It’s getting quite lovely and I’m glad to be through March, the most mucky, muddy month of the year here in Toronto. With all the muddy trails in my neighborhood this time of year, I’ve been thinking about ruts. Bicycles and strollers have transformed once-hard-packed trails into treacherous messes. In my neighborhood, the ruts are everywhere and they’re easy to see.

Unfortunately, not all ruts are so obvious. We can fall into ruts in our lives and they can be invisible to us. We do the same things in the same ways, over and over until habits form. These habits can become so entrenched that we don’t even notice them. There’s nothing inherently bad about that as long as nothing changes. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Well, there’s a problem in that kind of thinking. We live in an ever-changing world. The only constant is change, so it’s a good idea to examine our habits and make sure that they are adapting to keep up.

There’s a fine line between a habit and a rut. In fact, I think it’s just a matter of semantics. Good habits help us move towards a better future, while ruts keep us firmly planted in place. Staying in a rut is easy, but if we want to grow, then we need to do hard things. Fortunately, we can shift our ruts into good habits. It won’t happen overnight, but that’s ok. Good things come to those who work.

The first step is awareness. Take some time to take a good look at the various areas of your life. See if you can identify areas of stagnation. Consider journaling to see what bubbles up. You might also want to talk with a friend, family member or trusted colleague. After all, sometimes we’re too close to see ourselves clearly.

Once you see a rut, ask yourself how it serves you and how it’s holding you back. If you decide that you want to change, identify a small step you can take to transform it into a good habit. (When I say small step, I mean small step! If the step is too big it’s easy to get discouraged. After all, it took you a long time to get into this rut, so it’s important to accept the fact that it’s going to take a while to change it.) Look for opportunities to take a small step every day. Even though your actions may feel too small, they will add up quickly.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Start doing things a little differently and see what happens. Not every strategy will transform your life, but if you keep trying then something is certain to stick! With effort, we can transform our ruts into good habits that can make a positive difference in our lives.

You can do it. I believe in you!