Are you stuck in a rut?

By Jarrod Demeza


Almost all of you know the feeling. Life has grown to be uninteresting and so the situations you used to take joy in each day have become unbearable. You've forgotten about the excitement of the way things were and you remain on this particular unfulfilling road because it is what you have become most comfortable with. This is exactly what it feels like to be in a rut. If you feel like this you may find it tough to imagine that there are some people who sadly are so preoccupied by regimen that they don't actually realise they are in a rut, or maybe they are simply in denial. In either case the only way forward would be to admit that you are in a rut and then go ahead and take necessary steps to become unstuck.

How did we all get to this point? For a few of us it might have spawned from difficulties with friends or family. For others it might have been through unexpected circumstances, possibly the loss of a family member or the end of a long lasting romance. It is more likely however that you have been living your life on the identical timetable for too long and you have simply lost sight of your desired goals.

For me it started out at work. I had successfully produced a project and was very happy with the outcome. But once a project is completed in my type of work it is not unheard of that the project idles in a state of routine maintenance where merely the occasional improvement is required. Of course, working on the exact same project for any length of time, be it months even years, would leave any individual feeling like Bill Murray's character in Groundhog Day. Consequently at this point you would assume that if I was no longer advancing in my position then clearly it's time to move on right? However that is easier in theory.

We sometimes don't consider where we want to be outside the rut therefore we simply remain where we come to feel secure. Other times we might be scared to make a mistake making things worse than they are at the moment. Regrettably, it is also incredibly possible to build up a slight enjoyment of being negative. Living this way is just what you become accustomed to and you may discover that you invest lots of your time and effort focusing on the failings surrounding you and not always your own.

There are numerous unfavorable ramifications associated with being in a rut. Along with not achieving your full potential, you will probably discover changes in your behaviour as well as your well-being. You could possibly grow to be withdrawn from friends, co-workers and family members. The physical symptoms consist of low energy levels, trouble sleeping, depression, a sense of seclusion; your general health could even be at risk.

One good thing - despite all this negativity - finding yourself in a rut could be the prompt you need to power change.




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