By Jananie Chandrarao Originally published on Crunch by Nuffnang on November 25, 2021 with over 2,500 all-time pageviews.
There are times when growth comes naturally to us. We’re constantly hyped and pumped up to take on a new day and do our absolute best. And there are times when no amount of quotes can neither motivate nor inspire us. We’re left procrastinating anything that brings us growth; feeling stagnant. It’s just life, with its ups and downs. But it doesn’t mean we cannot jazz up our lifestyle a little.
Before getting into the hows, if you’re wondering how to know if you’re in a rut,
check out some of these signs. Firstly, procrastination has become your middle name. You constantly postpone all the important tasks because you just don’t feel like doing them or because you want to do them later (we all know what later means!). Besides, the feelings of not doing enough creep in. You know you’re able to do and achieve a lot of wonderful things but yet you’re not living up to your potential. Thus, your new achievements would be scarce or non-existent. Lastly, you always keep yourself occupied with mindless activities like online shopping, gaming, eating, or just binging series.
If you’re vigorously shaking your head vertically reading these signs, you, my friend, have come to the right place because we’re going to explore what you can do to jazz up your stagnant lifestyle.
1. Leave the known
Comfort zones are the major culprit here. It’s the familiar aspects of our daily
lives that we have gotten very used to that we’re not willing to leave behind. Our unwillingness to leave our comfort zones behind also means that we are not exploring what’s new and unknown to us.
To get out of this rut, we need to bring something new into our lives. Let it be a skill, a hobby, a project, anything new. Leaving the known is largely based on our curiosity. Ever found pottery making interesting? Well now is the chance for you to take it up. Ever wanted to learn to Copywrite and monetize it? If not now when? (Side note: Crunch School is offering the best copywriting courses in town which is extremely affordable). Or it can be as simple as trying out a new recipe every 2 days.
Something new always spices things up as the experiences that come with them make your life much richer, especially if you have felt stagnant for a while. Be sure as you explore new things in life, fear of failure is not holding
you back. 2. Take up volunteering opportunities
If you feel your curiosity leads you nowhere out of the stagnant period in life, try refocusing on being of service to others. We often want to fill our time with beneficial activities and be a part of something bigger than ourselves. My humble opinion would be there is nothing greater than being of service to
others. Volunteering opportunities not only allow new experiences that can
jazz up your life but allow you to have an impact on the lives of others. You’ll be helping, making mistakes, and learning various things to help NGOs and marginalized communities even if it is just creating awareness about social
issues. Of course, we need to acknowledge that not all of us have the privilege to be able to take up volunteering opportunities given the different challenges such as time constraints. But anyone can try to do one good thing every day. Let it be spending time with a friend struggling mentally, sending a gift to brighten someone’s day, making monthly donations to NGOs and welfare homes, or helping your neighbour buy groceries.
It’s more about the feeling that we derive from these than the activity itself
that gives us a sense of purpose and a sense of fulfillment that will reduce the feeling of being stuck somewhere in life. If you’re passionate about gender equality and are involved in advancing women’s rights in Malaysia, you can also volunteer at the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO).
3. Be a part of a community
Something new in our lives can also be human beings. We, humans, are social animals. We want a sense of belonging and be emotionally affiliated with others. Why not use your innate need to jazz up your stagnant life? Be a part of a community, any community. It can be a book club or a spiritual community or a support group. Find groups of like-minded people who may have the same
goals as you or the same values as you. Being a part of a like-minded community can improve our overall well-being.
Being part of communities nurtures new friendships. You’re given a chance to effortlessly meet new people and get to know them. It helps develop your network which is very vital during this digital age. For instance, personally, being a part of Crunch Community has allowed me to meet people from different walks of life who otherwise I would not have had the chance to meet. Besides, exploring new goals and habits with a community increases the likelihood of you being constant and making progress as your friends are there to keep you accountable. For instance, I’ve observed my tendency to follow through with the plans and goals I have set for the month when I discuss them at Crunchin’ Mondays.
4. Switch in perspective
I recently came across a tweet on Twitter.
“Romanticize your life, take pretty pictures, feel like the main character, light up a candle, read books, go for a walk, dance to your favourite music, buy yourself presents, do whatever you want, be happy – this is your life, don’t let anyone take it from you”.
The truth is not every day is going to be the best day of your life. Some days
you will inevitably fall into a rut that will make you feel like you’ve stopped while the world around you keeps spinning and going on. And on those days we must teach and remind ourselves to appreciate and celebrate the normal and the mundane. Romanticize your life. Smell your coffee before drinking it. Smile tasting how great your coffee was. Say good morning to your plants and watch the sun go down. Make the best out of feeling like the world has stopped.
We will not always be on the tops of mountains. Sometimes we’ll be lost and find our ways through the valleys. It’s absolutely normal to fall into a rut but we have the power and the choice to change it for the better. Let it be leaving the known, being volunteers, being part of communities, or switching your
perspective!