How to Find Motivation and Get Out of a Rut

Do you have the Winter blues? Are you struggling to take action? This has been me for the past few months and it hasn’t been easy.?Quite a few clients have shared feeling "blah" so I decided to write a post about how to overcome feeling stuck or in a rut and find motivation. If this is you I want you to know that you are not alone. Winter is a great time to rest and slow down. However, if you're like me you also have to do things, you are an adult with responsibilities!

So if you’re struggling with motivation or feeling stuck here are three things you can do to increase your motivation and get out of a rut.

Find motivation.?Motivational energy can be built in a few different ways. You can write down your goals and reflect on them first thing in the morning to build excitement. You can also build motivation by connecting with your “why,” your reason for doing something, for example, to improve your quality of life or feel more accomplished. This approach is great, but for me, it has not been working lately. No amount of looking at my goals was helping, and if that’s you, keep reading. For those who don't know, I struggle with mental health, and finding motivation is not always easy, no matter how much "I know better."

Seek inspiration. There is so much inspiration around us in the digital age. You can quickly search for inspiration on any social media platform or web browser. I like to search for people who have overcome similar obstacles or challenges. It helps me feel less alone and gives me hope that I too can persevere.?

Seeking inspiration from others can also help guide you in your own decision-making. No, I'm not talking about comparing yourself or judging yourself against someone’s perceived accomplishments or beautiful social media profile. I’m talking about looking at these individuals and asking yourself, “What can I learn from them?” Reflecting, if I do want to be more like them, what actions would I need to take? How can I grow? This is helpful for me as when I’m in a rut I tend to compare myself, judge others, and then get discouraged. Instead of judging, I lean into a growth mindset, what can I learn from their success instead of getting triggered or discouraged by it. The growth mindset approach typically ignites enthusiasm and inspires me to take action toward my goals. However, lately, I found that even this was not very motivating (even though it is often a great tactic for me). It’s hard when you’re stuck in a rut to take action on big goals. If that’s you, keep reading to find out what worked for me.

Take action.?I’m not talking about huge actions, because when you’re stuck in a rut it’s exhausting to even think about big actions. I’m talking about small actions, like brushing your teeth, getting dressed, or organizing one drawer. What’s been helping me take action lately are two things. One is setting a time limit. Mine has been 10 minutes. For 10 minutes I focus on taking an action that might be stressing me out or needed for self-care, like going for a walk, doing a chore, or getting ready for the day. This helps me build a sense of accomplishment and can often inspire me to take more actions beyond the 10-minute time frame.

The final closing thought I will leave you with is this. If you’re feeling stuck in a rut or overwhelmed, try practicing this mantra: "just do the next thing.” Don’t focus on doing it all at once, just do the next thing. Sometimes that is the easiest way to take action.