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The holidays are over. The surge of energy that swirls with New Year’s Resolutions has dwindled. The romance of Valentine’s Day has passed, too. And now, we’re left with the last weeks of winter. Whether you’re in the Midwestern frozen tundra (like me, in currently below-zero temperatures) or elsewhere, these months are hard on all of us. Self-worth, motivation, and creativity all feel like a struggle at times. This isn’t something unique to you – remember that we all get down at times, and it’s all the more common at this point in the season. While it happens to many of us, the way you handle yourself to get out of a funk makes the difference between the good and the great champions. Here are a few ways to boost yourself back to high-energy, high-performance.
1. Make a gratitude list. Grab your journal, a free column in your date book, a scrap sheet of paper, a pile of Post-It notes, or whatever works for you. No matter the form, make your content uniform. Write a column of numbers from 1 to 100. Then, think about your blessings and count them. Use your sheet and list 100 things you are grateful for, from small to big.
2. Do an act of service for someone less fortunate. Yes, while you’re sitting in your warm house curled up on the coach feeling sorry for yourself, there are far too many people out suffering in the cold. So, flip the switch. Donate your time and volunteer at a food bank. Provide a monetary gift to an animal shelter to keep animals warm. Collect unused mittens and gloves (or buy some yourself) and donate them to a worthy organization to keep your fellow community members warm. Here in Michigan, there’s a great organization called Mittens for Detroit that does this locally; with some quick research, I’d imagine you’d find a whole host of options wherever you live. By helping someone else – even a complete stranger – you’ll put your own suffering in perspective and make someone’s day a little brighter, all at the same time.
3. Reflect on a time when you were at the top of your game. Maybe while you’re in the shower, or if you’re stuck in traffic, just pause mentally and take a moment to visualize this point in your career or personal life. Ask yourself a few questions. What conditions led to this? How did it happen? How’d you overcome adversity? Connecting to a previous win reminds you that life has ups and downs, and that you are capable and deserving of victories. Success goes in cycles, so your next peak should be coming soon. Instead of focusing on the fact that you’ve found yourself in a “valley,” focus your energy on figuring out how to best climb toward your next summit.
4. Do something to improve yourself. Here’s a clue – moping around and being a curmudgeon doesn’t fall into this category. Go to the gym and get your endorphins pumping. Work up a sweat and burn off all that funkiness – jumpstart your day with that jolt of positive energy. Just as you’d do something for your physical body, think about your mind, too. Expand your horizon by reading a non-fiction book or listening to a podcast from NPR. Have a casual hobby? Look into the schedule at your local community center and take a class – investing in your own interests will only further those hobbies into passions and you’ve taken good care of yourself all the while. Even taking a small act toward success will get you out of the mud and start building momentum.
5. Write yourself a letter. Grab your nicest stationary and pen and sit at your desk to draft a note. Write a letter to yourself, “Dear Josh,” from the perspective of a best friend. In other words, what would a caring, supportive best friend say to you? Craft the note. Then, seal it in the envelope, put a stamp on it, address it to yourself, and drop it in the mail. Simply the act of writing out positive messages will be a helpful exercise, but in a couple of days, this third party pep talk will arrive on your front porch. If you haven’t cheered up by then, I’m certain that this note will help get away from negative self chatter and put things in context and perspective.
Josh Linkner is a tech entrepreneur, author, VC, and keynote speaker. Linkner is the founding partner of Detroit Venture Partners, co-founder of Fuel Leadership, and author of two New York Times Bestsellers, "Disciplined Dreaming" and "The Road to Reinvention." For more info, check out joshlinkner.com or follow him on
