How to get out of a rut

A few weeks ago I was stuck in a rut.

A big fat rut.

I didn’t want to do anything. 

My motivation was low.

Here I am :)

I didn’t want to write any blog posts (and I love writing blog posts!)

I didn’t want to go for a run (and my day starts so well when I go for a run).

And – while I know this happens from time to time; we can’t be productive every minute of every day – it was making me feel crappy.

After a week or so, sick of wallowing, I asked myself the following question:

Am I being a “five percenter” right now?

Am I behaving like a “five percenter” would?

The answer was - without a doubt - no. 

I was way off!

If the Five Percent was a club, I’d have been kicked out of my own club ;)

Now, we all need time to rest and recharge.

No question about it.

But there’s a difference between giving yourself a break, and being stuck in a rut.

I knew I needed to do something about it.

So I set myself a little challenge...

To do something that makes me feel alive, each day.

To live, each day.

(Not just exist.)

See, I’d gotten into the rut of work... zone out... sleep... repeat. 

And that’s not the life I want to live.

But it’s tricky, with everything we have to do in our daily lives!

We still have to work, right?

We still have to do the laundry... and clean the toilet... and turn out the wilting veg at the bottom of the fridge (or is it just me that always forgets about the damn spinach...)

So when I say “living life”, I don’t mean quitting your job and blowing all your money on a wild 3-week adventure.

(Although that is tempting sometimes.)

I mean adding in moments that enrich your normal life.

Thinking about how you're spending your week.

And finding ways to add in calm or joyous moments.

They don’t have to be big or groundbreaking.
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• It could be getting up early one day to do something for you.
  
  
• It could be spending 20 minutes doing something you love one evening.
    
• Or doing something that gets you out of your comfort zone every now and then. 

What did I do?

Well, I added little things in to my week:

• I got up half an hour earlier one day to eat breakfast on the beach
  
  
• I played badminton in the park (which I love to do), instead of zoning out in front of the TV one evening
  
  
• I went to a local tourist attraction I had been meaning to go to for ages, rather than staying in and watching a movie (watching the 9 o’clock gun go off – man, that thing is loud!) 
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• I got out of my comfort zone whenever I could (like wearing a balloon backpack at the Vancouver Pride Parade... which the introverted side of me would never do!) 

It’s not always possible every day; I get that.  

I don’t do it every day. 

But I am committed to trying. 

To push myself a little each day, so each day is not the same.

So at the end of the month, or year, or five years...

I can look back with excitement and pride.

Rather than confusion, wondering “Where the hell did the time go? What was I doing for the past three years?!” 

This is something you can think about, too.

How can you make this week more memorable?

What can you do to feel alive this week (or the one after)?

How can you make one of your mornings more enjoyable?

Or shake things up one evening?

How can you add joy or excitement into your week, so every week doesn’t look the same? 

It’s easy to get into a rut or a routine that doesn’t inspire us (wake up... commute... work... commute... TV... bed...) 

But we can make each day a little better, if we make a conscious decision to.

Some ideas to start you off:

Who can you talk to that you wouldn’t normally talk to?

How can you make your commute different?

What can you do in the evening that you’ve never done before, or always wanted to do? 

It is possible to break out of a routine – with a bit of creativity and awareness.

Ruts are part of life. 

But they kill our dreams and inspiration.

So shake it up! 

Do something a little different each week.

And let me know what you get up to – I’d love to hear! 

Claire

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