I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel less than great. Low, grouchy, fed-up, and bored are all words you could use to describe what I’m like on those days and I’m probably not the best company. The thing is, days like those are part of the deal with being human – it’s not an elective. There will always be off days, and that’s okay. But what happens when you get a whole string of those off-days, maybe lasting weeks, months or even years? Too many of us say that we’re in a rut, feel stuck, fed-up, or bored and admit that we don’t want things to be that way, but we don’t know what to do to change. That’s the problem, when you’re in a rut, you don’t have the energy or motivation to change things for the better, and it’s tough to find the insight or resources you need to make that jump. 

Recognize & Accept Where Your At

Life tends to run smoothly when we establish systems and routines for things, but the problem comes when things run too smoothly. We become blinded to any ideas or choices that sit outside of our routine. The first step is recognize where your at. Call it out, for what it is, “I’m in a rut!” Accept this fact but communicate with yourself that this IS NOT where you want to be. The stuff we do every day has becomes the norm, we run on auto-pilot, and it’s our whole world.

Examine Routine & Ask Questions

We therefore need to be intentional in examining our daily and weekly routines. I strongly suggest writing down in a journal the activities you do throughout the days and weeks. Next, start asking questions and hold yourself accountable to answering them. Allow yourself A LOT of GRACE  here when answering such questions like, “How did I get here?” and “What goals, in my past, did I have?” The point here is to identify what the root cause of you being stuck is.

Make Simple Changes

Then, start to make one or two simple changes to your day – be it at breakfast time, your radio station, gym routine, route to work, lunch routine, etc. It’s going to feel awkward but don’t worry about what the changes are just make a couple of simple choices that will serve you well. Doing something differently or changing parts of your routine, instantly takes you out of the norm and allows you to shake off the things that make you feel confined. Step out of your routine and you’ll be in a position where you’re able to make different choices, see things differently and get a different result. In other words be more impulsive; look for small ways to experience new things. As you do this, be sure to maintain care over yourself. Continue to eat properly, get the rest your body needs, and be intentional in staying connected with those individuals that love and care for you the most. You can and will overcome this challenge. Today begin your journey of climbing, or better yet, leaping, out of the rut and going after something better for yourself.

Resources

Would you like to speak to someone in person, call (850) 757-1552. Our team of professional therapists and life coach are dedicated to their clients’ care and services Fort Walton, Niceville, and surrounding communities. Schedule a one on one with our life coach, Shaun Wenner.