When you’re stuck in a rut

Most people feel like they’re stuck in a major rut at least once in their lives. It’s like you can’t shake the feeling of being burnt out, being stuck in one place and not going anywhere; even though you don’t have any idea where to go. It’s like you can’t see in color, you’re just following a routine and you’re getting deeper and deeper.

It can feel like you’re stuck in a rut even if you have a fairly decent life. A feeling of depression can be rooted in so many different things; you just have to find what’s wrong and fix it – sounds easy, doesn’t it? In reality, it is extremely hard to do. When you’re stuck, you just can’t get out no matter how hard you try. You feel numb and let the days go by. Knowing your responsibilities is the easy part, you just can’t force yourself to do anything – it’s like all these things are meaningless and lack all purpose.

It sounds silly because we all know that ironing, cooking or any other chore has its purpose; still they seem unimportant when you’re feeling blue. The worst thing about being stuck is that life doesn’t seem to take you anywhere; and you can’t see anything because you’re hiding under a blanket of indifference. Luckily, others can still see you. Your friends and family have the ability to get you out from under that blanket. They can help you see that your life isn’t going anywhere and that you should really do something about it. It’s not that you don’t see that on your own, it’s just pretty powerful to hear others say it out loud.

It’s like being caught in an avalanche of apathy. All the things that used to bring you joy are now indifferent. Even gray seems less colorful as the days go by and everything seems dull. What does it take to have this pyjama-wearing zombie regain her strength? When all else fails, remember that it’s not encouraging words or others that can eventually get you out of a rut – it’s you. You must decide where you want your life to go, only you know what makes you happy. Being stuck for a while doesn’t mean that there’s no coming back. It’s more like a warning to reevaluate things and it can prepare you to make a couple of changes. Remember, there’s always a rainbow after the rain, if you have the strength to find purpose again. Being stuck is not procrastinating, it’s not being lazy. It’s a chance for you to assess your worth and see what you’ve achieved and what it is you want for your future. Make a list of all your past accomplishments and future goals. If you only want to get out of the rut for the sake of others, nothing will make sense to you.

But a moment will come when you feel like you have a sense purpose again, when you start seeing a future – and that’s the moment you’ll be strong enough to get out of the rut in a blink of an eye. When you see a future for yourself, you’ll be intentional again, directing your steps towards a bright future.

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