Falling resilience levels
Have you ever read something and thought, ‘this is me right now’? There are novels which capture our experience at particular moments in our lives. There are opinion columns that sum up what we’re thinking. There are memes.
When ’s Tuesday Thread landed in my inbox this week what I was going to write for today shifted to next week. (I think you need to be a paid subscriber to read Emma’s piece.)
I started this Substack when I got a new notebook and wrote: “I need to write myself out of a funk.” Emma’s article this week about being in a funk summed up how I was feeling, and her initial response was pretty similar to mine. I didn’t get dressed much at the weekend, except to go and watch the fireworks. Unlike Emma, I let myself give in and lounge in bed.
I want to hibernate or escape reality. It doesn’t help there is a limitless supply of Doctor Who available this month, temptingly inviting me to return to stories I watched during a very happy part of my life. We used to have friends round every weekend to watch each episode go out live. It’s also a reminder that we were oh so much younger when David Tennant was the 10th Doctor!
I did write myself out of that funk back in August. The ideas became this (personal me) and my new website (work me) as I figured out what I wanted to say, where.
Now I’m in a different funk due to circumstances beyond my control. I think a lot of us are going through this in different ways. Everything feels exhausting right now. There’s the state of the world, which I wrote about last week, and then whatever we’re dealing with personally.
Obviously, I can’t stay in pyjamas and it helps to have had a busy week so I’ve been out and about doing things which have got me out of my head.
I notice I’m more fixed on the things that haven’t gone quite how I wanted at the moment. Nothing’s actually gone wrong (well, I got lost in a Cambridge college at one point but that was funny rather than a disaster).
I guess negatives attract?
I feel like I should have coping mechanisms in place for when life doesn’t go as expected. I mean, the last few years have been one thing after another haven’t they? Those compartments need to kick in.
And to a certain extent, they do. I’m not watching Doctor Who during work hours. But I do have that sense of being pulled in different directions at once.
It does feel weird to write about this. Not to have a positive spin. And at the same time, life isn’t positive all the time. I’m figuring out my response to this.
So I guess I’m going to repeat the question Emma asked in her article: what do you do to get yourself out of a funk?
Also, are you watching #DoctorDonna?
Who’s your favourite Doctor?
Tom Baker & Matt Smith. This really resonates today Rachel, I didn’t make it out to an event last night- something I was really looking forward to, life got in the way. I’ve had some very open conversations with a couple of close friends (I do have some) and that’s been good. I’m trying to find time for some nerdy things I enjoy doing but life does feel very, very demanding right now. Wine & books help.
I loved Matt Smith’s Doctor. I haven’t seen that much Tom Baker but no doubt we will be doing that. Sorry you didn’t make it to the event last night. I’m listening to a lot of loud music and trying to distract myself as much as possible. Sending positive vibes your way.
‘what do you do to get yourself out of a funk?’ Why, like everyone else, I’ve started writing on substack :-). But as for my favourite Doctor, has to be Tom Baker, with David Tennant an honourable 2nd. All the best.
There’s a lot of love for Tom Baker!
He had jelly babies, a brilliant scarf & K9. I am very shallow. Hope you’re ok.