Rethinking Ruts

The good news is you aren't stuck in a rut.

The bad news is you are stuck in dozens of little ruts.

The good news is that's not bad news at all. That's good news. Great news.

If you think of life as one giant rut, you feel overwhelmed. Helpless. You are in an emotional Mariana Trench. How do you climb out of that?

When you think of your life as dozens of small ruts, that's workable. You can make sense of it. The proof is in your bathroom.

Every day you brush your teeth in the same pattern. When you shower, you wash your body the same way. You dry off the same way. You comb your hair the same way.  You are stuck in ruts you don't even recognize. Your brain is comfortable with the ruts. 

To climb out of the ruts, you have to train yourself 1) to look for the ruts and 2) to look for ways out of the ruts. Now that it's on your radar, next time you brush your teeth make a conscious effort to change up your routine.

Yes, this is low hanging fruit, but you always start off small. Baby steps. Walk before you run. Get comfortable with the idea of shaking things up.

If you are overwhelmed at the thought of climbing out of dozens of small ruts, think of it as exercise. Every time you climb out of one rut, you get stronger. Climbing out of the next rut is a little bit easier. The more you climb, the stronger you get.

As you get stronger, you start to look for other ruts. You park in the same spot at work every day. Drink from the same coffee mug. Sit in the same chair for your monthly staff meeting. Sit in the same spot in the break room for lunch.

Look for the ruts and start climbing. 

And the next time you're in the bathroom, think of me.




If you are interested in individual therapy, please contact me at bradleyjabel@gmail.com

If you are interested in creative consultation for your professional literature or Psychology Today profile, contact me at bradleyjabel@gmail.com