The toe prints in my slippers can attest to days spent in and out of bed feeling stuck inside my own thoughts. It sucks to be in a rut, pickle, jam, or predicament. Finding a way to get out can be as wearing and tearing as the feeling itself. Self-help books fill dusty bookshelves and an endless number of inspirational quotes on Instagram stories are available to your heart’s content. Everyone is going through something. Each human has felt restless, hopeless or just too confused to put on a happy face. Though this is a reality, you have the power to be proactive and seize your own story. Getting unstuck can take work, but staying stuck is paralyzing.
Get Outside Yourself
Go outside. Soak up that vitamin D. If the weather matches your melancholy mood, no need to fret! The sun’s UV rays are active and ready to reach your skin on the dreariest overcast days. Breathe what the trees are putting out there for you and maybe even hug one. This may sound like Disney princess mumbo jumbo, but Cinderella may have been onto something when she made friends with birds and mice. Human beings are beautifully complicated creatures. They can also be walking balls of stress and overstimulating for you during this fragile time and state. Take a break from the masses to be one with nature. No matter where you sit on the introverted and extroverted spectrum, alone time in the great outdoors can be a replenishing and rewarding moment all to yourself. Get outside; it’s a great step to get outside of yourself and the funk without spending a dime.
Help Someone Else
Your needs must be validated; perhaps this is step two to making sure you are stabilized. With that in mind, take some of that negative energy bundled and twisted inside you and reshape it for someone else’s benefit. Gandhi said it superbly: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” The act of helping someone whose struggle is similar to your own can be therapeutic. It can put you in a better headspace that promotes emotional healing and personal peace. Often, when we are stressed and feel stuck, we think that our schedules are so chalked full of activity that we could not possibly be able to do a favor for a friend. Being a helping hand for someone can actually give you an element of control and a positive choice you can make amidst the feeling of being stuck.
This Could Be The Start Of Something New
This tip is geared more towards those kindred spirits of mine who love to achieve. On average, it takes 66 days to form a habit. If your rut is stemming from an internal restlessness or dissatisfaction, you can find your inner Kelly Clarkson. Make “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!” your mindfulness mantra. Trials are an opportunity for growth. Sixty-six days might sound daunting, but think about that deadline you got two months ago that is rapidly approaching. Go to the gym, even for 10 minutes. Reach back in that junk drawer and put those watercolors to good use. Write up a “books to read” list, “places to visit” list or just a good ol’ classic bucket list. Whatever you do, just make your goals specific and achievable. Picking up a new hobby doesn’t have to be intimidating. Take the first of 66 days worth of baby steps today.
You’ve Got This
These are just a few tips courtesy of Cinderella, Gandhi, and Kelly Clarkson. In the end, each individual has a personal path to stability and peace. You’ve got this.
