Are you in a rut, feeling stuck or aimless?
Then you probably need to do the opposite of what you’ve been doing.
Examples:
In your head, plotting, and planning?
Stop. Go do. Make mistakes and learn how to recover from them.
Super social, asking for input, collaborating, and always celebrating with the team?
Find some quiet time, sit still, shut up, and think.
Always agreeable?
Say no, if you mean it, and stick with your decision.
Too “me” focused, starting a lot of your sentences with “I,” and getting a little bent out of shape if someone else is getting attention instead of you?
Begin to serve others, putting them before you.
Is everyone always defaulting to your judgment and looking for a decision?
Tell them to make the choice themselves and then abide by it without complaint.
If this seems overwhelming, that is a clue as to how critically important it is for you to do something, anything, to get you out of your routine and unconscious habits.
If nothing else, brush your teeth with your opposite hand the next couple of times.
If you’re feeling conflicted, the same old way isn’t working. So, shake things up.
Don’t misconstrue getting out of your comfort zone as forcing yourself to skydive or getting into a shark cage. It’s about doing new things you have to adapt to. You don’t have to adopt new behaviors, and you don’t have to shame yourself into becoming a different person. However, you need to challenge your status quo and perspective because it’s currently coming up short.
Each time you stretch your assumptions, you grow. Don’t wait for high risk, do or die, theatrics. Prepare and practice by doing the opposite of what you normally do for a series of small, seemingly insignificant things each day. Over time, you will notice how it becomes easier to solve new challenges, and others will be impressed at how you remain unflappable in the face of change.