There are times in life when you feel like a hamster running on a wheel. You exert a lot of energy running, yet you find yourself in the same place. The idea of taking on another day is daunting because your efforts are getting you nowhere. We have all been there, asking ourselves “what is the point?” or “how did it come to this?” It’s not always easy getting out of a rut, but I would like to offer you 11 tips that have worked for me. Enjoy!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 6 Habits of the Happy Black Woman
1. Self-reflect. When you find yourself in a rut, ask yourself these specific questions:
- Am I in the right place?
- Am I doing the right thing?
- Does this make me happy?
- Why am I doing this?
- What excites me?
- Do my circumstances need to change, or do I need to change?
Be honest with yourself and invest the time to uncover the real answers to these questions. Take ownership and make the necessary changes in your life so that you can stop running in circles.
2. Take action. Instead of waiting for the stars to perfectly align before you make a move, just do something. Stop putting things off. Start putting together the puzzle with the pieces that you have today. There will never be a perfect moment to take action. You don’t have to figure it all out right now, but commit to doing something today.
3. Change your attitude. Learn to differentiate first world problems from other types of problems. Practice gratitude and increase your perspective to include global issues. When you wake up, think about all of the great things in your life and everything for which you are thankful. Reflect upon the things that you take for granted every day, but that you really wouldn’t want to live without.
4. Celebrate everything. In an ideal world, everyone would recognize your greatness, and you would be promoted because it was deserved, and acknowledged every time you did something great. Unfortunately, ruts are far from ideal. Don’t wait for people to applaud you; start patting yourself on the back. Celebrate everything! If you made it to your 6 a.m. workout, give yourself a hand clap. If you crossed off everything on your to-do list for the day, treat yourself to a dance party.
5. Look up. In the last year I’ve become obsessed with clouds. When I look up at the clouds I realize how big the Earth is and how small I am in relation. I feel connected to a larger world, and I can sense that the solutions to my problems are simply waiting to be discovered. The magic of the sky convinces me daily that there are more possibilities than impossibilities in my life. Embrace the wonder of nature and appreciate your connection to the world.
You May Also Like
6. Acknowledge your emotions. If you feel hurt, angry, disappointed, betrayed, abandoned, used, or whatever, you are doing yourself no favors by pretending that you don’t feel the way that you do. Allow yourself to feel how you feel, release your emotions, let them go, and then move on.
7. Find a buddy. There are times when our best alone isn’t good enough, and we need help. Sometimes you need someone to help you stay accountable. If meeting a friend is the only way for you to go to the gym in the morning, please find a friend that will join you for a morning workout. There is no shame in needing a little help from a friend. Drop your pride and ask for help if you need it to get out of your rut.
8. Commit to yourself. We live really full lives that are often over scheduled. Some of us don’t have the time to prioritize our needs, but if we don’t, we will never change our lives. You have to commit to yourself. Invest time in doing the things that make you happy and will help you move forward. Be patient and give yourself permission to take things one day at a time. You are not a machine, so stop expecting perfection from yourself. Commit to making the time every day that you need.
9. Run from negativity. If you are unhappy in a situation, you will find lots of people that will be thrilled to complain with you and encourage your whining. Misery loves company. Make a conscious effort to run from negativity because complaining about your unhappiness is not going to actually change anything. Seek encouragement from people that are positive and optimistic. Identify inspirational quotes that resonate with you and post them in your home and workspace.
10. Take ownership. This is your life. You can’t control everything in life but you can impact so much. No one is going to change your life. That is for you to do. So do it. Stop making excuses. Stop procrastinating. It won’t be easy and that is okay. Your life will change, when you change it.
11. Dance. If all else fails, turn on the radio, and get to moving. No one has to know. I promise it will make you feel better.
Angela Irwin (www.angelairwin.com) is a lover of life and light seeker. She published “One Choice Choose Happiness” which is a 30 day guide to help you choose happiness. She and her friends at Induo Events (www.induoevents.com) began the #MeetMeAtHappy movement which was created to unite people that are passionate about living happier lives. They are in the middle of the 30 day journey and it is still time for you to join the movement. Follow them on Facebook at @AngelaVictoria and @INDUOEvents for more information.
