Feeling Stuck: Tips to Help You Move Forward
Published June 5, 2023 | 4 min read
Sometimes, you might feel stuck in life, as if the invisible chains of monotony hold your ambitions and aspirations hostage.
Yearning for change, growth, and a breakthrough that can breathe new life into our weary souls can be exhausting.
It’s like being torn between two decisions, just like in The Matrix, Neo has to decide between the red and blue pill.
You can live with the weight of ambiguity on your back and the feeling of despair creeping in and out of your mood.
Or you can try to move past your comfort zone, fears, and limits and chart a new course!
Why you might feel stuck
Feeling stuck can be arduous, time-consuming, and depressing, even.
We get stuck for a variety of reasons.
First, it’s hard to make big decisions.
They take time and need careful thought and assessment, which can take a toll on our minds.
It gets messy in there; all that back and forth.
We get trapped for a multitude of reasons.
Some people believe they need some sort of “sign” before making a decision.
A sign from the universe, perhaps.
We throw our hands into fate or destiny and hope that some guiding force will show us the way.
While that is a powerful theory, there is just one little problem.
It relies heavily on you actually looking for the sign to reveal itself in the right places.
Sometimes, we get stuck because it is easier not to make a decision than actually make one.
The simple truth about the human psyche is that we don’t like difficult feelings.
Making a decision can conjure up those extremely hard feelings: anxiety, depression, anger, or fear – all extremely complicated emotions we try to ward off.
5 Strategies for When You’re Feeling Stuck In Life
While feeling stuck is terrible in its own right, sometimes, the change itself is so scary that staying stuck is a great runner-up.
Use these five strategies when you are stuck to help you get out of your head and take action!
1. Challenge Assumptions
When we’re stuck, we convince ourselves we’ve turned over every stone in our mind.
However, we often miss looking at the stones themselves and asking, “are those all of them?”
Challenge your assumptions – every single one of them.
Write them down, and see if any new ideas come to you.
Brainstorm “crazy” ideas and see if something new shakes out.
The goal is to add to your list, not just keep ruminating on the ideas you’ve already come up with.
2. Talk Yourself Through Your Worst-Case Scenario
If you fear the worst might happen, walk yourself through what you would do.
How would you handle it?
Could you survive?
If the answer is YES, you will un-tether yourself from fear of the worst case happening – and move forward.
3. Learn About Courage
Being brave isn’t easy.
Every single one of us has moments of weakness – but we also have moments of courage.
Being courageous means doing something you are not comfortable doing – and doing it anyway.
Like a toddler learning to go from one monkey bar to the next for the first time, you must release the old to get to the new.
It is okay to be a little afraid!
If you fall flat on your face, believe you will pick yourself up again.
4. Use Your Village
There are people in your circle of friends that are true confidants.
They know you.
These are the people who have your best intentions at heart.
They are good listeners and remain unbiased.
Not every one of your friends will fit this profile; most likely, just a select few.
Go to your strongest allies, and get their input.
5. Create Your Vision
You must look beyond your short-term anxieties and create a vision for yourself one, two, or even five years later.
Next, map it out in your mind.
What do you see?
Without looking at your horizon, you’ll feel stuck as you look down at the choppy waters of life.
Make progress today!
Which of these strategies will you use today to help get yourself moving?
Let us know in the comment section below.
Also, share any other tips you have found successful with us.
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