The Prison Mirror

Keep Out Of The Ruts
By Carl Holmes

The world is full o'ruts my friend,
Some shallower and some deep:
And every rut is full of folks as
High as they can heap."-Anon

There is nothing so harmful to morale as to fall into the same day-in and day-out routine.

Many of us live in a sort of squirrel-in-the-cage existence. Our daily tasks and responsibilities never seem to allow time for us to do anything new or exciting.

It would be good for most of us to change occasionally our habitual way of living; broaden our interests, take on some new job, meet different people, read new books, a different newspaper, and to let go of our narrow, cautious lives. The

happiest and healthiest are the ones who have a wide range of interests and ambitions. The more interests the better. It is good for us to find new things to do, and to make ourselves, do them. There is always an inner satisfaction in doing something that we never did before, particularly if it helped someone besides ourselves.

Getting into a rut may be accidental, but staying there is usually our own fault. It is so easy to become smug, complacent and satisfied with mediocrity. The following are common rut-digging personality traits: Laziness, resignation, aimlessness, keeping to one's self, shyness, intolerance, prejudice, oversensitiveness,

worrying and being bound by tradition.

It is reported that Connie Mack at 88 still walks to and from his office every day, and tries to choose a different route, so that he will see new faces and different scenes. This attitude of ever seeking new experiences will keep us young.

Life is always worthwhile to the man who can laugh, love and lift. The man who has lost his sense of humor rides through life on a truck without springs—feeling every jolt and every rock. The poet who said that it takes a heap of lovin' to make the world go round, was telling the truth. The man you help most when you lift, is not the other fellow but yourself. To laugh, love, and lift will help keep you out of ruts.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." Now is the time to climb out of your ruts, recapture yourself and become aware of the infinite possibilities of life. It is not too late to start a campaign of personality rehabilitation.

The secret of keeping out of ruts, is purposeful effort, cultivating your talents, and expanding your potential powers.

This is not only a good rule for avoiding ruts but will also get you into the groove toward personal achievement.

The spice of life will be ours, when we can face each day, alert to the opportunities of making new friends, and measuring up to new experiences. What's different about today? Today hasn't been lived. It lies before you. You can make it what you want. Think of today as a canvas and yourself as a painter. What are the possibilities of painting an interesting and beautiful picture out of today's experiences? You can do it if you are mentally alert, emotionally rich, and spiritually keen, and at the same time it will also keep you out of ruts.—Elizabeth Daily Journal