Stuck In A Rut? How To Pull Yourself Out

We all get in a rut sometimes, but if you find that you are spending a lot of time feeling low, or that you've been feeling this way for a long time, it could be that you are stuck in a rut, maybe without even realising it. So, how do we get ourselves out of a rut?

Recognise you're in a rut
It might seem obvious now that we are talking about it, but I'm sure many of us have had the experience of looking back at a period in our lives and only then realising what a rut we were in. A natural reaction that many of us employ when we feel stuck to begin with is saying "its not that bad" or "it hasn't been that long". However, if we're not careful, before we know it, we've been that way for weeks, months or years!

Get clear
Doing a life coaching exercise like "The Wheel of Life" is a good way to assess the different areas of your life and see what's working well and what's not working so well.

Once you have identified the area(s) you are in a rut with, then its time to get clear what's going on. Are you scared of moving forward? have you developed some unhealthy habits? Are you resigned?

Take action
Once you have identified where you are stuck and what's been stopping you, its time to set some goals and to take action. Using SMART goals.

SMART Goals are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Timely

If you have lots of areas that need attention, choose the most important one to you to work on first. Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to do too much in one go or give up because it seems like too much to do. One step at a time...

Be accountable
We are more likely to succeed with our goals if they live somewhere else as well as in our minds. Whether that's on paper, with a supportive friend or with a coach. Being accountable about our goals means we are less likely to let our old patterns run the show (things like giving up before we started, letting ourselves off the hook and on the other end of things being excessively hard on ourselves and expecting too much). Being accountable isn't about beating ourselves up but about keeping our dreams and goals alive and keeping the momentum up.

Recognise your achievements
Being positive with yourself is vital for your wellbeing but very much so when you are feeling stuck in a rut. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself: don't beat yourself up or berate yourself about where you are or about the speed of your progress, it will just make you feel worst and lead to demotivation. Get in the habit of recording your achievements each day. Many of us are very good at pointing out what we haven't done or what's left on our to do list. Be your own cheerleader and treat yourself as you would a good friend.

Take care of your health
Leading on from my point about treating yourself well, our health is often something that takes a back seat when we're in a rut. It is a good practice to take care of your health, making sure you eat well and exercise. For example, yoga can help with depression.

Don't underestimate the power of a healthy body and mind in being able to help you make positive changes in your life!

Seek support
Sometimes we all need an extra bit of help when making changes in our lives. Life coaching can be helpful. Feel free to contact me about a free consultation if you are interested. However, if you suspect you are depressed or need medical support, make sure you consult your GP.

Shake things up
Sometimes all that's left to do is shake things up! This man's story is fascinating. He did just that.

Are you feeling stuck in your life or your business?

If you enjoyed this and are also interested in feeling more pulling yourself out of a rut or working on another area of your life or business, then book your free consultation with me here at my coaching page.

Photo by Mykl Roventine via Flickr