There is something to be said for “out of the ordinary.” It brings a certain freshness and spontaneity that is so necessary in resetting our life, especially during the summer months.

As much as I love intention and routine, my creature of habit tendencies carry me into ruts before I’m ever aware I’m there. My days become predictable, my disposition is snarky, and life, in general, feels stale.

I know the signs when my energy drops and my creativity dries up. It’s time to change things up.

It’s time to reset.

Seven months ago, after living in the same home for 22 years, we sold. It was a whirlwind sale, and it sold to the first family who came knocking. I didn’t have time to second guess or cry over painted covered measurements of each child’s years of growth. We pitched, we sorted, and the boxes were packed without hesitation.

The transition has been surprisingly refreshing.

Even more surprising is the realization that I was in a deep rut. My spirit was screaming for fresh life but I kept stuffing the thoughts back down as if they were coming from a place of ingratitude or complacency. It’s taken the past few months to help me see what I was needing was grand scale reset.

Most of the time such a huge life change isn’t necessary to get us out of a rut, but the principle of knowing how to get out of a rut is still important in resetting overall.

How do we know we’re in a rut?

Nothing excites us.

We lack the energy to move forward and instead give way to laziness.

Lack of ambition causes us to give up on daily routines important to our quality of life.

At the end of the day, we feel like we’ve accomplished very little.

We question our purpose.

Excuses become the norm.

Common everyday activities become drudgery.

Unfortunately, we don’t realize we’re in a rut until we are.

Sometimes circumstances take care of it, but other times, we have to be more proactive to release ourselves from the muck.

For the past 6 months, my husband and I have been on a mission for “out of the ordinary.” We call it OTO.

We’re actively exploring, seeking the unfamiliar challenging one another to think outside of the box. Changing our location has lifted our spirits in ways we didn’t realize we needed. Although the zip code is just a slight change, and the familiar is only a few miles away, this change has been so good for us that we just don’t want to go back any time soon and revisit what was our norm for so long.

Intentionally seeking out-of-the-ordinary experiences helps reset, refresh and reignite our life. #joy #growth #SummerReset Series Share on X

I have a friend who has a very limited palate and eats the same things. She’s in a rut. So her answer has been to incorporate A Year of Yes into her life.

When someone asks her to do something she would normally say no to, she says “yes.” When a new opportunity to travel comes her way, she doesn’t make excuses for all the reasons she shouldn’t go but instead says “yes” and looks for all the ways to make it happen. If an idea pops into her head she goes with it, and as a result, she’s added some new and interesting things to her life. It doesn’t mean she has to keep up with all of them, but at least she now has choices.

I like that way of thinking.

A year ago I would not have been open to considering such a thing, but a year ago I would have never thought I’d be traveling to China, seeking a challenging promotion, speaking at a national conference, or finally writing that book, but I am. And I’m not doing it alone; I have supportive friends and colleagues who continue to encourage me to step outside of my own tired, faulty thinking to consider out-of-the-ordinary options.

Are you in a rut?

What does it look like?

Need help getting out?

Try these out-of-the-ordinary summer ideas…

♥ Create a summer bucket list and see how far you get.

♥ Get outside and go geocaching around town…it’s so much fun…our whole family loves this!

♥ Join a meetup group with people who have your same interest.

♥ Make food a priority and take a cooking class or use a mail order meal company to infuse your skills with creativity…planning this with my husband for July!

♥ Plan a trip that will challenge you to get outside of your comfort zone…I’m headed to China!

♥ Create a travel journal filled with plenty of tangible items from your summer excursions…and take plenty of adhesive and ziplock bags!

♥ Train for a 5 K marathon…you can opt to walk or run.

♥ Experiment with a new hobby…have you tried felting or paper crafts from Lia Griffith yet? I absolutely love it! Be careful, you’ll get hooked.

Just thinking about these makes me happy.

I’m coming out of my rut, and it feels so good. I realize there is a fine balance to maintain, but the point is that my spirit is open, my confidence is returning, and my options are growing.

Isn’t that what getting out of a rut is all about!

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