Get Out of Your “Groundhog Day” Rut!

“The difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.”
– Gerald Burrill

Have you ever gotten stuck in a rut? No shame there, we all do. The problem is when we a) don’t realize we are in one or b) don’t know how to get out of it. I feel that today, February 2nd, otherwise known as Groundhog Day in the U.S., is a good day to talk about this…

Groundhog Day the holiday revolves around a ridiculous little tradition of determining whether we are having more or less winter based on antics of a groundhog with Sciophobia. Yes, we’ve put a man on the moon, developed computers small enough to fit inside Ant-Man’s thumb, and somehow found a way to make Jimmy Fallon a star, and yet despite all those achivements every February news reports persist in letting us know whether a woodchuck saw his shadow (this year the answer is yes, yes he did).

Groundhog Day the movie is a great little comedy starring Bill Murray. If you haven’t seen it, here’s the story in a nutshell: Bill Murray plays a cantankerous TV weatherman named Phil Connors. Phil is forced to go to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities. An unexpected blizzard strands Phil and his team in Punxsutawney, and he is not happy about it. When Phil awakens the next morning, he finds himself in a time loop; he is living the same day over and over and over again. Only when he accepts his fate and starts living like a good person does he finally break free of the loop. It is never explained why Phil is repeating the same day over and over. It’s just some kind of crazy magical/time thingee.

If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend you do. It is a fine and under appreciated comedy.

I got to thinking about how many people in the world are in a similar time loop. Oh sure, they don’t live the exact same day over and over, but they live their lives the exact same way day after day, week after week, month after month. While they may not be trapped in a magical time loop, they may as well be.

In the world of Groundhog Day, Phil is forced to repeat the same day over and over until he gets it “right” (Here’s a fun article that estimates Phil Connors lived the same day, 3176 times – or, 8 years, 8 months, and 16 days.)

If only we all could be that lucky. Phil got to do it over until he got it right. The rest of us, when we waste a day, we lose it forever. We only get one shot at each day in our lives.

And yet it’s all too easy to get in a Groundhog Day style rut. We like routines and familiarity. So, after time, we start living each day the same way. Wake up at the same time. Go to work the same way. Leave work at the same time. Stop at the gym (or pub). Come home. Eat similar meals. Watch the same shows. Sleep at the same time. Get up and do it all over again. The only difference is that we don’t wake up every morning to “I’ve Got You Babe” on the radio (thank God for that!)

Even if your life isn’t quite that regimented, it is still easy to get in a rut where you don’t do much different or new. And that may be a problem.

To avoid that danger, here are five ways to break out of a rut you may find yourself in:

Do New Things

Seems obvious, right? The easiest way to break out of your rut is to do something new. It doesn’t matter what; take up a hobby, try a new restaurant, read a book in a genre or on a topic you have never read before. It doesn’t need to be huge. Just mix up your life with new things periodically.

Try New Variations on Old Things

Trying something new seem too far out of your comfort zone? Then start by adding variety to what you already do. If you go to the same restaurant for dinner every Friday night, try ordering something you never have before. Keep going to the gym at the same time but try a new workout. Take a different route to work. Try a Mocha latte instead of the usual “half-calf double decaf vanilla soy lite latte.” Just add some variety.

Meet New People

This may be the hardest one on the list. Meeting new people can be a giant pain in the ass (at least it is is if you’re not used to it). And yes, some people you meet will suck. That doesn’t mean that everyone you meet will suck. And keep in mind, not everyone you meet will become your best friend. In fact, most won’t. But making new connections, acquaintances, and friends will open up your world to new opportunities, experiences, and conversations that you would never have otherwise. Just take it slow and don’t jump into a bromance too quickly – or a “sismance,” or whatever the heck the female equivalent of a bromance is.

Question Your Rituals

Of course, the first step in getting out of a rut is realizing that you are in one. Take a look at the things you do regularly, and ask yourself why you are doing them. Are you stuck to a routine that may not be serving you best? Are your rituals holding you back from experiencing more of what life has to offer?

Growing up I had a friend who’s family had “pizza night” every Friday. Nothing wrong with that, and I’m sure many families have something similar. But what’s the most important element to that ritual? Getting the family together to eat a nice, low effort meal. Pizza is just a tool, and there’s no reason the meal would have to be pizza. Couldn’t it be mixed up to try a variety of cuisines?

This is just a simple example, but we all get into routines of doing things a certain way to a point where the original goal gets lost and the ritual itself becomes the goal. That’s a rut.

Add New Attention to Your Old Routine

Here’s a twist. Keep following your old routine, just do it with more attention. The main danger of getting into a rut is that we start sleepwalking through life. We start living our lives on auto-pilot and just “going through the motions.” For a brief period, try doing the same things you already do every day, just pay more attention.

Drive the same route to work, but look closer at what you are driving past. Watch the same TV shows, but let yourself get lost in them as opposed to half watching while your attention wanders. Do your household chores, but pay close attention to the dish you are washing, or the table you are wiping, or the floor you are vacuuming. Seems simple, but by simply adding more attention to the things you do, even the boring ones, you can awaken yourself in a surprising way.

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About

By Avish Parashar. As the world's only Motivational Improviser, Avish uses techniques from the world of improv comedy to engage, entertain, and educate audiences on ideas around change, creativity, and motivation. Connect with Avish on Google+

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