You don’t like where you are in life.
You don’t know what you want.
Your life feels out of balance.
You think about change, but can’t get yourself going.
You’re in a rut. It happens. But the big question is—are you going to stay put or are you going to break out of it?
At some point, you may feel like life is an endless loop. You could be working really hard but not really getting anywhere. You might be stuck in a relationship that is sucking the life out of you. You might be dreaming of switching careers but can’t figure out how to get there. You may have plans and dreams that have been relegated to a corner.
When life feels stalled, what do you do?
Do it different.
When life is on a loop
I enjoyed the movie “Groundhog Day” for the very fact that it encapsulates that feeling we all get sometimes - that life is on a loop. It has a great message too—when you’re stuck in a rut, to change the outcomes you have to change yourself first.
Work, kids, responsibilities… life can sometimes feel like an endless treadmill, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep running just to stand still. There is so much you can do to ring in the changes.
To see what’s holding you back, take some time to stand back and audit your life. Figure out what you can do that’s on the mark and can get you back on track. Look objectively at what works and what doesn’t, then start to formulate a plan for change. Keep positive influences and interests, and let go of negative ones.
Acknowledge the need for change. You want change and are open to exploring new directions. Let yourself get used to this idea and don’t be afraid to share your feelings with trusted friends, a professional or life coach to give you a different perspective on what you want and how to get it.
Focus on change
For a start, focus on the two main areas that will make the greatest difference – health and happiness, because once these are working for you, life will improve in the process.
Then identify small changes you can make on a daily basis that will help you to move forward. Any small positive change does that, and together they add up to so much more.
Make room for something new. The old adage “A change is as good as a rest” is so true. Change can reinvigorate and refresh your whole perspective on life, but only you can kick it into action. Do something different and get a new result.
Move in the positive direction
Cut off negative thoughts like “I’m stuck” or “I’m never going to figure this out”. These are only going to hold you back and damage your self-confidence. If you catch these words replaying in your head, try replacing them with positive affirmations like “I can do this” or “My life is improving”. Will yourself to cooperate by inspiring your mind to move in the positive direction that you want.
Any idea is simply an idea until you act on it. So commit to taking action on your plans. Start with small steps as benchmarks to success. So that the process of achieving your goal doesn’t become overwhelming, think of three tasks and give yourself a reasonable time limit to accomplish them. Do it one task at a time. You will feel your confidence go a notch higher with each accomplishment.
Sometimes the road to success is not straight. You could face forks on the road or even detours. Don’t panic. When one road closes, there is always an alternative route.
If one way doesn’t work, try another. Examine what is ahead of you and how you can make this new direction an avenue full of opportunity. Put options and possibility in your path and take a confident step forward.
