10 Ways to Feel Better When You’re Stuck in a Rut

It’s Friday afternoon, right around 3 o’clock, I’m staring at my laptop screen. I half-forgot what I had to do, and I half don’t-feel-like-doing-it. I’m stuck.

Ever have those days when nothing major happens, it’s just an ordinary day, but all of the sudden you starting feeling uninspired and find yourself being stuck in a rut?

I love it when there’s a lot of excitement in my life. I love it when there’s a lot happening, I love having fun and good things to look forward to. Sometimes, however, things can get a little quiet. A little calm, normal… ordinary.

So how do you make yourself feel better and how do you transform those “ordinary” days into “extraordinary” and exciting ones?

GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

When was the last time you did something for the first time? Something fun and free? Try something new, something you’ve never done before- this is one of the quickest ways of getting out of a rut. You’ll feel excited and inspired again- maybe there’s something you always wanted to do, like taking a cooking or dance class?

GET OUTSIDE

Grab a book, a bottle of water and go to the park. Go for a bike ride. Have a dog? Take him for a hike. Go for a run. Get out of the house and spend some time in fresh air. Forget about all of your chores and responsibilities for a few minutes and just breathe.

POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS

Whenever you feel stuck in a rut, chances are you start doubting yourself. You might start comparing yourself to others, doubting your journey and wondering if your hard work is ever going to pay off. Well stop that right now! Find a few positive affirmations that you love, write them down and repeat them over and over again. Instead of telling yourself “I’m stuck, I don’t know what to do, this sucks.” tell yourself “I am unique, nothing can replace me“. “I am meant to have an amazing life!” If you’ve never used affirmations before, it might feel a little silly at first, but trust me, it works.

WORK IT OUT

Nothing makes me feel better than a good, exhausting workout session- especially on those days when it’s the last thing on my mind. Sometimes I have to literally force myself to workout, but once I’m done, I always feel SO much better. Go for a little run, hit the gym and use that excess energy/frustration to fuel your workout.

LOOK YOUR BEST

Do your hair, put on some makeup (even if it’s just lipstick), give yourself a mani/pedi, wear a cute outfit and look your best for a day. This will give you a little boost of confidence

DISCONNECT

When you’re feeling stuck in a rut, you’re much more likely to start playing the comparison game. Disconnect from social media for a day- turn off your phone when you get home, read a book, get rid of all the noise.

SPEND TIME WITH SOMEONE YOU LOVE

Take someone close to dinner- your mom, sister, friend, your partner- and talk it out. Better yet, throw a little mid-week dinner party and invite everyone- and hey, wine and pizza count as a dinner party. We all find ourselves being so busy these days; when was last time you grabbed lunch with someone you love, in the middle of the week? This also includes yourself! Sometimes you may not have that special someone, or they may not be available- take yourself out on a date, then! This is exactly what I did last week- although I didn’t technically go “out.” Having struggled with depression in the past, I sometimes feel those old feelings and thoughts creeping back in and I’ve taught myself to recognize them. So when I started feeling a little down last week I knew that I had to do something about it because sleeping for 12 hours isn’t going to solve anything. Knowing that my husband was working late that day, I went to the grocery store, bought a bunch of magazines, some food, a bone for my dog and went home. I made myself an epic veggie bowl, some spearmint tea put on some music, gave my dog the bone and we chilled in our kitchen. I ate, browsed through magazines while Blu chewed on his bone, getting up every five minutes, making sure I didn’t drop any food. By the time my husband got home, I was feeling better. Also, if you have a dog hug the crap out of him- this is also an instant pick-me-up.

WATCH OR READ SOMETHING INSPIRING

Some of us have the ability to find inspiration and motivation within ourselves and some of us need that little extra push. When you feel that “blah” feeling coming, read an inspiring book or watch something inspiring like one of these 11 Ted Talks to Watch When You’re Stuck in a Rut.

MIX UP YOUR DAILY ROUTINE

Do something fun, something different from your usual routine. If every single one of your days looks exactly the same, finding excitement can be difficult. I myself am a creature of habit, I love being in control and get a little annoyed at any changes in my schedule or routine. Sometimes, though, I just feel this huge need to mix things up a little- and whenever I start feeling “stuck”, this is one of the first things I do.

TAKE A BREAK

Sometimes, all you need to feel better, is to take a little break. Allow yourself one day to feel “sorry” for yourself, come up with a plan, do something relaxing and then get back on track.

When you don’t have anything exciting happen in your life for a while, when you don’t have much to look forward to or when something that you’ve been working on for a very long time isn’t brining results you’ve hoped for, it’s easy to suddenly start feeling “stuck”.

You can wait for those feelings to pass, or you can take charge of them and bring some excitement in your life. Realize that you don’t have to depend on some special event or project to give you something to look forward to.