Fighting a Funk!

 I have been in a Funk recently, and it has been hard to get out of it. It has felt like a fog descended around me and I could not find any way out. There just wasn't, in my mind, any reason to go out and create photographs. The weather was crummy, the trails were muddy, or closed, or both.  I could not think of anything I wanted to shoot. If I did think of something to shoot I would convince myself the conditions weren't right.  I had created every excuse not to go out. The problem with this thinking is it just spirals in on its self, and things get worse.  I almost did it to myself again this morning. I had made plans to go out and do a 5-mile hike in a location I had not been to before. This should have been enough motivation for me to get out there and explore, but it was another rainy day, I convinced myself I did not want to do the hike in the rain.  So the spiral continues.

This spiral of self-doubt and excuses is hard to break. The allure of slippers and coffee is hard to resist. But I knew, if I did not resist, I would regret it, and the spiral would continue. It HAD to be broken! 

I know full well that bad weather makes for some good photographs. So while I did not proceed with my original plan, I did get myself out the door and into the woods, and the rain to get some photos. It was the first step. One bit closer to the edge of the fog that had consumed me. I was back at it, I was out and photographing the landscape again. Sometimes the best thing a person can do for themselves is to just go do it! It's kind of like going to the gym, you never really want to but you always feel better when you do. I will be the first to admit that I did not get the greatest photographs on this day, but they were a far sight better than those I would have gotten had I stayed home. After all, the point of going out in the first place was to get over the funk and back at the craft I enjoy. And enjoy it I did. I know that it is hard to get out of that funk and that it is easier said than done, but the best way to break the spiral is to go out and create! 

If you are interested I made a video about this day. You can see it here.