5 Ways to Get Yourself Out of a Rut

5 Ways to Get Yourself Out of a Rut

If there’s ever a time to get yourself out of a rut, spring is the time to do it. With more sunshine giving us a longer day, there seems to be more time and our senses wake up. If you have been feeling like the winter has you just going through the motions, use the energy of spring to bring yourself back into focus.

Whether it’s your career or your personal life, a few small things can lift your spirits and make you feel inspired again.

1. Learn Something New

There’s nothing like stretching your brain to make the world seem like a more fascinating place. If you’ve always wanted to know more about gardening, sign up at your local center for some tips. If something really cutting-edge and scientific is more your style, see if you can audit or even just sit in on a few classes in robotics engineering. And if your brain is fried from all work and no play, why don’t you learn how to do something that’s fun – whether that’s jewelry making, wood working, book binding, or hula hooping (yes, you can take classes in that and it’s really fun).

2. Shake Off the Dust

You don’t have to go all out or spend a lot of money, but even styling your hair in a new way for a day, taking a fresh look at your clothes (pairing an old scarf with a basic white t-shirt), or putting on lipstick if you normally go bare-faced can perk up your spirits.

3. Clean Sweep

Sure, we’d all love to have a visit by the cleaning fairy, but if that’s not happening in your house right now, spiff up the one room you spend the most time in. It won’t take as long as a whole-house cleaning marathon and will have the biggest mood-boosting effect. If it’s the kitchen, get stuff off the counters and shine the stove top. If you want your bedroom to be more peaceful, put clothes away, wash the curtains, and wipe off your bedside table. Make every surface in your bathroom shine. And if you are always in your car, do that instead!

4. Get Out

Enjoying the outdoors is one of the best cures for the blahs. Doing something active is the best way to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, but there’s something to be said for sitting down with your face tilted up to the sun for a few minutes as well. Being still and listening to the birds and all the outdoor activity around you is good for your soul.

5. Rest Your Eyes on Something Different

Part of learning how to be inspired is working with what you have right now. If you just feel like you need to get out of the same old thing, go somewhere different – today. Visit a new store on the way home from work, stop in the town center you have never visited, or grab a cup of coffee where you can sit outside and watch the world for 15 minutes. Don’t ponder how you can afford to take the time or money to go away, plan how to find something new with the time and money you have and just do it.

Getting out of a rut shouldn’t be a big deal, but it might take a little creativity!

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