10 Tips to Scoop Yourself Out of an Emotional Rut

Ever feel kinda “off?” Like, maybe your life is quite awesome, but without reason you feel dragged down, in the pits, disengaged, or checked-out? My friend Erin recently had this problem and emailed me about it. She asked if I ever felt that way, too…um, schhhhyeah…pretty sure we all have. I gave my friend some insights worth sharing for anyone else out there who needs to be scooped out of their rut.

10 Tips to Scoop You Out of a Rut Quickly:

1. Kapalabhati, a yoga breathing exercise, can instantly help move and clear your energy.
2. Drink a few glasses of water (on an empty stomach). You might just be dehydrated!
3. Make a large batch of kitchari and have it for lunch and dinner for a couple of days.
4. Write a gratitude list with at least 25 gratitudeez on it.
5. Get IN water, like a bath, pool, or hot tub. Water is a natural soother.
6. Yoga practice, along with those in-and-exhales.
7. Aromatherapy with your favorite essential oils or candle.
8. Get into nature. Turn off the computer, go outside. 
9. Smile. A smile actually tells our brain that we are happy. Fake it ‘til you make it.
10. Do something nice for someone else. A compliment or a smile will make someone else feel good and because we are all connected, you will feel good, too. It’s like the best game of ping-pong ever.

With that said, a rut isn’t always bad. It could be some heavy energy sitting on you. Maybe it’s old energy from the past or negative energy you’ve absorbed from other people? Simply put, you might be hanging on to stuff you don’t need or that isn’t yours. The stillness could give introspection on an area in our life that needs to be fixed and, that we might not otherwise notice while when we are noisy and busy.

See? Sometimes you need darkness and slowness. Even tulip bulbs need to be tossed in the closet for a while before they can bloom again. Just because you feel a little down or heavy doesn't mean you don't appreciate your life. It may be as simple as needing to shed some heavy energy and/or taking a rest. Where there is surrender, you find strength.