What’s the Problem?
No really, what’s the problem? What’s holding you back and keeping
you in the rut? Obviously you don’t want to be there, or you wouldn’t be
concerned with getting out of a rut in the first place.
Facing and identifying the cause of a rut isn’t always easy. It takes
honesty and courage to look at your life and search for the baggage
which keeps you from moving forward. Do you need to change jobs, end a
relationship or go back to school? What’s stopping you from doing what
you want and how can you circumvent the obstacle?
Sometimes, of course, you can’t sidestep the obstacle and need to hit
the problem head on. If, for instance, you suffer from an addiction,
you’ll need time at one of the better addiction rehab centers before you can move on.
Watch for Autopilot
Sometimes you examine your life and realize there isn’t anything keeping you in your rut other than habit. Ruts can be comfortable places; you know the ground well enough you can navigate through life without really paying attention.
Living life on autopilot can be dangerous, because you become less
able to respond to change and slow to adapt. If your life has become too
complacent, you need to shake things up a bit. Take a new course,
volunteer, learn a new skill — do something different from your usual
routine.
Be Aware
One of the best ways to break out of an auto-pilot rut is to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness
is a western meditative practice once used by Middle Age monks.
Essentially, you make a conscious effort to go through your day paying
conscious attention to everything you do.
For instance, when you wash the breakfast dishes, be totally in the
moment. Feel the warmth of the water, the suds on your hands and the
clink of the dishes. Do the same as you drive to work, eat, or do
anything else.
Mindfulness takes practice, but the simple act of paying attention
can snap you out of the day-to-day grind and show you hidden paths out
of the doldrums. Sometimes breaking out of a rut is as simple as seeing
daily life in a new way.
Ask the One Year Question
If you’re having trouble moving past a rut, ask yourself a simple
question: where do you want to be in a year? Think about where you’d
like to be, what you’d like to be doing, and what you’d have to do to
get there.
A clear vision of what you want serves as a powerful motivator if you
need to hop a rut’s ridges. Of course, this strategy requires some hard
work to achieve your new goals. If you find the changes seem
overwhelming, you might need to rein in your vision a little.
Difficulties with motivation may also suggest depression, which may have caused the rut in the first place.
Expand Your Social Circle
Sometimes breaking out of a rut is as simple as meeting some new
acquaintances. Humans are, by nature, social animals. Meeting new people
can be exciting, exposes you to new ideas and forces you out of your
normal comfort zone.
Remember not everyone has the same social needs. You don’t need to
dive into social activities if you’re introverted. Finding one or two
new friends or a career mentor, however, can liven up your life and give
you the opportunity to jump those rut ledges.
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