We all reach times in our life when we get stuck in a rut, bored, unfulfilled, in need of some major catalyst that will propel us to change your life.
At these times, you wonder “will things ever go my way?”
“Do I have any chance of being a success in life?”
It could be a teen moving through High School caught in social awkwardness, feeling like they don’t have quality friends, struggling to figure out what their future holds.
Or, it may be the post graduate – just out of school holding down a part-time job wondering if this is all there is to life.
Then again, it could just as easily be a 40-year old adult who struggles to find a meaningful relationship, career or feelings of self-satisfaction and confidence.
We all go through times in our life when procrastination, fear, anxiety and sadness take over threatening our positive energy and future.
So what do you do to break out of these “down times” or what I like to call being stuck in a rut?
1. Rekindle Excitement By Finding Your Purpose/Passion
Remember how days seem to fly by when we were kids? That’s because we lived curiously, in the moment, directed towards our passions and interests. Our purpose was to grow, learn, create social relationships with others…all wonderfully fulfilling, inner-directed and on-purpose. As we age we lose this instinct, we begin to take more direction, move based on being influenced by others and lose track of our own interests and passions. Nothing will help you change your life faster than spending some focused time on looking inside, digging into what really gives your life meaning, what makes you excited, what things in life seem easy with high satisfaction for you (See previous post “Finding Purpose In Life”) Next, you want to determine how you can redirect your life to have MORE purpose driven, passion in your life. Structure your relationships, time, activities, work/financial plan around these passion-filled purpose.
2. Meditation
Especially in these times of extreme busyness, it is essential that we find ways to calm our mind, put our fears and anxieties into perspective and allow our true thoughts and instincts to emerge. Meditation is the answer for many people, for others a creative activity (art, music, writing…) will work while still others yoga and exercise help in this respect. The key is to find reliable methods of allowing your mind to work through the different emotions and resolve on what emerges from within.
3. Do Something…Different!
There is nothing worse for staying stuck in a rut than doing nothing. Even though being stuck usually means you are confused and even rather hopeless about taking any further action, overcoming that dread and taking action of any kind places you into motion which creates a level of momentum. Instead of starting tomorrow the same way you started today, change it up. Do something different! Turn the TV off for 24-hours. Go out for a long walk. Take a different route to work. Talk to someone you do not know. Not only will this present new opportunities, it will open new neural pathways in your brain which can help produce new thoughts and emotions helping you break out of your rut
4. Work on Your Own Development
As humans we have this insatiable need to learn/grow and to further understand our role in society. Both of these needs can be fed by spending some time on improving ourselves. It always amazes me how much energy some people put into education in other areas, in exercise and improving our physical body while so little attention is paid to the basics of self improvement. No wonder we get stuck and don’t know how to find our way out.
Are you stuck in a rut in your life?
Do you have your own method of getting unstuck?
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