Get Out of Your Funk (No, Not the Genre of Music)

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James Brown = good.
A funky riff on a bass guitar = good. 
Being in a musical funk? Not so good. 
No matter how passionate you are about your art, and no matter how talented of a musician you might be, no one is immune to falling into “funks” from time to time. Maybe you just don’t have the motivation to practice. Maybe nothing is inspiring you to write. 
If that’s the case, don’t hang up your guitar just yet. You haven’t lost your mojo and you can certainly get back to feeling inspired and excited about music again. There are different things you can do and methods you can try to get out of your funk and keep you from giving up on the things you love. Let’s check out a few of those ideas. 
Change Your Environment
Did you know that your surroundings can impact your mental health? 
Everything from where you live to the design of your home can have an impact on how you feel. Most musicians have been spending a lot more time at home lately because of the pandemic, so you might be feeling uninspired because you’ve been staring at the same four walls for months. 
Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but there’s likely some truth to it. 
One of the easiest ways to pull yourself out of a funk is to change your scenery. If you still plan on spending a lot of time at home, consider trying some of the following ideas: 

Rearrange your furniture

Paint different rooms

Invest in new artwork

Set up a specific space for creating

You can also become a plant parent. Houseplants have become increasingly popular throughout the pandemic, and for plenty of reasons. They can reduce stress, boost creativity, and even improve the air quality in your home. Plus, they add a sense of “liveliness” to a space, which can boost your energy and help you to feel more motivated to write or practice. 
Go Somewhere New
If you’ve been staying at home too much and you’re used to being on the road touring, it could be a lack of travel that’s gotten you down. 
But, the world is slowly starting to open back up, and now is a perfect time to go somewhere new. 
Traveling has many mental health benefits, including: 

It relieves stress

It can improve your outlook on life

Time away from your regular routine can boost energy and productivity

It allows you to meet new people and explore new cultures

Additionally, changing up your scenery and going somewhere new can help to spark more creativity. When you experience new things or even immerse yourself in a place you’ve never been before, you’re opening up your mind in a way you can’t when you’re “stuck” at home. Writers often take advantage of international travel because it helps them find new inspiration. As a musician, you can experience the same benefits. 
Something as simple as exploring your own neighborhood is a good place to start. But, if you have the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and fly somewhere completely new, you might be surprised by how much better you’ll feel. 
Get Help When You Need It
Sometimes, a funk is more than a funk. 
If you’ve been feeling down for a while now, and nothing seems to interest you the way it used to, you could be struggling with depression. Or, if you’re fearful about getting back out there and life returning to normal, you might be dealing with anxiety. 
Those are two very prominent and common mental health conditions. They can also be treated and managed effectively. But, they rarely “go away” on their own. If you feel like something more is going on, it’s never a bad idea to reach out to a mental health professional, like a therapist. 
Thankfully, that’s easier to do than ever before thanks to advancements in telehealth. Using telehealth services, you can connect with a therapist via email, video chat, text, or phone calls. Some counselors even have their own portals that make it easy to get ahold of them in one convenient location. 
Being able to talk to someone from the comfort of your own home will make it easier for you to open up and be vulnerable. In doing so, a therapist can help you get to the bottom of what you might be dealing with. When you start to peel back those layers, you will get a better understanding of what started this low point in your life. 
You’ll also learn the skills and management techniques to get through it, so you can start to enjoy the things you love once again. 
Whether you’re struggling with a writing block, fear of being in social situations again, or just can’t seem to find your passion for music the way you want to, this funk doesn’t have to last forever. Keep these suggestions in mind to rekindle your spark for what you do, and you’ll be making music again in no time.