How to Find Motivation and Get Out of a Rut

We all experience ups and downs, highs and lows, successes and failures – that’s the ebb and flow of life – but when feelings of sadness linger, it may take more than an oat milk latte and a vegan brownie to get back to feeling like your old self again. Shortly after moving to Vancouver, I fell into a bit of a rut that I just couldn’t seem to pull myself out of. At first, I tried to ignore it. When that didn’t work, I tried to fight it. Yoga and meditation, reading and journaling, goal setting and positive thinking… you name it, I was doing it. Certainly that would do the trick, right? Wrong. Frustrated, confused, and hopeless, I gave up. What followed was a month-long pity party during which I lived in my pajamas and struggled to pass the time between sunrise and sunset, desperately wishing I could sleep forever. Needless to say, it was a sad few weeks.

Now that I have my motivation back and am feeling inspired again, I want to share some of the things that helped pull me out of this rut once and for all. The fact that I’m even writing this post makes me so happy because there was a period of time when I didn’t know whether I would ever feel like myself again. I know that sounds dramatic, but at the time, it seemed like I had exhausted all my options. I mean, aren’t yoga classes and good novels supposed to cure everything?

Anyway, that’s enough rambling for one day – let’s get into it.

Discover your why.
Lack of motivation often stems from lack of goals or lack of realistic goals. Whether you have completely lost your ambition or your goals are so abstract that you can’t visualize them, you may be in need of some serious goal-setting. I fell into the second category, which discouraged me from even attempting my seemingly impossible goals. Start with smaller short-term goals and work your way up to larger long-term goals. Once you have your list, write it down in your journal, hang it up on your cork board, save it to your phone – this is your why.

Find your happy place.
For me, that’s the ocean, the mountains, and the forest. For you, that may be the library, the animal shelter, or the thrift store. Whatever it is and wherever it may be, go there – physically or mentally. If you’re working with the former, leave any distractions at home and use the time to tune into yourself and your surroundings. If you’re working with the latter, close your eyes and bring attention to your senses of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. Your happy place should make you feel alive and allow you to exist exactly as you are.

Switch up your routine.
There comes a time when your routine becomes too routine, for lack of a better word. I love routines, in fact, I thrive off them, but as soon as I find myself mindlessly moving through the motions for no other reason than habit, I know I need to change things up. Routines are great tools to increase productivity and decrease stress, but never lose sight of why you adopted them in the first place. A routine should leave you feeling energized and accomplished, don’t become a zombie.

Refresh your surroundings.
If you’re following me on Instagram and Twitter, you have probably definitely noticed my slight extreme obsession with plants these days. Sorry, not sorry. Ever since filling my room with greenery, my home has felt much more homey and far less lonely… is that sad? The same goes for scented candles. If plants and candles aren’t your thing, find things that are. And if you don’t have the budget or the space for additional material items, rearrange your furniture or give a DIY home decor project a go.

Stop kidding yourself.
Self-sabotaging behavior is very easy to fall into, especially when you’re feeling uninspired and unmotivated. Common culprits include procrastinating, emotional eating, self-medicating, and impulsive spending, basically any behavior that moves you further away from your goals. The days I spent in my pajamas watching Netflix left me feeling unproductive and worthless, yet I allowed myself to do it because I felt sad. Once I gave myself a reality check and a little tough love, I stopped feeling sorry for myself and started becoming a real person again.

Two weeks ago, I was spending most of my waking hours in bed. Now, my summer plans are flourishing, my freelance services are thriving, and my June content calendar is making me giddy. Maybe it’s just the ebb and flow of the universe, but I would like to believe I had something to do with it.

I hope you not only found these tips helpful but can also take comfort in knowing you are not alone. Sometimes life sucks, but then again, life is also the most beautiful and precious thing there is.

With ♡, Julia Elizabeth

 
Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor nor do I have any formal medical background. If you think you may be suffering from depression or some other mental disorder, please seek professional help.