6 Ways to Get Out of a Personal or Professional Rut

Do you ever feel like your life is in a holding pattern? I found myself stuck in such a mode just recently, and was searching for ways to get out of it. It's so easy for me to see when others are doing this, and I often find myself coaching clients, friends and family members on how to take action. So I decided to take a step back and think about the advice I am so good at giving to others, and figure out how to apply it to my own life.

Why is it so difficult for us to do more, to grow, to change, to kick things up a notch? Simply stated, our comfort zone is, well, comfortable. But as the saying goes, if you keep doing what you've been doing...well, you know the rest. So how does one leave that proverbial comfort zone and leap into the scary world of the unknown? Here are a few tips I like to share with others (and myself) to create change, hopefully for the better.

1) Mix up your routine to help give you a fresh perspective. This might mean waking up earlier, watching a different news station, listening to different music, reading new blogs, or changing up your diet or exercise routine.

2) Make an effort to meet new, interesting people. Spend time with people who might have an opposing point of view, a different skill set, or a background in an area you don't know much about. They will enrich your life more than you can imagine.

3) Decide to learn something new to add to your skill set. It might be career-related such as learning about a new technology, or personal, such as photography, scrapbooking or tennis.

4) Establish career and personal goals for yourself, and have an accountability partner who can help keep you on track.

5) Look at your to-do list and see which items have been there the longest. Make it a priority today to take care of those dreaded tasks you've been avoiding. Sometimes they can become a black cloud in your life and limit your ability to move on to greater things. As the famous althetic shoe slogan goes, JUST DO IT.

6) Get organized. A cluttered office or home can lead to a cluttered life. And when your life is cluttered, it can be very challenging to get out of that holding pattern.

So repeat after me:

"Today I pledge to renew myself, to get out of this holding pattern. I pledge to either take off or find a place to land. I pledge to reach outside of my comfort zone and meet someone new, do at least one thing differently, and learn something that will make me a better professional and a better person. I pledge to clear off my unpleasant to-do list and to get on to the fun, exciting things I've been dreaming of doing.I pledge to declutter my desk, my home, my thoughts, or whatever might be holding me back."

Best of luck to all of us...great things are to come!