For the past year or so I’ve been stuck in a rut. Feelings of unfulfillment and perplexity are all too familiar, and to that, I say no more! For the last month, I have been focusing on finding ways to get out of my rut. While also changing my life for the better and it has been a wonderful experience. Finding the balance between a productive life versus doing what’s comfortable has always been difficult for me, but I’m learning. Hopefully, if you feel inspired by these small changes, you can learn something too.
GET ORGANIZED
After graduating university, the lack of structure in my life threw me through a loop. I’m someone who likes checking off lists and time management so having zero structure was debilitating. I needed to find encouraging and flexible ways to manage my life. Using a bullet journal truly did that for me. Essentially a bullet journal is an empty notebook that you customize to your liking to become part journal part calendar.
In my own bullet journal, I have habit trackers which keep tabs on my water, sleep and exercise intake. I track my daily vitamin intake and even have space to set new goals like learning another language. I also fill it with daily to-do lists and “brain dumps” so when I look back, I can reminisce on, however, I was feeling that month. Using a bullet journal is a great way to stay creative and actually enjoy being productive and organized.
SAY YES MORE
I’m pretty sure describing me as introverted is an understatement at this point. I am incredibly comfortable in both silence and solitude, but that’s not always a good thing. When your default is seclusion, it leaves far too much room for you to take advantage of the relationships in your life. With summer approaching, socializing is way easier which means saying yes is way easier. Did someone invite you to a new restaurant or bar? Say yes! Forcing yourself into new situations is a great way to remind ourselves that there’s more to life. Plus, it drags us out of the mundanity of routines. It’s important to create new levels of normal so that we’re never living life in auto-pilot. Meet new people, try new things, get out there.
FIND A NEW HOBBY
In light of trying new things, a hobby is a great way to spend your free time. It can get you out of the house, it can help you meet new people, it can be the thing that changes your whole life. Maybe starting pottery is the relaxing downtime you need to get out of that rut, plus you have a ton of cute ceramics to gift. Looking to gain a little confidence? Join an improv troupe! There are so many productive ways to spend your time that can stop you from participating in negative discourse with yourself. For me, I have been infatuated with stand-up comedy and I’m making effort to see it live more this summer. It requires zero effort or commitment on my part, but it’s still an activity that I can look forward to weekly.
STAY ACTIVE
First of all, erase all notions of getting “beach ready.” I absolutely hate the notion that going to the gym is solely to lose weight or to “fix something” about yourself. If you want to set goals for yourself, all the power to you but I think we as a culture need to re-train the way our brains think about fitness. For me, the gym is somewhere to wind down and de-stress; it is somewhere that I take my body to feel stronger and more flexible.
Life is way easier when you’re taking care of yourself both mentally and physically and the gym can be a great middle ground for that. What better affirmation for your body than to push it to its limits and show yourself how strong and resilient you are? It’s important to listen to your body so if that means skipping the gym to go on a walk or go swimming, then do that! As long as you’re not constantly succumbing to those lethargic desires and finding ways to respect your body, you’re on the right track.
LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Even if your life isn’t where you want it to be, learning something new is a great way to feel accomplished. Perhaps you learn something practical to your field like coding or photography, but maybe you learn how to salsa dance. Being able to mark your progress on something brings structure and positive vibes your way so there’s really no loss. I’m in the process of re-learning French because learning languages are something I admire dearly. It’s something practical but it’s been a goal of mine for so long, that when I finally cross it off my bucket list nothing will stop me.
PLAN A TRIP
Having something to look forward to makes the day-to-day fly by. The stuff you hate doing finally has a purpose because it is a means to an end. I feel like planning a trip gets a bad rap for being overwhelming or entirety too expensive, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you ever need inspiration for why you should travel, or how to travel inexpensively, check out damonandjo. They’re a couple of American besties who are professional budget travellers and I am constantly inspired by them. Plus, they are always learning languages so if you need a reminder of what life could be, check them out. They have a ton of tips and tricks on travelling on the low low and we could all use some of that.
I think something we all often forget is that this is the time in our lives where we should be selfish. Everyone is constantly trying to get their shit together and we should be doing that in a healthy manner. Focus on mending your mental health, find peace within yourself, grow in ways that make you a happier version of yourself.
