Stuck in a Rut?! Not for Long. Four Tips to Get UNSTUCK!
Posted on January 31, 2023 by Marybeth Cale, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.
If your life has been feeling like "Groundhog Day", it's time to get UNSTUCK. Here are 4 ideas that can help you get out of that rut!
We’ve all been there.
“Hey, so great to see you! How’s life?” someone asks cheerily.
With shoulders slumped, we respond pitifully, “Oh, great. It’s like Groundhog Day.”
As soon as we mutter the words, we go from feeling bad to worse. We have publicly acknowledged that we are swirling around in a galaxy of monotony, and it’s pretty darn sad.
Moreover, we are fully aware that the responsibility to seek out some joy is ours alone. No matter what our backdrop is, it’s up to us to get out of the rut and embrace life again. Ugh.
Somewhere deep down we know we want to. We just don’t know how.
Well, here are 4 ways to get going on your mission to stop feeling like a sad sack and to move past “Groundhog Day”:
1. Do something awesome for someone else. When I was a kid, my parents offered this wonderful advice to me, time and again: “if you feel low, or just plain bored, the best thing you can do is to focus on someone else.” While I wouldn’t admit it as a teenager, I will tell you now that they were100% right. No, you don’t have to purchase an extravagant gift or put your job at risk to take a road trip with a friend; you just need to do something to show that you care about someone else. It’s an instant shot of joy. One seemingly small act of kindness will fill your heart and your spirit in big ways with a deep sense of purpose, which will then breed the kind of productivity that can get you right out of that rut in which you’ve resided for far too long.
2. Start small. What is one goal you had set for yourself, or one task that has been on your to-do list for MONTHS (or, quite possibly, YEARS) that you can achieve by EOB?!! Get it done. When things hang over our heads, we tend to get stuck in a space of “I never seem to move forward with anything” – a mentality that squelches our spirits and makes us feel so badly about ourselves that it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. And yes, even the SMALL things can make us feel that way – especially when they start to accumulate. So take a look at your list (or make one if you haven’t already), find the low-hanging ‘fruit’, complete that task, and gleefully cross it off the list before you have dinner this evening. It will undoubtedly lift your spirit and make you want to do MORE. Productivity can give you a natural high!
3. Put together a vision board. Pull out some old magazines and cut out photos and words that are aligned with what you envision for your future. This simple visualization exercise allows you to dream the way you did when you were a kid, and actually helps you solidify what you want out of this life journey. It’s not only inspiring, but it’s also fun! After all, how long has it been since you sat at a table with glue, scissors, and tape and just enjoyed working with your hands?!
4. Visit your happy place – and reflect. Maybe it’s the riverfront. Maybe it’s a nearby summit with gorgeous views that you get to experience after an invigorating hike. Maybe it’s across the table from your soulmate in your favorite restaurant. Maybe it’s on a rocking chair on the porch of your best friend’s house. Maybe it’s in your yard with your kids. Visit that place, and visit it often. Be mindful of the clarity that typically comes with these moments of contentment. Reflect on what makes you come to life – and what you want out of the next chapters of your story. Write it down in a journal or verbalize it to your children, spouse, partner, or friends. What do you want your legacy to be? Who are you as a human? Get inspired by exploring your own answers to these questions in a place where you feel most aligned with your ‘true north’. No doubt you will feel excited to take action once you spend a little time thinking about what you most want.
As far as we know, we have this one beautiful life to live. Staying in a rut is a colossal and depressing waste of time. Who needs it?
Say buh-bye to “groundhog day”, and hello to life!
Ready for some coaching that will help YOU get out of a rut? Reach out today to get started.
