Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Stuck in a rut or taking a break?

Maybe it's Mercury retrograde or maybe I'm just going through a lazy streak, but just lately I've been stuck in a rut.  Of course, it's all of my own doing.  I put some things in place in my life which are very good for me.....daily meditation, working out but then.....I started using those activities as excuses for not doing other things.  Now I had to do them and I just didn't have time to do all those other things I meant to do  and promised to do such as.....write a blog!

I became really stuck in my own rut going back and forth between doing the things that are good for me and convincing myself that I didn't have time for anything else.  The healthy routine became an unhealthy burden.  I wasn't making progress.  I wasn't producing anything.  I didn't feel useful anymore.

I have learned however, that the best way to change my life is to change my attitude.  And the best way to change my attitude is to change my perspective so I thought, what if being stuck in a rut isn't the worst thing?  What if, sometimes, it is the best thing, in fact, the perfect thing?  What if I am exactly where I'm supposed to be doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing?

I love to play with words so the first thing I needed to do was to change the title of the current state of my life.  "Stuck in a rut" isn't an inspiring way to look at where I'm at.  How about "taking a break"?  Now that sounds better.  Now I can find some positives in my situation.

Taking a break means slowing down and I really need to do that sometimes.  Ever since I was a child I have had a tendency to rev myself up to high gear, especially when I am passionate about something.  Maybe however, it is possible to passionate and operate at a slower speed?  Now there's a thought!

Taking a break also means relaxing.  Now I am more receptive to the ideas and possibilities that the Universe has to offer.  Now I am more open to the messages coming through my intuition.  Now I can see that by slowing down and relaxing I can often make more progress than when I am rushing around trying to "achieve" and "do."

Taking a break also gives me a chance to see things more clearly.  When I am rushing I am also quite often confused.  The world flies by and I don't have time to take it in.  I miss the details.  I miss the beauty.  I have the illusion of being "in" the world but really I am running farther away from the moment and missing out on its relevance and its gifts.

Taking a break grounds me in the present.  Here I am a whole being.  My body, mind and spirit come together again and I am no longer fragmented, my body here, my mind out there and my connection to spirit all but invisible.

Yes, there are definitely advantages to taking a break, so I'm not labeling my current state as being "stuck in a rut" or "lazy" anymore.  Instead I am "taking a break" and enjoying the serenity of being in the present moment and coming back to my whole, true self.

In fact, I think I will make this my permanent state.  After all, in true paradoxical fashion, it actually got me unstuck and....produced this blog post!




2 comments:

  1. (Apologies if this is a repeat posting - delete it if you pre-screen)

    Boy do I hear you. I retired 5 years ago, and intended to do some serious and prolific writing. Instead I had grandkids - which is the best excuse not to work that I have ever had. We then resigned from Grandma and Grandpa Daycare, so that we could do some RV traveling. I did a pretty good job writing on my RV blog, but ignored my general blog for most of the 7 week journey. I got home and again thought about making a commitment to blog each day, but alas I have not done so. And agreeing with you that perhaps this time of rest we are undertaking is more of an incubation period for what is to come next. One of my favorite fiction authors, J A Jance, once said that for her books, she spent far more time thinking about writing (i.e. developing in her head what she wanted to say) than she did at the keyboard. I took solace in that - LOL - and continue to do so.

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    1. Betsy....how lovely to hear from you! I was just thinking about you and wondering how you were doing the other day!! I am so glad you have been doing the things that make your heart sing and look forward to hearing how things unfold for you. I always enjoyed your blog. Namaste...

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