Slump

As strange as it sounds, the start of the pandemic in 2020 marks the last time I read a book.

For those who know me well, that’s pretty wild. Because in previous years, also documented on this site, I’ve been able to knock out 100+ books. But I only read 1 or 2 books in 2020, and absolutely none so far in 2021. NONE. AND I LOVE BOOKS!!!

I do believe the impetus for it was because I do most of my reading at the gym, and, when the lockdown hit, my gym was closed. And not going to the gym for months on end caused me to hit a wall with reading, and, admittedly, I have struggled with my desire to go back to the gym now that I am vaccinated.

So there are two slumps I am currently in, really – a reading slump and a working out slump. I’m also in a bit of a writing slump, but I’m working with an editor at the moment to help kickstart my inspiration/motivation, so I won’t go into that. As for the working out, I still take walks with my sister/nephew/mom a few times a week, but it doesn’t have the same effect as hitting the gym, even though I mostly do cardio anyway. And, sadly, this has taken a negative effect on my health, including a 37 pound weight gain over the course of the past year. And now that I’ve gotten used to not going to the gym, it’s hard to go back. And even though I have books on my nook, it’s been hard for me to pick them up.

I guess I am just in an overall slump. Several aspects of my life are kind of stagnant, and I’m finding it difficult to dig myself out of it. I am very fortunate that I did not suffer the same obstacles and struggles that many others did during the pandemic – I still have my job, my family is great, and I overall have a lot to be thankful for – I simply find myself treading water. And that kind of feeling seeps from one thing to another – I find it hard to write when I find it hard to read, I find it hard to cook healthy meals when I find it hard to work out, etc. What little semblance of a routine I used to have has been upended, and I’m scrambling to recover before it gets worse.

I have been exploring going back to behavioral therapy, but I am curious… how do others dig themselves out of a slump? Especially when it has the ripple effect into so many other facets of your life? I’d love to know!