Pausing social media, limiting gym time and staying indoors more, it’s safe to say that the pause of momentum can get yours truly into rather a rut. After things going at 100 miles per hour for a while, it made sense to hit the pause for a few weeks. However, as an old coach of mine used to say ‘action creates energy’ and so, hitting the pause on all these activities can only lead to excessive stagnation.
Sitting in a coffee shop of a Bank Holiday Sunday, it’s the first day of writing in a while and also, the first time I’ve scheduled in my gym class, booked an art session and connected with certain friends.
As I write this, I’m hoping I’m not the only one who feels like this sometimes and so, I wanted to share some thoughts of how I have started to navigate it and offer some tips that might benefit you also.
You see, there is a science to our minds and some specifics to our physiology that, when addressed in a healthy way can move us gradually through how we’re feeling and see us through to the other side.
Here’s what has worked for me.
- Gentle movement. I love yoga and if practiced consistently, it is proven to lower cortisol by 27%. There are 100’s of free yoga sessions online and so, these can serve as gentle movement. There are other types of gentle movement that can work such as a short walk, swim or light stretching. The point is to start somewhere and to start small then build back up to something bigger.
- Have a strong support network. You are the worth of the five people you spend the most time with Fortunately, those people who I connect with can be quite pragmatic and recognise my needs. Therefore being mindful of who is in your network and who you can rely on it important.
- Know your why. Simon Sinek talks about this and has a book aptly named ‘Start with why‘. Therefore, being mindful of this is important to be able to identify your own why, why you do what you do and how this impacts your life and motivation.
- Have some goals. When it comes to knowing where you are going, if it’s not outlined by you then you will fall into the goals of those around you. ‘Going with the flow’ works in some situations however it is important to set clear intentions and goals when it comes to all areas of life.
- Give yourself some credit! When it comes to wins, what are they for you? Be clear on where you are doing well. And naturally, there will be times when you are not on track. Remember to give yourself grace.
Ruts are normal! And so are you. Enjoy the journey and getting on and off track every now and again.