Recently I had been feeling kind of out of sync. My days just weren’t flowing right, and things didn’t have a rhythm, and it’s just like, come on man what the hell is going on. I can’t get my ish right. Know what I’m talkin about? It’s frustrating when you’re just stuck in this rut, and you can’t quite put your finger on it, there for you can’t fix it. Ugh. So I decided to sit down with my journal/planner and figure out what was causing my funk. Cause I was over it, and when you’re stuck in a rut, everything kinda sucks.

I sat with my journal, on the sofa, kind of staring out the window. I didn’t really know where to start, or what I was going to write to bring this funk out of me. Putting pen to paper, I started with my morning routine. Alarm goes off, hit snooze, alarm goes off, hit snooze, alarm goes off, hit snooze… Finally get up with barely enough time to make it to work. Already my day has started off at a frazzled pace. Plus I feel extra groggy because of all the alarm snoozing. ( Now I recognize this as the beginning of when you’re stuck in a rut)

I did manage to pack my lunch before I sprinted out the door in the morning, but I realize I didn’t put enough in there for the day. I started a new fasting schedule, and was due to begin my fast that evening, before I would leave work. Now I’m grumpy pants. Oh well, move on. I do manage to drink enough water that day, go me. Take those small victories baby.

Once I get home from work I am already hungry and tired, but I do manage to get some things done around the house, more water involved, and I take a long shower. If it’s a day that I have my kiddo (his dad and I are divorced), we are doing homework, dinner, bath, bed routine. My evening begins after he is in bed. I sit down at my lap top ready to bang out another post, but find myself unable to focus. My topic isn’t ready, I’m still freaking hungry, and water is pissing me off at this point.

Sitting, staring at the computer for an hour, and the screen is still blank. Enough is enough, this day is stupid, I’m going to bed. To end the day I lay in bed scrolling mindlessly on my phone for another hour before I can’t hold my eyes open any more, and turn off the light.

Now, be honest, does this sound like a day you’ve had (give or take activities and annoyances)? Reading through a couple of days like this in my journal, I started to put together a theme. My rut is being caused by a couple of key things. Self sabotaging and not planning ahead. In my case, the not planning ahead is the self sabotaging. Immediately I felt a little relief. This is something I can fix.

It’s pretty amazing what can happen when we identify the things that are no longer working for us in our routine. Once upon a time I could willy nilly go about my day and not do a lot of planning ahead. That ship has sailed, my friend. With all these big goals I have floating around, and things like major surgery coming up this summer, living intentionally is key. How do I live intentionally? By making a plan, writing it down, and checking in with myself frequently. Failing to plan is planning to fail. I love that saying. Truer words, y’all.

I have some homework for you. Take one week, and journal it. Then read back over it and find what is not working for you in your routine anymore. Comment back and let me know how it goes!