In theory, getting out of a rut should be easy. Self-help gurus and Instagram ‘influencers’ make it sound easy, anyway. In reality, it is far harder to get yourself out of a rut – especially when you have been there a while. If you have been battling to make changes in your life, you may end up feeling overwhelmed, makes it even harder to get out of a rut.
Whether you are in a job you hate or you are trying to switch unhealthy habits for something healthier, in a relationship that is not good for you or simply feeling stuck, getting out of a rut is not impossible. In this guide, I will share some simple strategies on how to get yourself back onto your path.
Simple Solutions for Getting Out of a Rut
As kids, boredom was something that happened when we didn’t have much to do. As adults, boredom can very quickly end up becoming something much harder to shake. That feeling of being stuck in any type of situation – work, relationships, self or even life itself – can all too easily lead to depression and other major issues.
When we get stuck, we quickly start to lose interest in trying. Everyday things become too much but making even the smallest change feels too hard. It eventually becomes easier to just stay, even if we are desperately unhappy. Getting out of a rut is not a quick fix solution, sadly. Instead, it takes a fair amount of self reflection and a good dose of motivation. To help you take that first step, here are a few ways to start getting out a rut.
Talk to someone.
Talk to someone – anyone. It could be a therapist, a friend, a mom, a counsellor, a pastor or anyone else in your life that you feel comfortable talking to about big things. Putting your fears and feelings into words and sharing them with somone you trust is a major first step. You can also journal if you are not sure how to get the words out.
Decide what you want from life.
Once you have opened up about how you are feeling, you can begin to think about what you want to change. How can you get out of the rut? What can you do to make changes? What is it that you truly want to do with your life? You may find that making a change is not as impossible as you have always thought it to be or you may find that thinking about what you want could open up ideas you had not considered. Meditation is a great way to think about how you want to live your life.
Be realistic about your goals.
With that said, you will need to be realistic. It’s a nice idea to be able to travel the world on a boat but only a fraction of people can actually afford such a dream. You could learn how to sail or volunteer at a local yacht club, though. Think about what you can realistically do to make changes in a way that is achievable and doable.
Take small steps.
Once you have some sort of game plan in place, you can begin the tough part… getting yourself out of that rut. You cannot expect to leap into things and have change happen overnight. You may need to make big changes but you will usually need to start with small steps. A few small steps in the right direction can do far more than you realise. Real progress is not instant. Instead, it takes time and commitment.
Believe in yourself.
If you are not believing in yourself throughout the process, you are going to battle to start getting out of a rut. You will need to believe in yourself and you will need to have faith in your abilities, vision and dreams. You will need to full believe that you deserve the life you are carving out for yourself. If you can’t do this, it will become far harder to make real changes.
The good news is that once you start taking those first steps, you will see that the universe starts to respond. Every dream begins with a step. Take the first step and your journey to getting out of a rut will be well on its way.
