Sometimes life just lets you down. Feelings of hopelessness, self doubt, and anger are enough to make anyone feel trapped in a cycle that seems impossible to break out of. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you don’t even know where to begin, but if you’re ready to take a look in the mirror and make a change, I can help you find where to start. Here is my tried and true advice for breaking out of a rut.
Make a list of things that would make you happy
Imagine your life just as you would like it to be. Write everything that pops into your head with no erasing or deleting. Write until it makes you cry.
Then, write down everything you are grateful for. Even if it’s the smallest thing. If you’re grateful for your favorite sweater, write it down.
When you’ve finished that, you should be feeling a bit better. Now, take your second list and tape it somewhere you will see it every day.
Then, take your first list and prioritize it. Put it the order in which it can be achieved.
Do something for yourself every day
This is where the real work comes in. You have to do something every single day that will bring you closer to your goals. If you hate your job, start by deciding what job you would rather have and then start working towards being able to do that job. Register for a class. Open a savings account that will give you some wiggle room in case it doesn’t work out. Put five dollars into it as often as you can.
Want to move to a new place? Want to lose weight? Want to meet the love of your life?
Look for new homes in the area you’d love to live. Run 20 minutes on a treadmill. Go to a different grocery store than usual and make eye contact with strangers. (Flirtacious eye contact. Not creepy eye contact.)
Living your life this way not only puts you on track to your goals, but you also get the added bonus of going to bed each day feeling like you accomplished something. That alone can do wonders for your self-esteem.
Take at least one little step, every day, towards the life you want to live. Think of them as little bites of an entire meal. Keep chugging and you will eventually get there.
Let go of all the things that you’re angry at yourself for
It doesn’t matter whether it was last week or ten years ago– self loathing and doubt are not the answers to your problem.
You are not the same person you were even yesterday. If you lied around all day and did absolutely nothing, forgive yourself and get back on track. Coming down hard on yourself with bring you right back to where you started: in another rut. It’s okay. You took a little break. Back to the grind.
Take care of yourself
Watch a funny-ass movie. Read a book that you’ll be smarter for having read it. Eat foods that are good for you. Get a little exercise, even if it’s walking around the mall…all the crap they tout in self help books.
Believe you can get there
You have to believe that you can do this. You’ve already put the thoughts on paper, now it’s time to turn these thoughts to actions. Keep your head down and work your ass off. There’s no way you can’t get there
Read
This is How by Augusten Burroughs. It’s soul food…for…the..soul…
Get out your pen and paper right now. It’s your moment, girl.
Just the wake up article i needed to read. Thank you.