Subtle Signs You’re In A Rut

Do you know when you’re in a rut?

And when we do know, it’s usually too late.  We’re already deep in it, and have already compromised a lot of time, energy, and emotions, wasting and struggling.

We get stuck, with no momentum.  Spinning the proverbial wheel.

What are some subtle signs that you’re in a rut (or headed for one?)

 

What was exciting then, seems boring now

The edge has gone, and what I found exciting, fun, and life-giving at first, now starts to turn into drudgery and boredom.

And I’m not talking about the “I just started but it’s so hard and boring” kind of boredom.

I’m talking about the “I’ve been doing this for some time now, and what I found purposeful and exciting at first, now seems boring and aimless” kind of boring.

It seems like it’s a drastic change, but in reality, this is actually subtle.

What I’ve found, is that the excitement, bit by bit, starts to wane, slowly being replaced by the feeling of boredom and stagnation.

Suddenly, I’m not learning as much, and I’m not finding it as fun as before.

I’m not experimenting as much.  I’m not trying to grow, to push my capabilities and skills.  I’m not as adventurous.

And slowly, little by little, subtly, it all gets replaced by boredom and stagnation.

It will seem sudden, but actually, it’s been creeping up all along.

 

You let yourself drift

I know this feeling – the feeling of just going through the motions, but when you look at what you’re doing objectively, you aren’t even sure it’s going to bring you where you want to go.

I’ve been in this situation before, and I found myself hoping.

Hoping that I’ll end up where I want to be.

Hoping that the chips, circumstances, luck, will fall my way.

Hoping that what I’m doing will all suddenly make sense.

If it’s not making sense to you, if you don’t see it connecting to your dreams, or to a higher purpose, chances are, it’s not going to take you where you want to go.

Drifting is different from having momentum.  You want momentum, that will bring you closer and closer, faster and faster, to your intended destination.

Drifting is hoping that the current and that the world will bring you to where you want to be.  Recognize the signs of drifting happening in your life.

This was a harsh truth for me to accept.  The world doesn’t owe you anything, and won’t do anything for you.  You have to be the one to start, to continue, and to make things move in your favor.

But drifting is more comfortable, especially when you’re living an acceptable lifestyle, have good friends, and don’t seem to be in any immediate trouble.

It will lull you into a rut, lull you into aimlessness.

 

You start to get irritable and mean

More than the usual irritable and mean person that you are.  That I already am.

I was jolly and kind when I started a new job, I recall, but as the days went by, and I was slowly being burdened with the office politics, drama, and a feeling of having no direction and being helpless, I was slowly becoming mean.

I started snapping back at my officemates, even for simple, unrelated tasks.

My future wife kept hearing me complain, on and on.  I could not find a silver lining in the situation I was in, then.

Deep down inside, I felt anger, and frustration, welling up, and I felt helpless to do anything about it.

That’s when you know you’re stuck in a rut.

Because if you could do anything to solve it, or if you could avoid it entirely, you would be feeling the anger and frustration.  You wouldn’t be emotionally hostile to people, who, if you think about, you don’t really give a damn about.

You’re just letting out your frustration and anger on other people.  Emotions that are really aimed at towards yourself.

 

Your life seems to be in repeat

Our life is made up of patterns – the habits and routines that we do, that determine whether we inch closer to our dreams, or slide backwards into oblivion.

And when your life seems to be on repeat, that’s not a good sign.  It’s a really subtle sign because your life on repeat could be filled up with comfort and a sense of knowing what’s coming.

But comfort can be a curse, and lull you into a false sense of security, because you never really know a hundred percent what’s coming.  What life will throw at you.

You want your life, and this includes yourself, to be constantly growing, if not greater, then deeper, or stronger.  There is always a change for the better.

If not improved quantity, then quality, or maybe even both.

But if life seems to be the same thing over and over again, and if you don’t like what you’re seeing, feeling, and experiencing, then you’re in a rut.

And this creeps up slowly, as the unproductive patterns in your life start to take hold and turn into unproductive habits.

 

Get out of a rut

Or avoid falling into one, entirely.

Try new things, be a little bit more adventurous, and creative.

Grow.

 

What tells you you’re in a rut?  Please share in the comments below?