Get Out Of Autopilot

Sometimes you get stuck on autopilot.  Doing what you’ve always done for so long.  It’s routine and second nature.  You don’t have to give it much thought.  But, you’re essentially just floating through life.  You’re not present to what’s going on around you.  Nor are you dreaming about what amazing future possibilities your life could have.  You’re just content where you currently are.  However, this mindset is keeping you stuck.  It’s holding you back from living life to the fullest.  It's time to get yourself unstuck and get out of autopilot.

Acknowledge

The first step in getting out of autopilot is to recognize when you’ve been operating in that gear.  Take a good hard look at your life and ask yourself if you’ve just been coasting or if you’re learning, growing, and progressing each day.  If you’ve been living in the fog or with your head up in the clouds then it’s time to check back in.  Take an inventory of what you’ve been doing.  If you’re seeing more of the same habits, patterns, and routines that aren’t helping you to make progress in your life then perhaps you need to do something different.

Learning

Consider what you’ve learned recently.  If you automatically answered that with not much, then this is a great place to start.  Furthering your knowledge and expertise in life gets you out of your normal funk.  It challenges you to think, consider new perspectives, and contemplate new ideas.  You can listen to educational podcasts, watch documentaries, take a class, learn a new hobby or skill, etc.  Use your phone or a journal to write down what you’re learning everyday.  This is your evidence that you’re not just stuck in autopilot.  Rather, you have a growth mindset that shows you’re dedicated to making an effort to learn and improve each day.

New Things

Next, push yourself to step outside your comfort zone and try new things.  This is the key to getting out of your normal routines.  It’s changing up your routine!  Maybe that’s brushing your teeth with your nondominant hand, taking a different way to work, cooking a new meal, trying a new restaurant, watching something different on tv, etc.  Find ways to change things up to add some spice and excitement to your life.  Perhaps you plan to do something new whether it’s self care related, a new project, or doing something you’ve always wanted to do but just have been putting it off for whatever reason.  You could do this once a week, every other week, or once a month.  Make a commitment to plan something fun to look forward to.  Planning an activity and actually putting it into your calendar will make it much more likely that it will happen.  Don’t just leave this to chance.  Get yourself out of autopilot by creating a plan to change up your usual routine.

Bucket List

Then, plan for the future by giving yourself permission to dream.  Create a bucket list of all the things you want to do, places you want to go, experiences, events, travel, etc.  Determine how frequently you’re going to complete one of your bucket list items.  Perhaps that’s once a year, twice a year, every quarter, or every month.  Decide what time interval you’re going to accomplish one of your bucket list items.  Again, this will give you something to look forward to that’s outside of your normal schedule.

Pay Attention

The biggest thing you can do is to actually plan things that will get you out of autopilot.  It’s when you get stuck in autopilot that life often throws you curveballs to get you to pay attention.  These moments are to wake you up and get you to pay attention.  It’s an opportunity to get yourself out of autopilot and back into the game of life.  Rediscover the things that excite you, light you up, and make you happy.  Not just the same old things that you’ve always done.  That can get boring really quickly.  It’s like eating the same food for every meal.  Tap back into life, pay attention, get yourself out of autopilot, and start living life to the fullest!

In order to get yourself out of autopilot, you’re going to have to do something different that you haven’t done before.  That can be scary but also really exciting.  You’re here to learn, grow, and become better than you were yesterday.  Not just cruise through life on autopilot.  Each week, challenge yourself to discover a new resource.  Whether that’s a podcast, book, documentary, mentor, etc.  Then, write down what you’ve learned each day and keep a growing list.  This is evidence that you’re not just on autopilot.  Next, make a list of goals and bucket list items that you want to accomplish in your lifetime.  Decide and commit to how often you’re going to complete one.  Make it your mission to stay out of autopilot because life will keep trying to wake you up with obstacles until you start paying attention.  Life is more than living on autopilot.  It’s truly meant to be lived fully!