The Tribune

Whether we are in a rut, going through some identity crisis or just having a dull feeling of monotony, being stuck is real and often difficult to navigate.

At one point or another, we’ve all been there, living life on a treadmill, experiencing the same ole, same ole. What’s worse is we usually have no idea how to step off and move ourselves to a better place.

What do you do when you’re stuck in a rut? I’ve been at this intersection many times and I know how disconcerting it can feel. If you find yourself in a rut – have no fear, you are not alone. Ruts are common aspects of our daily lives. Feeling stuck in and of itself is not a bad thing. The challenge is whether you are willing to work your way through it.

Feelings of being bored, irritated, restricted, doubtful, or even feeling trapped can hold you hostage. You will likely have your own unique rut feelings. But before you can step off, you must first step up and own your feelings.

Life is dynamic and staying stuck hinders your growth. It is like drifting through a fog with no sense of clarity. However, if you are willing to be honest with yourself about who you are and what you really want, you can fearlessly get over this rut.

It will take more than some surface assessment to break the rut cycle. You must get to the root cause to motivate yourself to a better state. This is where it gets tough; taking action to step off. What is more, many individuals either don’t know or don’t accept they are actually on a treadmill. Blindly running in place, following the fads, only to find after endless energy they are still in the same position.

Another challenge is your tolerance for the truth, which tends to shed light on your perceived shortcomings. Truth is hard to face and often uncomfortable. For this reason, many endure a continuous, rather than occasional treadmill experience. The question is, if you are living in a state of sameness are you really living or just existing?

Fully engaging in your life begins with a clear understanding of who you are now. Not who you were yesterday or who you will be tomorrow, but who you are right now. Now is the point of power. Seek to know who you are before worrying about what you want.

Conditioned to conform to the status quo, we habitually go through life disengaged; overly concerned about what we want out of life. But what is it that life wants out of us?

Ultimately, nothing stays the same; everything moves. Life then is about moving, growing and expanding. It is about embracing a broader perception of yourself and your power to master your life.

To step off the treadmill, first, admit that you are in fact in a rut or stuck in some situation that no longer serves your goals. Admitting and accepting where you are is critical to moving in a new direction. You cannot live an optimal life if you are sleepwalking through it

Also, expand your thinking beyond being ‘basic’. Many think they can solve problems by supposedly ‘going back to basics’. However, life has no rewind button. There is no going back to yesterday. Life does not flow upstream. Every path that life offers is destined to carry you forward, not backward. It is your choice whether you live fearfully or fearlessly; trusting life has incredible expectations.
Getting, unstuck is not about looking backwards but rather, looking inward and courageously moving towards something better. The higher truth is our world is no longer ‘basic’ and neither are we. I don’t suppose that we ever were.

We are extraordinary beings with unlimited power. Our capacity to engage in the fullness of life becomes easier when we expand our understanding. Be willing to get inside your life to reimagine what is possible. Make today the day that you take the lead to step off the treadmill and live an optimistic, fully engaged life.

Now is the perfect time to shift your life paradigm

 What do you think? Send comments questions to coaching242@yahoo.com. Michelle M. Miller is a certified Life-Coach, Leadership Expert and Author of Take The Lead. She is the CEO of TTL Coaching Strategies and founder of the Girls Leadership Coaching Club.