Articles
USC University News
From the issue dated June 29, 2007
How to Break Out of a Rut
Do you ever find yourself thinking, “I have no motivation to lose weight, exercise, write professional papers or move ahead on the things I’ve been wanting to do?”
With that in mind, the USC Center for Work and Family Life recently presented two lunchtime presentations called “Stuck in a Rut? Making the Shift From Your Current Life to Your Ideal Life.”
Psychotherapist and guest speaker Darlene Basch challenged USC staff and faculty to identify how they felt stuck and to try a few tools that could jump-start a path toward the life they want to live.
Here are several practical tips Basch suggested to help people reach that goal.
Begin with creating your vision. Imagine that you have your ideal job and are living your ideal life. Describe your ideal daily life at home and at work from the moment you awake, including your physical surroundings at home and at work, and the people living and working with you.
Getting caught in a routine can cause boredom and lack of motivation. Try some routine breakers, such as taking a different route to work and taking your breaks and lunch at different times.
Waking up your body can put you in touch with your inner sense of direction. Try a “wake-up breath” to become reenergized, she suggested.
Reach out to others who can offer support in trying new things by recruiting a friend or family member to take up a new activity with you or hiring a life coach. In addition, one could join or create a group of encouraging people who will brainstorm ideas, give you feedback and hold you accountable to your commitment to specific tasks.
These activities can inspire a person to take charge of his or her life, Basch said.
Variations in routine create new neural pathways that can help shift one’s perspective and building a supportive community can create an environment for transformation, she explained.
To find out more about Basch, visit her Web site at http://www.transformationtherapy.com
For resources at USC, contact the Center for Work and Family Life at
(213) 821-0800 or http://www.usc.edu/worklife
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