Have you ever found yourself in a rut? I’m talking about having all your basic needs met along with the ability to get many of the things you want, and yet you still feel discontent? Or maybe the things you normally don’t mind doing or even find to be enjoyable feel like drudgery. If so, you are not alone.
We all get into slumps at times. For me, this often happens during the late winter and early spring time. The days often fluctuate between sunny and gloomy, warm and cold; and it’s difficult for me to carry on with my previous rhythms or to even find new ones. I somehow feel a bit antsy and unsettled and yet a bit weary and tired all at the same time.
Sometimes I can pinpoint the obvious reason for a slump, or recognize that it is a time of year in which I am likely to feel this way. Other times, it comes out of nowhere without any particular indicator as to why.
In either case, I am discovering the habits which help bring me through these slumps more gracefully, so I am compiling a list of the practices that I have found vital in unearth the joys of life once again.
5 Minimalist Habits To Get Out of A Slump
I don’t know if you can relate. But usually when I find myself in a rut or slump, I notice that things that usually bring me happiness seem less joyful. Most of the time, it is not because these things have become less beautiful, fun, or enjoyable; but instead, my ability to appreciate them has diminished.
That typically occurs because I have lost sight of what it looks like to appreciate simplicity. Sometimes it occurs all in one fell swoop like after a big exciting life event. There is so much excitement and joy for a period of time. When that season comes to an end, it can be difficult to settle back into the normal rhythm of life.
Other times, it occurs more slowly. Life is just humming along and the grind of routine day after day begins to wear on you.
In either case, there is a lack of appreciation of the simple joys of life. So what we need in these situations is to retrain our brains to both acknowledge and relearn to cherish small simple moments of goodness that is around us.
How To Retrain Your Brain To Appreciate Simplicity
Here are 5 minimalist habits to reorient your mind toward an appreciation for simplicity.
#1 Get Off Your Phone
I know. We’ve all heard this one a million times, but I’ll say it again because we all need the reminder, myself included. It is so easy to reach for our phones when in a rut for that quick hit of dopamine. That is literally what they are designed to provide, but this only digs us deeper into the slump. Those bursts of dopamine are cheap and don’t last but instead leaving us craving more of the same.
I find this to be especially true if I get on social media first thing in the morning. It seems to set me up for failure when one of the first things I’m experiencing in the morning is the cheap version of dopamine provided by social media.
By staying off my phone for a morning, day, or even a weekend; I feel my nervous system relax and reorient toward the simple, tangible things in my surroundings. In the mornings, these tangible things look like making a nourishing breakfast, reading or writing, spending time with someone you care about, or getting out in the morning sun.
#2 Experience The Outdoors
When I say “experience the outdoors”, I truly mean it. I am talking about more than going for a quick 10 minute power walk to get your steps in. Not that a power walk is a bad thing, but it doesn’t allow for much appreciation. It’s the “how” of walking that matters most.
Rather than powering through your time outdoors, slow down and actually pay attention to what’s going on around you. This is one of the easiest ways to begin to experience simple beauty and a natural regrounding of both your mind and body.
What I love most about the outdoors is that so many of our senses can be active all at once. You feel a gentle breeze or the warmth of the sun on your skin. You see a the trees budding new leaves. You smell a blooming flour or the scent of fresh rain. You hear a bird chirping as it flies overhead.
These experiences gently reground us to the present, the physical in a time which it is all too easy to get caught up in your own thoughts.
#3 Journal/Pray/Meditate
Since you’re not spending your morning scrolling on your phone, use that time to journal, pray, or meditate. Usually when I’m feeling in a slump, there is something keeping me stuck. A few minutes of quiet time to think or write can be so helpful in identifying what it is that has me stuck.
Maybe it’s the weather, a relationship struggle, a need for a change of rhythm, or something else entirely. Whatever it is, this time to reflect is so beneficial for identifying and also developing a strategy for overcoming it.
#4 Cook & Enjoy A Slow Nourishing Meal
When I’m in a rut, making meals often feels like a chore. But food can actually serve as a way out of the slump if approached the right way. Even if you’re not big on cooking, making and enjoying a simple, nourishing meal with your hands at a leisurely pace can be quite therapeutic.
In our fast-paced society, we have made eating into something we squeeze in between activities rather than something to experience. My challenge to you is to return to making it into an experience by turning on some music, trying a new recipe, and sitting down to eat without distractions.
In the same way, that experiencing the outdoors enlivens the senses, so too will a good meal. It will provide energy for your body and maybe even get your creativity flowing once again.
#5 Move Your Body
The last habit is to simply move your body. It doesn’t have to be intense. It doesn’t have to be for a certain amount of time. Just move. Of course, if an hour long workout is what you love, go for it. But 10-15 minutes of gentle movement such as stretching or walking can have the same effect.
Do something that makes your body feel more alive, invigorated or strong. One of the most empowering feelings is that of a strong and healthy body.
If you have any other slow, simple, and grounding rhythms that help get you out of a slump; I would love to hear about them in the comments below!
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