In a Rut? Remember, And This Too Shall Pass
In a Rut? Remember, And This Too Shall Pass
Have you felt rutty lately? Is that even a word? Well, at some point, we all get in them. Recently, I’ve read a lot about them and, most articles say you are not being true to who you really are or that you are not living in alignment with yourself. Well, I say blah to that theory.
I believe that it’s totally normal to get stuck and most times, it passes. It’s when it doesn’t pass within what seems to be a normal standard for you that you need to be concerned and possibly reach out for some help.
What does it mean? Well, from what I read and observe, a rut is, simply stated, when your life seems stagnant, not much change is happening, or an uncomfortable situation for which there seems no way out. It can feel like your living groundhog day over and over, and there is no way out – No growth, change, or personal development is taking place.
What causes them? I find, there are triggers that cause ruts. It can be something happening at your job, relationship, or your health that can cause them. I’ve noticed at times, they do and can come out of the blue, but that doesn’t seem to be the norm. I believe, they are prompted by a trigger, and our imagination has a lot to do with them.
We can imagine ourselves right into a rut. Over-thinking a negative situation, comparing ourselves to others (a big trigger for me), and not developing or growing intellectually can sink you right into a rut. Of course, these are my opinions and based on my own personal experiences.
There is a way out! Do some analysis and try to figure out what the trigger is for you causing the rut you are now experiencing. Ask yourself, is this really a rut I’m feeling? How can you tell? OK, here is one example. There are stages in my life that I experience where I’m working on something, it can be anything from a crafting project to writing, or taking a new course, or working on a new computer project.
Well, what happens is I become so engrossed in it, that I see nothing else except that particular thing. Every day I do the same thing – well, not really, but it sure seems like it’s the same thing. It’s the same pattern, but not the same thing. That is an important clarification to note. It’s thinking it’s the same thing that causes me to feel like I’m in a rut when actually, I’m creating or learning, and it feels like a rut because it’s repetitive.
Every day I do the same thing – well, not really, but it sure seems like it’s the same thing. It’s the same pattern, but not the same thing. That is an important clarification to note. It’s thinking it’s the same thing that causes me to feel like I’m in a rut when actually, I’m creating or learning, and it feels like a rut because it’s repetitive. A rut is when you are doing nothing to grow, or expand yourself intellectually when there is no new growth or personal progress.
Here is a cool rut test you can take. It’s short and sweet. I found it here.
This informal measure points to a process I found in people who complained about being in a funk, spinning their wheels, and getting nowhere fast. This test can help you identify (or rule out) factors associated with a rut.
Your Rut Test uses a three-point scale where 1 = rarely, 2 = occasionally, and 3 = often. For each item, check the number that you think best describes you.
1. I don’t challenge myself
2. I’m not going anywhere in life
3. I feel bored
4. If it’s uncomfortable, I’ll avoid it
5. I don’t believe I can change
6. I put off taking a new direction
7. I feel trapped in endless monotony
How can you break the rut cycle? Remember, it’s important to note once you discover the trigger don’t just sit on your laurels – do something to break the cycle. Once you identify the source of your pain, it’s not magically going to un-rut you! This is where you have to take concrete action to break from your rut or you can wait a while, and see if it passes which I find, they mostly do pass like a natural ebb and flow.
I hope this helps if you are experiencing a rut. It’s also good to be aware of some of the triggers that can cause them in the future.
Have a glorious day!
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