Ways I Break Free When Stuck In A Rut

 

                                                                                                         Image:Marie Vonow

We hear a lot about living in the moment these days. Nobody used that expression when I was growing up. This 'living in the moment' thing can be difficult if one is stuck in a rut or dwelling on events that happened in the past. Sometimes it makes me feel 'down' to think about the past too much and I don't feel motivated to write or do interesting stuff. When this happens I need to identify ways to make some easy budget friendly changes to get back my energy and that feeling of aliveness. 

Music 

I love listening to music while I am writing or pottering around the house. Many pieces of music hold memories and remind me of a particular time. When I find I am stuck in the past I make a conscious effort to listen to different music, something 'new' to me. This is easy these days with so much music available free on You Tube, Spotify and dozens of other online sites. I also borrow cds from the library.

When I find a 'new' artist I particularly like I might buy a couple of used cds from ebay. I limit the number of cds I buy, trying to keep to a budget and to avoid collecting clutter. I give away those cds I have stopped listening to because they no longer make me happy.

Sometimes I listen to buskers when I go to Rundle Mall in Adelaide. The music is free and I come across musicians I wouldn't discover elsewhere.

Rearrange the furniture

I have found moving a few pieces of furniture around and displaying my ornaments differently helps me live in the moment. It's the process of changing something and making things feel fresh. I also do a bit of spring cleaning when I move furniture and this makes me feel I have achieved something.

Display flowers

I love having flowers in the house but sometimes there aren't many blooms in the garden. When I really look I can always find something from Nature to bring into the house. This might be a branch with a couple of small oranges or grapefruit or even some attractive grasses. http://decornotes.com/decorating-with-natural-materials/ Just one or two flowers in a vase of ivy or other greenery can be attractive.

A couple of grapefruit, ivy, hibiscus leaves and a bird of paradise flower.             Image:Marie Vonow

New interests 
I sometimes attend a day course on something that is new to me. I have met some interesting people at such courses. A different experience and some new knowledge is uplifting and gives my mind something new to think about. 

Yesterday I went to a session about self publishing which was only an hour and a half long but it left me feeling inspired.

There is also plenty of information on the internet on every topic under the sun. I can get into the habit of sticking with the same old topics so from time to time I consciously check out some blogs or You Tube videos on a different subject.

Exercise 

I like walking but am not a great one for attending exercise classes or doing other active stuff as part of a group. Therefore I am surprised to find myself not only going along to but actually enjoying aqua exercise classes at the local swimming centre.

I am glad I decided to give it a try when my physiotherapist recommended this as a low impact form of exercise. I think it is important to try to find something which suits your fitness level, age, financial situation and personal preference if you are thinking about taking up additional exercise. 

Incidentally, an added bonus is meeting up for coffee in the cafe after the class. I have picked up useful information on a wide variety of topics and had lots of laughs as well. This certainly helps me stay out of a rut.

Going somewhere different 

Even going out for the morning to somewhere I don't usually go will lift my spirits and help me get out of a rut. I find it best to go out in the morning because if I settle down to routine tasks I may decide I can't be bothered going out. 

Routines have their place but doing the same thing all the time while thinking about the past isn't inspiring or motivating. Sometimes one needs to make the conscious decision to do something a bit different and make a change or two to shake things up to avoid getting into or staying in a rut.