I'm Mom, Me

 

Life Rut:  feeling uninspired and unmotivated by life’s current happenings; feeling stuck and unsure of your next move or any type of forward progression.

There, now that we’ve defined it, let’s look at some ways to get out of this life rut and make some moves!

 1.       Reach out to a friend: So often it seems like we’re the only ones experiencing what we’re going through or feeling what we feel. But, if you take a moment to reach out to those in your friend circle, chances are they are, or at one point were, in a similar situation. And by “reach out”, I don’t mean, stalk your old high school friend’s facebook page or analyze your co-workers Linked-In account. I mean, pick up the phone and be prepared to use your voice (no texting) to verbally communicate with someone who actually knows you! Facebook and Linked-In do not represent the real happenings of a person’s day to day life. Don’t compare yourself to someone else’s Kodak moment.

 2.    Do something you used to do: At some point in the past, I’m sure you didn’t feel like you were in a life rut. You felt content and happy…you felt like yourself. And then, gradually things changed in some or many areas of your life and now you feel stuck. So….reminisce and do something that you used to do to help dig yourself out a rut. For example, did you use to watch the news or read a book a month, or go to dinner with friends, or to the movies, etc.? If you think about it, I’m sure there are things you used to do that you could start doing again that may help you feel like yourself.

 

3.    Plan a small project and DO IT: Have you been wanting to redecorate your bathroom or organize your photos into photo albums? Have you wanted to create a written budget with real checks and balances, but haven’t gotten around to it? Well, now is the time! Sometimes we feel like we’re in a life rut because we don’t act on the many things we want to do. They stay trapped in our heads taking up space that could be used for relaxing and calming thoughts. Take one of those projects out of your mind and put it to pen and paper. Write a detailed plan needed to accomplish your goal and then challenge yourself to do at least one item a day. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment by seeing something through until the end.

4.    De-Clutter:  I’m a firm believer that all areas of our lives are intertwined to an extent and when we feel a certain way in one area, it easily spills over into other areas. When we feel good about our bodies, we eat better, which helps us look better and have more confidence. We feel more attractive and are likely in better moods and easier to be around, etc. The same is true with organization in our lives. When we enter our home or a room that’s lacking order, we can easily feel agitated and frustrated by the mess, but at the same time feel overwhelmed at the thought of doing something about it. De-cluttering an office drawer or your inbox can sublimely de-clutter your mind as well. A de-cluttered mind and de-cluttered space means there’s more room for your creative juices to flow.

5.     Build some margin in your day:  Remember back in school when we actually had to use pens or pencils to write real words on loose leaf paper? And the paper had those red lines at the edge that you were NOT to write in? Well, that’s the margin and you need to get some of that! Some red lines or down time in your day when you are NOT doing something. Impossible you say! Well, I say you must! Even if it’s just 10 minutes of sitting on the couch after dinner, or day dreaming after lunch before you head back to your desk, allow yourself some time to just be. Too much doing and not enough being can lead to more than a life rut, so ease up on your to-do list every now and then.

6.    Change your routine:  Do you eat a lean cuisine and yogurt for lunch every day? Do you always go grocery shopping at the same store every Saturday morning? Do you always spend Sunday afternoon cleaning your house? How about a change? Eat out on Tuesday instead of Friday or clean a little every day to free up your weekend. A small change in your daily routine may seem simple (it is) but it can be a little spark on the path of (re)igniting your passions.

7.     Dare yourself:  This one should be a jolt to your system because you’re daring yourself to do something you’ve resisted before! I bet there are things in your mind that you would do, if…. You know what I mean… I would get a facebook page if I weren’t paranoid about people finding me (I realize I may be alone on this one). I would where a bathing suit without a cover-up if my stomach were flat. I would join the choir if I had more time. There are always those would, if situations, but why not act on one, and act like the “if” isn’t there?! Wear that new lipstick, jump suit, or wedge sandal. Get a crazy design on your toes with your pedicure or go see that movie! Dare yourself to do something you want to do without fear or worry of what others might think. That might give you a wake-up call and expose some of the potential in you that you keep stored away! Draw a line in the sand and cross it from time to time! Cha-longe! (Think Cosby show when Cliff was having a (tap) dance off with someone…)