Everyone falls into a rut at one point or another in their lives; it’s a perfectly normal phase in every life that just needs to be overcome. Thanks to the severe lockdowns and social unrest in the last three years, many people have turned their lives upside down worldwide. Thanks to this, many have found themselves in a rut that seems insurmountable due to heavy feelings of sadness, depression, and hopelessness.
If you find yourself in such a situation, then you should put in mindful effort to take control of it again. Here are five very important tips and tricks to follow through if you find yourself mentally or emotionally stuck at the start of the new year.
1. Get Organized
To quote clinical psychologist and motivational speaker Dr. Jordan Person, ”go clean your room” is the first thing you need to do to get out of a rut. This means getting every part of your life organized- both social and personal. Cleaning your room is very easy-to-follow actionable advice that can be applied to other aspects of your life as well.
First, get rid of all the unnecessary stuff that you have in your life that is pulling you down so you have fewer things to manage. Sit down with a pen and paper and create a plan with small actionable goals that lead to fulfilling larger overall goals.
Have a realistic perception of your situation and try to plan accordingly; there is no one-glove-fits-all approach when it comes to organizing your life.
2. Dress for Success
There is a very good reason that the phrase “dress for success” has stuck around in different cultures for thousands of years. When you wear clothing and accessories that make you feel good about yourself, your mindset also changes.
If you haven’t changed your wardrobe in a while, maybe it’s time to shake things up and get some new threads. Tailored clothing is the most personalized and offers a greater degree of comfort, but if you don’t know an experienced tailor or have time to find one, online shopping is another great option.
You can find essential accessories such as glasses online, as well as deals on sometimes hard to find items like higher-quality clothing, shoes, and other items. The principle behind ‘dress for success’ is that when you’re well-dressed, it boosts your self-confidence and worth, which is reflected in your expression and social interactions.
3. Set Realistic Goals
When people realize that they’re in a rut and feel the need to change, they often make the mistake of rushing things through to regain control of their lives. This can then result in them failing to achieve the goals they set for themselves to get out of the rut, resulting in desperation. Instead of setting yourself up for failures like these, you need to learn to take baby steps.
Prioritize setting up realistic goals that are achievable on a day-to-day basis and follow up on them accordingly. For example, instead of trying to clean the entire house, you can focus on cleaning one room at a time throughout the week so that by the end of it, you achieve your primary goal without failing or demotivating yourself.
4. Take Care Of Yourself
An important aspect of getting out of a rut is taking care of yourself, something many people set as a secondary priority. Taking care of yourself both physically and mentally is equally important. You must do so to make other aspects of getting out of a rut successful. A weak body leads to a weak mind, which in turn prevents you from thinking and planning clearly.
Take care of yourself by eating healthy, sleeping well, working out, doing yoga, as well as disconnecting yourself from technology as needed.
Social media and smartphone addiction are two of the main reasons people who’re in a rut never seem to be able to get out of it. Over the last few years, the numbers seen in young people attending psychologists in an effort to kick their habit or reframe their relationship has skyrocketed as screen times continue to climb. Options like these ones can be a good way to reset and reassess your relationship with social media.
5. Surround Yourself With Positive People
Another important piece of advice to follow when in a rut is to surround yourself with positive people. Unless positive people surround you, you won’t have the mental and emotional support needed to see through your goals and pull yourself out of a rut. Having positive people around you can do absolute wonders for your mental and emotional health.
Step into the World Confidently
Finding yourself in a rut and admitting you need help to get out of it needs a lot of guts. But if you follow through with the above-mentioned tips, you can start the long but validating journey to becoming a balanced person once again. Stick it through the hard times, and it’ll all surely be worth it in the end.
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