Do you know that feeling when you’re just watching your chest as it rises and falls with air… but you’re completely lacking motivation?

Where life is lacking colour, energy and excitement?

How do you shake your rut, and get back some momentum?

Here are six tips to help you do exactly that. 

1) Take it outside

It’s easy to get stagnant when you’re staring at the same four walls every day. It’s easy to lose sight of your purpose, your values and your passions when you become too familiar with your surroundings.

Step outside – whether it’s just for a brisk walk, a challenging hike, or a leisurely swim. Reacquaint yourself with nature and the wonder that our planet has to offer! By reminding yourself how vast the world is, it might help bring you back down to Earth and see the larger picture.

2) Analyze your relationships

I am not a promoter of displacing your personal blame on the people around you. By no means am I suggesting that your relationships are the cause of your rut. However, it is important to evaluate the people you share your life with.

We should hold all of our relationships to the same standard we hold our romantic relationships. Whether it is your boyfriend, your best friend, or your brother, they should encourage you to always vibrate at a higher frequency and chase your dreams! Attempt to surround yourself with people who are driven and motivated, and follow by their example.

You and your tribe can celebrate each other’s triumphs.

3) Know your roots

When crawling out of a rut, recognize your roots. Revel at how far you’ve come, whether it be in terms of your career, your personality or your relationships. You are allowed to be a work in progress, but appreciate how many lightyears away you are from the little girl (or boy) that you once were.

Look at how far you’ve come as an example of how much further you can go.

4) Understand your comfort zone

When you hit a plateau, you may need to evaluate what is blocking you from moving forward in your journey. It’s easy to set barriers for yourself – this is called your comfort zone. Make tiny moves to step outside of your comfort zone.

“If you want something you have never had, you must be willing to do something you have never done.” – Thomas Jefferson

5) Set little goals

This point can resonate with understanding your comfort zone. Set little (achievable) goals, and celebrate when you surpass them. This exercise can help you reevaluate your comfort zone, whilst simultaneously giving you a little pat on the back when you complete a task.

A sense of accomplishment can always help push us out of our ruts and motivate us to continue in a forward motion.

6) Emphasize your passion

Don’t lose sight of your strengths and your passions. Passion is the one thing that can keep us ticking when motivation and determination fade away. When the promise of a dollar is no longer an incentive to push forward, evaluate how your passions play into all of your decisions.

If you’re in the midst of a rut, and you’re lacking motivation, remember: things will get better. Stay focused on your goals.

Written by Celina Dawdy