Personal Growth In a Rut? Then Shake It Up

It happens to all of us at some point. Things are going well at work, everything is great at home, relationships are happy and healthy, kids are cleaning their rooms, and there aren’t any major issues in our personal lives. And yet… you feel ‘stuck’. You feel like your personal growth is at a standstill. We seem to go through the same motions over and over in life. Every day we do things that we have done thousands of times before. We visit with our family and friends, go to work at the same job, sit behind the same screen, watch the same shows, and sleep in the same bed. The repetition of life fatigues us, and it feels like there isn’t anything that we can do to break the cycle.

New Activities Energize Us

One of the best ways to bring new excitement into your life is to take up a new activity. All you need to mix things up is a couple of hours per week and steady determination. Getting involved in a new activity can help spark creativity, meet new people, overcome fears, learn about yourself, and become more marketable.

How to Pick a New Activity

Set some time aside, choose a new activity and get started! It won’t be easy at first, but nothing is. And it shouldn’t be! Think back to the first time you hopped on a bike or stepped into roller blades. You probably fell, got back up, and tried again. This cycle repeats itself with any new activity. As long as you continue to get back up and try again, you will succeed. If you don’t know what you want to take up, here are some ideas:

• Feeling athletic? It’s always a good time to get in shape. Make it a personal goal to get to the gym a few days per week. Gyms have so many options, from swimming, to group fitness classes, to cardio and weight equipment. Start small and work your way up to a measurable goal. For example, the goal that I set for myself when I started running was to be able to finish a 5k race. I’ve given myself plenty of time and set myself up with weekly goals to make it happen. I started out 2 months ago barely able to run for 1 minute at a time and this past week I was able to run for 18 minutes without stopping.
• Feeling artistic? Head to a craft store like Michaels and buy some paint, brushes, canvases, and start painting. You can learn different techniques and find instructional videos on the internet or even attend a free class.
• Love food? Try cooking, which is one of my favorite activities to do. Pick yourself up a new cookbook or find recipes that you want to make online. This is also a good activity to include your family members in. My daughters love helping me cook!
• Want to get in touch with your musical side? Pick up a new instrument and get crackin. There is an endless library of instructional videos ranging from a beginner to expert level for any instrument available for free on YouTube.

Whatever it is you choose to take up, make sure you do one thing: Don’t give up on yourself. Push through your doubts and strive to improve your abilities.

I’d love to hear from you about what new activity you tried to shake things up!