How to get out of a Rut-5 steps to Happiness

Are you stuck in a Rut? Take these 5 Steps to become Happy

1. Admit you have a problem
2. Discovery & Self-Reflection
3. Create a Plan
4. Take Action
5. Achieve Happiness

Everyone gets anxious, overwhelmed, stressed, but how exactly do you get out of a rut? Life can be overwhelming, exhausting, and brutal. Everyone goes through the ups and downs, some just choose to stay down. I’m going to explain some basic steps on how to get out of a rut in life and hopefully help you achieve happiness!  I’m personally super happy that you are researching how to get out of a rut in the first place! That is a huge step, which brings me to our list.

1. Admit you have a problem

The first step is probably the biggest step! As with any problem it’s actually admitting that you have a problem! It’s an interesting notion that you can’t solve a problem until you admit you have a problem. Most people are in denial and as a result are constantly unhappy! You can’t just ignore a problem. Because left unresolved just delays your happiness even more. It has to be dealt with head on. You need to accept you are where you are because of your actions alone. Don’t complain or moan about why you are where you are. Life isn’t fair, but just because you are down now doesn’t mean you have to stay down!

I think everyone has heard that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.”  So let me say again, that just researching ideas on how to get out of a rut is a feat in itself. It means that you want change in your life and are ready to be happy!

2. Discovery

Next step in the process is Discovery. Ask yourself why are you in a rut in the first place? (If you know exactly why you are in a rut, Skip ahead to Step 3) There are a could be a bunch of different reasons that you could be in a rut. It could be your personal home life, your toxic work environment, stresses of the daily grind or a multitude of other factors.

Nothing will change, unless you change. When you change, everything will change for you. When you get better, your life will get better. You need to work on yourself. How do I make myself better?

Self-Reflection

By sitting and asking yourself why you are feeling like this, you can identify what the true cause is. Ask yourself, what exactly do I want out of my life? What would make me happy? When you allow yourself to self-reflect, ideas will freely flow through you. It will then lead to the discovery of new things about yourself. Things you never knew. This self-awareness helps you begin the journey to break free from the rut.

If you are currently in a place where you feel unfulfilled or your unhappy just know that it is temporary, not permanent.  Get out of your own head and into your heart and ask yourself, what can I improve? How can I improve my circumstances? Think about every area of your life. Any unhealthy habits? Toxic relationships?  I’m sure that everyone can think of something.  No one is perfect, everyone should be trying to improve in one area. Nothing will get better, unless you get better. You are your own greatest obstacle and your own greatest strength. Which takes us to the next step.

3. Creating a Plan

Okay so now that you know the problem is it’s time to make a plan and envision your future.  No successful person in life plays the victim card, instead they focus on what can they do today to better my tomorrow.  I think ANY planning you can do the better. You need to actually write down your goals. Where do you see yourself in a year? 5 years? Is there anything you want to accomplish and what are the steps needed to get there? What kind of life do you want? Your thoughts and emotions are Powerful!

Everyone has something different that they want to accomplish or want to attain, but thee should always be a plan of attack. Only you know what you deserve so don’t settle for any less.

4. Time for Action

I know that everyone has different goals thus everyone has a different action plan. However, I find that you cannot go wrong with my 5 P Mantra.

My personal mantra is Anything is Possible with the 6 P’s

• Be Present
• Be Positive
• Be Playful
• Keep things Pretty
• Purge
• Pass it On

Be Present

It’s important to be in the present moment. It’s easy to reminisce about the past and hold on to our past mistakes. Longing or missing something from the past is a pointless emotion. You can learn and remember your past but don’t look back to long. You have to keep pushing forward. But don’t think ahead too far! If you are worried and stressing about events that have yet to happen, A.K.A. “the future”, then you are creating your own anxieties. Be consciously aware of your presence currently.

Be Positive

This is a BIG part of your success to becoming happy. You need to believe you can accomplish your goals! If you are already going into the game thinking you are going to lose, then you are going to lose! . You are in control of your mind. You have to be your biggest cheerleader. Stop with the self doubt and let go. Just proceed towards your goals, baby steps at a time. Whether you think you can or you can’t, your right! That’s power!

Remember there is always something to be thankful for in your life, no matter the circumstance. Sometimes in life, there are no simple solutions. Sometimes you have to bear the April showers to get the May flowers.

Even if you aren’t particularly feeling very positive, then fake it till you make it. Read some of my favorite uplifting quotes here.

Be Playful

It’s easy to get caught up in the stresses of everyday life and be so serious. It’s not healthy. It’s okay to loosen up a bit and be silly! According to CignaHealth, Having a good laugh feels good and It lifts your mood instantly. That’s because when you laugh, the reward centre of your brain lights up” They also say that laughing is good for your heart and helps burns some extra calories!

Another option is playing games. I agree with George Bernard Shaw that “we don’t stop playing games because we get older, we get older because we stop playing games” I think as adults we stop playing all together. But stop watching your kids playing and start playing.

Get in a workout

I always try to follow Mathew Mcconaughey’s advice, he says he tries to sweat everyday. Doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re doing something. Anything is always better than nothing! So I try to be playful with my workouts.

Some good options are to dance, workout, bike ride, run, walk the dog, etc.

Make things pretty

I’ve found it personally easier for me to be organized when things are pretty. I LOVE organization, it controls the chaos and helps to keep things pretty. Being disorganized and messy is definitely not pretty! I hate it when I can not find something and find it to be such a time saver to have a place for everything. This has been where I personally struggle with, it’s so easy for my house to get messy!  Being organized is a constant battle but it’s something that I work at to get better.

I love looking at my house and seeing it nicely organized and neat. I’m a very visual person and if its untidy, I get stressed out and I don’t like it. Best method I found to keep my house clean and organized.

Pass it on

Simply put it feels good to make others feel good and it just takes a SEC!

·      Smile– A smile is an easy way, it’s contagious and infectious.

·      Eye Contact– It’s a simple act of respect, when any person is talking.

·      Compliment– It could be the littlest comment that makes someone else feel so good. You instantly change someones mood when you give them a compliment.

These days people are way TOO critical and with the anonymity of the internet cyber bullying has skyrocketed. Instead of spreading hate and negativity, be NICE. Being nice to other people is an easy way to boost your own self-confidence. It’s a win-win for everyone!

5. Achieve Happiness

Once you have completed the previous steps you should now be happier than when you first started. I will say that every journey is different and there is no correct path for everyone. 

Remember that it is a journey not a race! 

In conclusion

I hope you found this article helpful and hope that you now have a plan of attack to get you out of your own rut in life. Remember the (6) P’s and good luck. And do not forget to take action! You can read every possible article you can find on what to do. However, until you start to take action you will never achieve your goals! If you fail and don’t reach your goals then go back to the planning stage to adjust your plan.

Any action, no matter how small anything is better than nothing. Remember the tortoise won the race! It doesn’t matter how long it takes to get to your destination, as long as you get there. If you want the life you want, you need to work at it everyday. You need to put in the work for your future.