Dare to Live Beyond the Rut

What do you do when you are stuck in a rut?  I find that by the time I realize that something has become routine, it’s already a rut.  A rut is one step away from a grave.  ACK!

I know, but routines are comfortable. Routines are easy, we are used to them.  It’s important to establish a routine. Pffft!

NO Comfort Zones here!   How are you ever going to be creative if you are in a routine?  Here’s the thing; a routine lets you coast, puts your brain on autopilot because you’ve done this so many times you know ‘the routine”.  That’s good if you’re a Rockette, very bad if you are an entrepeneur or an author.

Be brave, bold, dare to think outside the box.  Often it is the daring choices that fuel creative and entrepreneurial thought.  Leaders  learn to operate outside their comfort zones.  OK, sometimes it’s with a dose of Pepto, but never the less. Ingenuity is the thing that makes you stand heads above the competition. (That and the four-inch Jimmy Choo’s.) You’ve got to learn to take some risky chances.  Learning how to manage the anxious feeling of being outside the box is good for you.  The dry mouth, gut jittering will soon give way to euphoric adrenaline rush.  Either that or you’ll puke.   In the end you’ll feel better though.

There are many ways to push your boundaries.  Start small, take a different route to work.  Instead of getting a bagel, eat an orange.

Here aer three quick ways to add some zing to your thing:

1. Take a class.

NO this isn’t crazy talk, I”m serious.  Learn something you don’t know.  It could be Tai Chi, creative writing, yoga, or mixed martial arts smack down! It will also provide a little blood flow to the brain so that by the time you are doing sun salutations your brain realizes “What am I doing?” By then your downward facing dog has submitted to the warrior and soon you’ll be in the pretzel pose.  Well, that’s what  happened to me.

2. Trade jobs for a week . OK, not a good idea to pose as a nurse when you’re like me  – needle phobic, but you can mentally trade places with someone.   Fill in for the receptionist.  Come on, you can answer the phone can’t you? Walk a couple blocks with your mail man.  Don’t freak them out with writer type questions, but ask about their routine. Nevermind, any way I look at this one they might think you’re stalking them.  Maybe just observe another job, without appearing like you’re scoping them out. OK Mark this one out and forget I ever said this.  If the investigative  services ask, you don’t know anything!

3. Analyze the critics comments . sometimes amidst all the mudslinging, back handing, and face slapping there is a grain of truth  in their comment.  Use it and improve yourself with it.  Then kill them with kindness by telling them “Oh hey, thank you for that.  It really helped me improve that scene that you commented on!”  Works better than getting angry every time.

What strategies have helped you break out of your comfort zone? Tell me in comments!

Whatever you decide to do, keep it fresh and exciting.  Life is to be lived out loud!  Not shuffling in a daily routine of mind numbing autonomy.  Get  out there and live!

Write on my friends, write on!