“With a new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

It is inevitable. In your fitness goals, career goals, or simply daily living, you will fall into a sense of complacency and start to go through the motions, with no true sense of direction or passion.

It’s hard to jolt yourself out of this daze and back on track, but it IS possible. You may be down or just a little side-tracked, but you’re not out for good! Get out of your rut with these tips.

Remind yourself why

If you do have some type of plan or goal you’re working toward, remind yourself what it is you’re working for and why you are doing the things you do every day. It feels like you aren’t getting anywhere in the daily activities, but keep yourself focused on why you’re doing it, and you’ll get the big picture.

Tell your story

In an online community, to an acquaintance you’re getting to know better, to a friend that you’re updating, or in a journal to yourself—what do you have to say about where you started, how far you’ve come, and what you’ve done along the way?

You’ll be excited, and perhaps surprised, to see some of the highlights you’ve already experienced, as well as being proud of your success so far. Telling your story helps to get you out of a rut by rejuvenating you and inspiring you to continue.

Take a new approach

Your workout is getting lack luster, you are not motivated for school, you ducked out on a project you started on your own. So how do you actually start up again? Attack it from a new angle.

Come up with a rewards system, create a new schedule, or do your work in a different order. For example, you can reward yourself by getting your favorite treat once you reach a certain milestone; you can implement a work schedule of working for 30 minutes or an hour, followed by a 10-15 minute break; or mix up your routine or the order in which you do your work, like starting with the part of the novel you really want to write, or re-vamping your meal plan and fitness schedule with new things

Remember how you felt

How did you feel when you first started a particular project or goal? There were certain emotions that drove you to do it, beyond pure passion and motivation. Perhaps a fear of not doing anything with your life, perhaps a desire to help your family or others, or maybe a talent of yours that you enjoy.

Similarly, emotions like joy, excitement, and a sense of belonging filled your heart when you began your journey. Remind yourself of these feelings and it will re-inspire you to get out of your rut.

About Alex Blackwell

Alex Blackwell is the author of Letting Go: 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrender, which includes 10 free Peace and Balance tools.
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