Being stuck in a rut is probably one of the most disrupting moments in life. It is a time steeped with uncertainties that create different reactions from people. Very few people feel comfortable to wake up one day standing on not so solid ground. Control freak or not, people prefer some things to work out as planned.However, it is often during moments of being stuck that the resolve to break free from the crippling feeling emerges. It is a time when a window of opportunity appears and challenges you to do what you have to do to unstuck yourself.
In everything, you do what you have to do. Actions create results that directly or indirectly shape your life. But most of what is done in life is fairly intuitive. Sometimes you do not give much thought to doing them. What usually happens is that you start out learning things then later move on towards mastering them.
The problem with mastery is that it leads to a kind of familiarity that undermines your ability to see certain things in different perspectives. Things like routines thrive on familiarity. What is passionately started sometimes turn into a mind-numbing pursuit. It is not surprising that there are many things you can do in autopilot.
You are lucky if you are among those who do not experience how it is to feel stuck. But if you find yourself sensing that you are headed into the same predicament it helps to see it from a different vantage point. Maybe a rut is just meant to shake you from a stupor induced by automacity.
Conscious effort to pay attention to the minute changes in the way you do things helps you catch telltale signs of veering towards “being stuck”. Self-awareness prepares you to react quickly to subtle signs of shifts in your perspectives and ways of doing things.
It is when you feel like you are not moving towards the direction of your dreams that a part of you begins to yearn for more. You are meant to do what your heart desires. Even if your desire is to achieve machine-like perfection, you need to at least enjoy pursuing that goal. You are not meant to block the things that make you feel most alive.
Everyone is meant to live, not merely throb and thrive like a machine. You may be ultra capable at what you do but if you are not careful you might start acting like an efficient contraption. Imagine being excellent at churning out impressive outputs but sadly devoid of feelings that make you feel alive.
The people who seem most adept with steering away from falling into deep holes are those who are passionate about what they do. The excitement and inspiration continue to manifest even amidst difficult times. There is a sense of awareness and connection that prevents automaticity from completely taking over. Perhaps the best thing to do when you feel stuck is to remember the things that give you most reasons to be happy.
You have to do what you have to do. Whether it is writing, singing, acting, dancing, playing sports, etc., do it. Then give it all you got. Be aware of every minute and feel every emotion when you are doing the things you love to do.
You owe yourself a life. Do not let the demands and responsibilities of "living" stand in the way of your ability to create something that is meant to be seen or felt in this world.
