a christian girl’s guide to getting out of a rut ❤︎
For the girl who knows she's been a little too comfortable lately—and is ready to start showing up for the beautiful life God has given her.
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There are seasons when slowing down is exactly what we need. We need quiet mornings, nights at home, weekends without plans, and time to simply rest and let ourselves breathe. But then there are other seasons where, if we're being truthful with ourselves, we're not really resting anymore. We've just gotten comfortable.
I've found myself in those seasons recently. The days start blending together, my screen time gets a little embarrassing, things I normally enjoy suddenly feel like too much effort, and I keep telling myself I'll get back into a routine "tomorrow." Then tomorrow becomes next week, and suddenly I realize I've spent way too much time waiting to feel motivated instead of actually participating in my own life.
Lately, I've been thinking about this from a faith perspective too. Jesus tells us in John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." I don't think an abundant life means being productive every second of every day or trying to create some Pinterest-perfect routine. But I do think God wants us to be awake to our lives. He gave us gifts to use, people to love, bodies to care for, places to see, things to create, and ultimately a purpose much bigger than spending every free moment scrolling on our phones.
So, if you've been feeling a little stuck lately too, maybe we can consider this our sign to get up and start living an abundant life again !!
Romans 15:13: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
01. When Rest Quietly Turns Into Complacency
I think one of the hardest parts about getting out of a lazy season is recognizing that you're actually in one. It usually doesn't happen overnight. It's more like a bunch of tiny decisions that slowly become your normal. You skip the workout because you're tired. You order food instead of cooking because it's easier. You stay in instead of seeing your friends. You reach for your phone first thing in the morning instead of spending time with God. None of those things are inherently bad, but when "I don't feel like it" starts becoming the reason behind most of our decisions, it's worth paying attention to.
Proverbs 6:10–11 says, "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief." It's definitely one of the more convicting verses, but I think there's something important in it. Our lives are shaped by small choices. We don't suddenly wake up disciplined, spiritually strong, healthy, or fulfilled. Those things are usually built quietly through the things we choose to do over and over again.
Sometimes getting yourself out of a rut doesn't require some massive life reset. It starts with opening your blinds in the morning, making your bed, putting on an outfit you feel good in, going for a walk, cleaning your space, or opening your Bible for ten minutes. Small things can create momentum, and sometimes momentum is exactly what we've been missing.
02. Rest Is Biblical — Laziness Isn't the Same Thing
I also think it's important to say that resting does not make you lazy. We live in such a productivity-obsessed culture that it's easy to feel guilty anytime we're not doing something. Social media definitely doesn't help. You open TikTok at 9 a.m. and somehow another girl has already done Pilates, made a matcha, journaled, read her Bible, hit 10k steps, cleaned her apartment, and started a business while you're still lying in bed.
That's not the standard we're called to live by. Jesus is.
Jesus Himself made space for rest. In Mark 6:31, He tells His disciples, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Rest is necessary. The difference I've started noticing is that healthy rest makes me feel restored enough to return to my life, while laziness makes me want to keep avoiding it. Rest says, I need a day to recover. Complacency says, I'll deal with everything tomorrow.
Learning the difference requires being honest with yourself without being cruel to yourself. Some days, you really do need the nap. Other days, you need to tell yourself, lovingly, girl...you have rested enough. Get up!!!
03. Stop Waiting for Your "Real Life" to Start
I think we accidentally waste so much time waiting for the next version of our lives. We'll be happier when we move. We'll become disciplined when Monday comes. We'll dress better when we lose five pounds. We'll start that project when we're less busy. We'll travel someday. We'll spend more time with God when life calms down. There's always another milestone that feels like the moment our real life will finally begin.
But this is your real life.
The random Sunday afternoon is part of it. The grocery store run is part of it. Making dinner with your husband, calling your mom, taking your dog for a walk, driving to work, folding laundry, having coffee on the porch—it's all part of the life God has given you.
Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Not the day when everything finally works out. This day. Today.
I've been trying to remind myself that there are things in my current life that a younger version of me once prayed for. How sad would it be to finally receive some of those blessings and then be too distracted to enjoy them? Put the flowers on your counter. Wear the cute outfit even when you don't have anywhere important to go. Make your morning coffee feel special. Watch the sunset instead of scrolling through someone else's. Take pictures. Call people. Make plans. Be where your feet are. Your life doesn't have to be extraordinary to be deeply worth living.
04. Discipline Can Be Soft, Feminine & God-Honoring
I used to associate discipline with being really intense—5 a.m. alarms, impossible routines, never eating dessert, and basically turning your entire existence into a self-improvement project. I've realized that discipline actually doesn't have to look like that at all.
Discipline can actually be really gentle. Sometimes it's making yourself breakfast because you know you'll feel better. It's going outside for a walk even though the couch sounds better. It's cleaning your room because you feel calmer in a peaceful space. It's putting your phone away and actually being present with the person sitting across from you. It's opening your Bible before opening Instagram. It’s honoring your body & mind.
Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord." That verse has made me think differently about the ordinary things I do. Taking care of my home, my work, my relationships, my body, my creativity, and my time can all be forms of stewardship. God has entrusted those things to me.
Discipline doesn't have to come from hating where you are. It can come from being grateful for what God has given you and wanting to take good care of it.
05. You Probably Won't Feel Motivated First
Unfortunately, I have yet to wake up one morning magically transformed into the perfectly disciplined version of myself. Some mornings I feel inspired and ready to conquer the world. Other mornings, I would happily spend three hours under a blanket scrolling on Instagram.
That's exactly why motivation can't be the thing we rely on.
Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." There's something so comforting about that because it doesn't say we have to do everything perfectly. It says not to give up.
Maybe getting out of your rut isn't a dramatic 30-day challenge. Maybe you wake up thirty minutes earlier this week. Maybe you stop sleeping next to your phone. Maybe you go on three walks. Maybe you start having quiet time with God again. Maybe you finally send the email, sign up for the class, make the appointment, start the project, or do whatever little thing you've been putting off.
You don't need to feel ready before you begin. Sometimes motivation shows up after we start moving.
06. God Has So Much More for You Than Going Through the Motions
More than anything, I don't want to look back and realize I spent years of my life simply going through the motions. Wake up. Check my phone. Work. Scroll. Eat. Watch something. Sleep. Repeat.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." There is purpose woven into our lives. That doesn't mean every one of us needs a giant platform, a glamorous career, or some world-changing calling. Sometimes purpose looks much quieter than that. It can look like loving your family well, being a good friend, creating something beautiful, serving someone who needs you, taking care of your home, doing your work with integrity, or simply being obedient to whatever God has put in front of you today.
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If you've been in a lazy or unmotivated season, you don't need to completely reinvent yourself tomorrow morning. You also don't need to shame yourself for the time you've already wasted. Start where you are. Ask God to help you become more intentional with the life He's given you, and then take one small step.
Open the curtains. Put your phone down. Pray. Make breakfast. Go outside. Move your body. Text your friend back. Finish the thing you've been avoiding. Use the gifts God gave you. Notice the people around you. And when tomorrow comes, do it again.
An abundant life isn't necessarily the busiest or most impressive life. I think sometimes it's simply a life we're fully present for—a life where we're walking with God, loving people, using what He's given us, and actually noticing the goodness that's already around us.
There is too much beauty in this life to spend all of it waiting for tomorrow. So here's to getting up, starting again, and becoming a little more intentional with this beautiful life God has given us. ♡
♡ Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
If this little reminder spoke to you, there’s plenty more where that came from. ♡ Come hang out with me over on my podcast, where we chat about faith, navigating life in your twenties, becoming the woman God is calling you to be, and all the little things in between.
Think of it as a cozy girl talk with Jesus at the center. Grab your coffee, go on your hot girl walk, and come listen with me. 🎧☕️
xo, Chloe ♡
