Getting a cart out of a rut is hard.
The sides are steep and it’s hard to gain purchase.
Just a slight turn to either side is ineffective. The wheels won’t catch; they just hit the sides & bounce off.
To get it out you need to commit. Making a confident directional change and then giving it a big effort to pull.
That pull also needs to go on for some time. But if you keep at, especially at the moment where you’re holding all the weight right at the lip. It’s just one final heave and you’re out; you’re in control again!
From that point on you get to choose which direction to travel in.
When we’re talking about our lives being in a rut it’s exactly the same thing.
Whether there’s a mental health problem or some general malaise. Be that about a life situation: careers, relationships, or whatever.
If you’re low on energy and you try to pull out, it won’t work. Heck, half the time the rut’s walls can seem so steep that it doesn’t seem worth bothering.
But, the people on the outside, those who’ve managed to get their ‘cart’ out know better. It is definitely worth it.
If you’re in a rut right now. If you’re unhappy about a situation then it is worth bothering to make that change. To try and fix it in some way.
The first thing is to recognise that you’re in the rut; that’s half the battle won right there.
Next you need to decide to change direction. You need intent. Else you’ll get half way out and fall back in, ending up more exhausted than when you started.
You then need to prepare: listing out all the things you need to do to be ready to give it the big heave-ho.
Work through the list even though this might take a while. You need to be fit and strong. Don’t try and do it all at once.
You’ll know when you’re ready.
When you do it don’t be surprised it if comes as an anti-climax. All that prep work for what turned out to be no big deal.
It was easy to pull yourself out.
That’s because you were strong. New you had prepared, the old you had no chance.
Now, all that’s left is to choose a new direction.
Sorry, didn’t I mention? That’s the really difficult bit.
You’ll have to come up with that by yourself 🙂
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