Ways To Get Yourself Out of a Rut

We all get to that place in our life, whether personal or professional, where we feel stuck. That things aren’t moving in the direction we want, or it’s not fast enough and to be honest I go through this more often than I want to admit. 

You might feel blah, unmotivated, lazy. You have days where Netflix seems more exciting than working on the things you used to like or even going out to meet with friends. And hey, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that at all, but .. you get my point.

It’s not just those of us in midlife. It can happen to anyone regardless of age, so here are some of my favorite ways to get yourself out of a rut:

THE FEELING OF “STUCK” IS NORMAL

You are NOT alone. Everybody feels stuck at one point in their lives. Sure, it’s not a pleasant feeling, but it’s a universal phenomenon.  Your friends and family know what it’s like to be stuck in a rut so never feel like you are alone because there are plenty of people who can relate to what you’re going through.

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE

What’s your perspective like? If you keep seeing your rut as negative and depressing, it in fact will always be negative and depressing and even harder to get out of. The sooner you look at it as a chance to learn a grow the sooner you will get out of it. 

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE

You are the average of the five people you most associate with.  If you want to stay in a negative headspace, you’ll hang around with negative people.  If you want to grow and become more positive, you’ll hang around with collaborative, positive people. Especially when you’re stuck in a rut, you NEED as much positivity as you can get.

ROUTINE IS KEY

Getting yourself into a daily routine can help give you a purpose for each day if you are having trouble finding one. I know the times I feel the most stuck in life are the times that are the most chaotic. If I can get myself into a simple routine each day and throw in some fun and relaxation every few days, I always start feeling better.

BE GRATEFUL

An attitude of gratitude will always benefit you when times are tough.

Think about it this way, some people would love to have your “rut.”  There are people all over the world facing much worse circumstances than you and can only dream of being exactly where you are, in your life, right now.

If you’re able to show gratitude for the little things in your life, like your ability to walk around or observe the world around you, you can instantly shift your perspective and turn your rut into something positive.  Gratitude will ease your burdens and put you in a much better headspace, as you’ll always have something to appreciate or look forward to, even in the worst of times.

DO A DIGITAL DETOX

Although social media is in fact my job, I tend to love a digital detox from time to time and I recommend it to people to help avoid the comparison game with others. Whether that means 1 day, a weekend, or forever do what works for you. It’s helped me tremendously!

CLEAN YOUR ROOM

OK, I know this one sounds weird and random, but hear me out. This is a simple, but easy way to start feeling a little bit more like you can conquer the world and a little less like you are drowning. Having clean laundry and the smell of a freshly bleached bathroom would make anyone want to go for a run or apply for a new job. Having an organized and clean space will get you going I promise! So clean away!

If you need to cheat a little just make your bed, shove everything in a drawer and voila! It’s all about baby steps…

ENGAGE WITH VERY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE 

Ok so earlier I mentioned surrounding yourself with positive people which will help keep you positive. At the same time, associate yourself with very successful people when you are feeling in a rut! These people can be successful in business or life (whatever you see as important). These people can teach you about their experiences and provide you with unique insights to help you get out of your funk.  Every successful person has faced a rut or a challenge along the way to success, and you can further motivate yourself by leaning on the lessons learned from successful people. I don’t know about you guys but I find so much motivation in hearing other people’s success stories and in ends up fueling me in my life which I absolutely love.

Most importantly, don’t give up. I know how hard it can be to pick yourself when life slaps you down, but these are the ups and downs we all go through in life. Always remember,.. just keep swimming 🙂