What is a Rut?
When I talk about “getting stuck in a rut,” I’m referring to that feeling where you feel like you keep running into the same problems and you aren’t progressing towards your goals.
For example, if you feel like you’re spinning your wheels and trying to move forward in an area of life, but you keep ending up in the same place, you might be stuck in a rut. You can feel stuck in any area of life, such as your career, your relationships, your personal development, or your financial situation. Or you might feel stuck in multiple areas at once.
You might also call this “being in a funk.”
Photo by Hester Qiang on Unsplash
To give a concrete example, so you know where I am coming from, I’ve been stuck in a rut for a while now. I’m on a journey to grow as a content creator. This is not a straightforward process, and sometimes I feel lost. But I love creating content to support and inspire you to live your best lives. It’s important that I move through this, so I can show up fully and support you all!
I wanted to pull together this guide to help you anytime you feel you are in a rut/funk. Read this blog post to learn my top tips for how you can get out of a rut. Applying these tips can help you get yourself unstuck, so you can move forward in life with more ease.
Tips for Getting Out of a Rut
Use these tips to shift out of the mindset that is keeping you stuck.
Acknowledge That You Are Stuck
You might know the saying, “The first step is admitting you have a problem.” This mindset is part of the 12 steps program. And while getting out of a rut is not the same as addiction recovery, recognizing your situation is still helpful for moving towards change. Awareness is crucial for creating positive lifestyle changes.
We won’t change if we don’t think there is a problem.
It took someone else calling me out for me to realize that I was stuck and I needed to take action to shift this energy.
Shift Your Mindset
While you might be reacting to external factors, experiencing a rut has more to do with psychology than with external experiences. Finding ways to experience more positive emotions, such as joy, gratitude, and awe, can make a huge difference in your mental state. These positive experiences might be just what you need to get unstuck. You can shift your mindset through spending time with uplifting people and pursuing activities that you enjoy.
Something that helps me shift my mindset is reflecting and identifying something positive out of a situation.
Photo by Jessica Mangano on Unsplash
Change Your Environment
Rumination can keep us stuck in the same patterns. Getting a change of pace can give you a needed mental break that allows you to hit refresh.
Changing your environment is a great way to shift your focus away from your current problems.
There are many simple ways to change your environment that don’t require you to book a big vacation.
Find Small, Simple Ways to Redecorate
Something as small as moving around your furniture or putting up a new art piece can start to re-inspire you. Even putting beautiful, fresh flowers in your home can make a huge difference in your mental state.
Go somewhere new
Physically putting yourself in a different environment is another great way to shake things up. If you spend most of your time at home, like I do, getting out and visiting different locations can help you shift into a new mindset. Try going to a new coffee shop or restaurant.
Taking a day trip is also a way for you to mentally refresh yourself. Spend a day wandering a nearby city and allowing your mind to clear.
Instead of my usual walking route, I decided to go for a walk on a local trail this past week. This simple switch provided a nice change of pace.
These very small steps can make a big impact. Just knowing that I was intentionally taking steps to improve my circumstances made me feel good.
Shake Up Your Routine
Just like changing your environment, changing your routine can be just what you need to get out of a rut. Now before I lose you, hear me out!
Trust me, I am a creature of comfort, and I understand feeling hesitant to switch up your beloved rituals. But I am here to tell you that shaking up your routine from time to time can help you feel a lot better.
While there are a lot of benefits to keeping a routine, it is also helpful to switch up your routine to make life more exciting and allow you to gain new experiences.
If you feel stuck, you need to try different strategies to discover what gets you unstuck.
Photo by Sapan Patel on Unsplash
Get Some Fresh Air
There is nothing like getting outside on a nice day to lift your mood. There are so many benefits to spending time in nature, from improved memory, decreased stress, decreased negative thoughts and increased mental energy!
I just got back from doing some outdoor exploring with a friend, and I can tell that I feel more refreshed and clear-headed!
Hopefully you have nice weather wherever you are. Spend some time outside and feel your mind clear. Even if you can’t go outside, opening a window to let some fresh air in can help you.
In a recent episode, @Lexie Podcast host, Lexie Lombard, talks about her tip to open a window and light a candle to freshen up your space.
I tried this tip myself (with a candle and essential oils), and I can confirm that it helps. There is something about combining fresh air with a nice scent.
Learn About Emotional Regulation
The American Psychological Association (APA) Dictionary of Psychology defines emotional regulation as “the ability of an individual to modulate an emotion or set of emotions.”
I learned about emotional regulation from Michelle Barnes (MuchelleB on YouTube), one of my favorite productivity and self-improvement creators.
Michelle taught me
(1) how much our emotions (and our ability to manage our emotions) impacts our ability to achieve our goals
And
(2) how learning and practicing emotional regulation skills can make a huge difference in our experiences.
This is amazingly useful information, as practicing emotional regulation skills can help you move past unhelpful habits, like procrastination and getting easily distracted.
Quiet Your Mind
As I mentioned, rumination can keep you stuck. If you have a busy mind with a lot of racing thoughts, like myself, you might understand how paralyzing that can feel at times.
Finding the activities that help you quiet your mind and slow down those thoughts allows you to take a step back and determine what your next best move is.
Read this blog post to learn how you can get more mental rest.
Seek Support
Seeking support is usually more beneficial than attempting to overcome your problems alone. You never know who might have useful knowledge to share that can help you on your journey.
Going back to my career example, I found out about a local organization that provides mentors for small business owners. I am so grateful I discovered this opportunity, which will help me with my content creation business.
Find out what resources you can access to move through this season of life.
Additionally, turn to your friends and family for support. Connection is so important for our well-being. I know spending time with my friends makes me feel happy and grateful and makes me feel a sense of purpose (more on this later)!
Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash
Consume Inspiring Content
I mentioned that I love Michelle Barnes’ YouTube channel, as well as her Grow With Intention podcasts. I love listening to inspiring podcasts, because they give me great ideas and motivate me to improve my life. Find the creators that resonate with you. There are so many amazing YouTube, podcast, Instagram, and TikTok creators offering amazing advice.
Make a Change
“If nothing changes, nothing changes. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’re going to keep getting what you’re getting. You want change, make some.”
― Courtney C. Stevens, The Lies about Truth
I hate to say it, but if you want to change your life, you need to hold yourself accountable and start acting differently. I mentioned in a previous post that I have a pretty chaotic weekend sleep schedule. And that I realized I’m subconsciously rebelling against my desire to go to bed early on weeknights. But it’s clear that this isn’t working for me. Staying up and sleeping in crazy late is not making me feel good. I acknowledge that. And now I get to do the next right thing and go to bed and get up a little bit earlier.
Photo by Cristofer Maximilian on Unsplash
Find Your Purpose
Feeling a sense of purpose makes such a huge difference in how you experience life. Knowing your “why” (the reason you want to do something) is also important for you to succeed. If you ever feel stuck, identifying, or re-identifying, your “why” can help you move forward.
If you have never identified your purpose, spending some time journaling and reflecting can help you gain some clarity.
If you’ve already spent time identifying your purpose, you can remind yourself of those intentions whenever you feel lost. It’s a good idea to write down some clear statements about the person you want to be. That way, you can revisit that when you feel stuck.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
Figure Out Your Goals
Working towards a goal or goals can give you a sense of purpose. If you feel stuck in life, figuring out your goals can help you get unstuck. Once you spend some time reflecting on the life you want to live, you can determine the steps you need to take to make that your reality. And you can set goals to help you get there.
Make an Action Plan
Once you know your goals and your motivation behind those goals, you can make an action plan. Making a plan is such a helpful way to get yourself out of a rut. Once I recognized that I was stuck in a rut, I was able to make a plan to get myself moving forward.
I hope these tips help you! Do you have your own strategy for getting out of a rut? If so, leave a comment to let me know. I love creating a community where we can share our tips with each other!
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Featured Image: Photo by Federico Respini on Unsplash
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