- Assume responsibility for your own life. No one can make a change except you. Once you assume responsibility you can break out of the rut and start making improvements. This includes your health and fitness, as well as your social life and spiritual life.
- Believe that you can change. If you don’t believe you can change, you won’t. While simply believing won’t actually make those changes happen, they will not happen without that belief.
- Clarify what you really need. Take time to find out what you would like to see happen this year. Actually sit down and write out your personal goals. You can also make goal list for work as well. Remember, it doesn’t have to be something fancy. You may need to write down sub-goals. For example, weight loss is a common goal. If you need to lose 20 pounds, make sub-goals of 5 pounds and as you reach each of those smaller goals it will give you the motivation to keep moving towards the larger goal. This can even work for something like house cleaning or organization. Have a smaller goal of cleaning/organizing one area at a time. Hitting small goals spurs you on and keeps getting you out of that rut.
- Stop worrying about what other people will say. We worry too much about what others say and think. You know that exercise is critical for a healthy body. Don’t let others intimidate you into staying out of the gym. You know that a diet high in veggies and fruit is critical for a healthy body. Don’t let others sabotage you into eating poorly (believe me, they are out there!). There are people out there that want to keep you in your rut because then they know what to expect!
- Stop waiting for ideal circumstances. The following short article appeared back in 1985 in the LA Times: "This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me a slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. "Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least eight or nine years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion." He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion."
- Do something bold and dramatic. There is a slogan that says, "We’re going to try something so big, that if God isn’t in it we are destined to fail." That kind of faith honors God. Sometimes this bold and dramatic move is sharing a goal with those who will ask you about it later, keeping you accountable.
- Make your move now. There is no time like the present. And remember, God calls and stands by ready to help... but we must take the step first.
Author James Herriot writes the following about the difficulty of getting out of a rut that kept him from beginning his writing career: "After talking about writing a book for a long time my wife finally said, "Jim, you are never going to write a book." She said it kindly, but nevertheless, I was aghast. "Whatever do you mean?" I said. "Well," she replied, "You have been talking about this book for twenty-five years. Don’t take it to heart, Jim. You are only one of thousands of people who think they are going to write a book, but they never do it." "But I will, I will," I protested. She smiled again with a touch of sadness. "You must realize that is impossible. Old vets of fifty don’t suddenly start writing books." That did it. I went straight out, bought a lot of paper and got down to the job.”
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