand what you want and what it is that you are seeking.
on those days, I hope you remind yourself that it’s okay if you don’t have everything figured out in this moment. the confusion and chaos is all part of the process of growing and maturing in life.
it makes you human to break over one matter and recreate yourself through another, to lose yourself somewhere and find yourself from elsewhere.
don’t be too harsh on yourself in the chaos that comes with the process of becoming.”
—naaveesa (via instagram), found on @writers
one journal prompt
write down a list of 10 coping mechanisms you can use when you feel hopeless or lost.
some examples:
phone a friend (and actually write their names/numbers)
listen to (insert fav song)
exercise
go for a drive
lie down
listen to a motivational youtube video (my personal favourite is anything by simon sinek)
etc
one piece of advice
“i don't know if you are/were familiar with this feeling, but the feeling of not being happy but also not being sad. just numb. there are a few peaks in happy moments or drops in sad moments. how do you get out of this slump?”
oh boy, do I relate to this feeling.
let me set the scene for you: it’s a saturday, the second saturday of the spring semester of my last year of college, and I’m sitting at home with my dogs writing this newsletter instead of hanging out with my friends.
why? I’m burnt out. I’m numb. I’m not feeling like myself, and I need to be away from the noise that is college, even if it’s just for a little bit.
the frustrating part about this numbness is that I have no idea where it’s coming from. nothing much has happened in my life which would result in feeling lost and unmotivated. I don’t necessarily have any advice for this period, but here’s what I’m telling myself at the moment which might resonate with you:
my feelings are valid. I don’t need to know why I’m feeling a certain way for it to be valid.
sometimes numbness occurs when I’m processing something internally or unconsciously. my brain is otherwise occupied with the very real task of (1) understanding something and (2) keeping me alive. that doesn’t really leave a lot of space for feeling emotions, so it’s okay to feel numb for a little bit. that’s just my silly little brain protecting itself!
go back to the basics. for me, it’s moving my body, maintaining basic hygiene, eating good food, reading (ie any hobby), journaling (ie any form of processing your feelings), and sleeping. sleeping a LOT.
it’s not going to feel like this forever.
**I want to stop and mention that slumps like these *for me* are temporary and last ~a week or so~. if this feeling persists for over a month, I’m prettyyyy sure it can be categorized as clinical depression (cue a montage of 12 year old me taking ‘are you depressed?’ quizzes lol). if it’s available to you, talk to a licensed professional about this!**
ultimately I have nothing much to say except that this too shall pass. in these moments, I’m reminded to be gentle with myself. take it day by day. go back to your toolbox of coping mechanisms. treat yourself like someone you love.
we’ll get through this one together <3
until we meet again,
katie
Found you! Yes! Let’s grow together ❤️