Ho-Hum Humdrum

We are heading in to winter here in the Midwest. It’s the time of year that can see quite a few gray skies, cold weather and a bunch of ho-hum, humdrum, blah sunless days. But don’t let it get you down.

Do you ever wake up in the morning and you feel like the world has beaten you down? Do you ever think, “Another dreary day,” There’s nothing to do.” or “What’s the use?” “It’s all too overwhelming.” “I’m tired. There’s too much to do.” “I don’t feel like doing anything.” “My life sucks.” Ho-hum humdrum.

Life can feel pretty bleak if you wake up feeling like that each day. I’m not immune to it. I feel this way at times, too, I have my days. But I’ve learned I also have the skills to fight through these thoughts. My morning prayer time is monumental for me to have a successful day and I ask Jesus to help me turn the humdrums to hi-ho’s. (Remember hi-ho, from the classic Snow White movie, “Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to work we go.” Play that song in the morning and it’ll put a smile on your face.) Find something that will work for you.

You see, it’s easy to get caught in a funk, to feel sorry for yourself or feel like nothing matters. If we begin feeling one negative thought, that usually leads to another and next thing you know, it’s poor, poor, pitiful me. Feeling sorry for yourself doesn’t do anything for anyone. It comes from negative thinking and focusing on yourself.

Turning the negative talk into positive self-talk and feeling grateful and thankful will turn it all around. It just takes initiative, practice and discipline.

What If?

• What if instead of “another bleak day” we saw a day to make a difference? Can we take the focus off of us and put it on others? It’s hard to feel sorry for yourself when you’re feeling sorry or caring for others. Visit a nursing home where someone else has it worse than you.
• What if we woke up tomorrow morning and we were thankful for everything we laid our eyes on? How would that day go? Just start making a list of everything you are thankful for and look at it throughout the day.
• What if you woke up and only had those things that were on the list you made the day before? Could you find more things to be grateful for? I think you would.
• What if tomorrow you got up and you planned your day around helping someone else to have a better day? Who would you help?
• What if instead of thinking the day was going to be cold and dreary, you decided to make the best of it and put on a pair of sunglasses as if it were the sunniest day outside? Then you decided to get out of the house and go downtown and walk around. Maybe invite someone to go with you and treat them to lunch. Or just walk around and see how many other people you can get to smile at you or say hello.

Turn That Frown Upside Down

Sometimes a simple smile is all it takes. Try one. You be your own cheerleader. You have to get yourself going with some positive self talk to feel better. Find a quote you like and repeat it to yourself all day long. Today is full of opportunity: another chance to feel better, a chance to do something to help someone else. Helping others helps you take your mind off of yourself. Because sometimes that’s all it is, is you thinking about you and not being grateful and not thinking you have much of a life. –And that, my friends, is a lie.

We know the author of lies is the devil and he has convinced quite a few people around the world that life is ho-hum, humdrum. If he can get you to believe it, then you won’t be a force for good in the world. But you have to decide that you can do it.

Action Steps

Get off your phones! Stop scrolling social media to see what other people are doing and get out there and do something yourself, something worthwhile. Don’t let life pass you by, be part of it. You were created for a purpose. And if you know God, you’ll know what that is because He reveals it to us through our relationship with Him.

Get out your planners and calendars and just start scheduling things in your day. Take walks. Volunteer for your church or take on a second job. Fill your day with doing things for others, things that you are interested in or passionate about. Somebody out there needs you to help them with their ho-hum, hum-drum day.

So when you get up in the morning put your feet on the floor and say, “Thank God! I’m still alive. I have something important to do today. I may not know what it is, but God does.” Then get dressed and go do something wonderful for God, even if it is just putting on a smile. Look for opportunities to help someone else. Be grateful you are able to move and breathe! There’s someone out there who didn’t wake up today, but you did. Our time on this earth is over before we know it.

Get rid of the ho-hum, humdrums and be excited for life. We all have problems and obstacles we have to overcome. Everyone has struggles. Those are not unique. –But you are, and how you overcome them and deal with them are unique too. Use them to help others and make a difference in the world by living your best life. People will benefit and thank you for it, especially you.

May God bless us all by showing us that life is not ho-hum, humdrum, but hi-ho.–Barb