Road blocks

 

Lately I have been missing travel and experiencing new things and knowing that at least for a while I cannot go anywhere (because work hours have been cut and that dints my future travel plans momentarily) I have found myself in a rut. So I did what any Gen Y person would do and headed to the Internet for answers. Wow there is a myriad of information you can get your hands on. If I went with the first few pages on how my ‘rut’ feels at the moment I would come away with the idea that I am in fact clinically depressed. Enough to make you go mental right? Looking at all the websites I have gathered a far better understanding now as to why doctors get so concerned with their patients self-diagnosing conditions from their home offices. Who would have thought when the Internet became so much of my everyday life that it would create a paradigm shift from ‘worldwide wealth of knowledge’ to ‘average person’s bible to masterdom?’ Either way I am glad I was lucky enough to be blessed with the ability to decipher real science and the home kitchen lab.

When I got down to the bottom of it all I understood the very thing that really I knew in the first place- I miss travel, I miss my overseas friends and I  miss the adventure my life used to have.

 As I went through the tips to get out of the travel rut I read about how it’s important to plan for your next trip seriously- month by month. What needs to be paid for next, how much money you need etc and have celebrations along the way of your achievement so you don’t feel bound in chains by your next grand adventure. I knew this, I’d done it before. But I found myself thinking, ‘but I’m never going to get there’. For some reason I decided (I never usually do) to proceed to the comments, it is here where I met Anna from New York City. She appears to be a 50 something lady (possibly older) with 2 grandchildren, in an unhappy relationship where her boyfriend doesn’t allow her to see her grandchildren so she has to do it on the sly all the time. Some of her comments I could understand, but then she just seemed to be roadblocking the whole entire way. Once I read it everything became ridiculously clear to me. I like Roadblocks. Roadblocks are stupidly enjoyed by me somehow, on a small level. You see yes I’m currently stuck living in a town I’m not terribly fond of, living with my parents (since my last trip left me broke), had my work hours cut, been sick, struggled to write and scarcely have much to do because it’s such a small town. But here’s the good...I pay little to no board for staying with the olds, I get to house sit regularly, I love love love my workplace, I have some great friends, I’m singing in public which is an accomplishment I never thought possible albeit karaoke for the moment and I have formed up some good relationships with people I grew up with here, just years later. Things are in fact good. But when I get down that nothing’s happening I really feel it, what’s worse is seeing the pictures of other peoples’ adventures overseas while I’m still sitting with the olds waiting for the cash flow train to fill up and my life to take off on its next journey. But whether I like it or not, I’m living here and I must make the most of what I have now. Since we all get stuck in ruts, and some not just travel but writing and otherwise, I created my own little list to help you if you ever feel like you’ve hit a ‘rut’ & shared with you some of my favourite images from photographers on Pinterest. Do enjoy!  

RUT BREAKING TIPS..

-Do something you would consider to be BRAVE..go to a bar on your own for dinner/drinks, sing in front of heaps of people, go to an event where you don't know anyone, buy an outfit that is a completely different style for you.
-Get out of the place that reminds you of why you feel 'stuck' the most- even if its 15minutes drive to a different coffee shop- difference is bliss
-Look at beautiful artwork & photography- wierd and wonderful pieces. No local gallery or don't want to spend money- take your computer/iPad/phone to a wi-fi zone chill out & absorb what's on the net.
-Ditch any unhappy music- this includes songs with happy beats but sad lyrics. Only happy ones, if you have to go back a few decades- do it. MJ, Creedence, Pointer Sisters- there's gotta be something there.
-Have a shower, get dressed to the nines (dude or gal) and enjoy looking fab. 'He looks terrible in that over dress Boss suit, said no one ever.'
-Clean out anyone/anything that leads back to your rut. Surround yourself with people who ooze being who they are and not caring
-In a rut about money? Get social networking organise a picnic or a fitness meet that requires little to no funds & get those loyalty cards, the more you have the merrier you'll be when cash really gets low...freebie coffees here I come!

IMAGES TO MAKE YOU SMILE...