When I refer to ‘Getting Unstuck,’ you know I’m referring to a state of being. Whether it’s ‘Analysis Paralysis’ and yes, my hand goes up for that one or wanting to get from ‘Here to There’ and wondering what to do first.
These are examples of being stuck in a moment or series of moments that have become days, weeks or maybe even months. Perhaps it was one event that caused us to get here or a series of events that pushed us further down the rabbit hole. Whatever it is, I hope some of this will get you to a place of getting ‘unstuck’ and moving forward.
1. Identify what is holding you back.
Maybe it’s a few things and if that’s the case, take a few minutes and start listing what comes to mind. Perhaps there’s a project you know you need to finish and it’s so overwhelming that you don’t know what to do first. Break it down into smaller projects, baby steps!
2. Breaking it down.
Perhaps this will help with getting from ‘here’ to ‘there’ and instead of looking at all that needs to be done, as noted above, break it down into manageable tasks. I realize this isn’t new information, you’ve heard it before, however perhaps knowing that you’re not alone and that others go through this will enable you to do one thing at a time and before you know it you’ll be done and ready to move on to the next.
“The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step.” – Lao Tzu
3. How do you feel?
So how do you feel right now? Is it possible that feeling overwhelmed led you to feeling stuck in life and unable to move forward? Maybe that’s too simple and part of feeling ‘stuck’ has to do with self-doubt. Moving on…
4. Think Confidence over Self-Doubt.
There could be other feelings connected here, however let’s look at this one. One way to overcome this is to think about past accomplishments. If you’re going to beat yourself up over what you’re not able to do, stop right now. Consider all of the great successes from your past and write them down. I like to keep a ‘Kudos’ file for this very reason – notes from others on a job well done , a thank you, a success in a previous task/job.
I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence but it comes from within. It is there all the time.” – Anna Freud
5. Focus on the Positive.
Think about all you can do and not what you can’t do. You’ve heard this before, I’m sure of that, so that’s where you want to guide your thinking. Imagine/visualize positive outcomes.
“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” – Willie Nelson
6. Change your Environment.
Go for a ride and listen to music. Go into another room. Get up and move around. Stretch. Go for a walk in nature. Go to a cafe and feel the energy in that environment. Breathe. You get the idea! All of these (and add more to your list) could help you gain more insight.
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Dr. Wayne Dyer
7. Don’t Think About it, Do it!
Simple, so simple, yet when you’re feeling ‘stuck,’ this is easier said than done and yet it’s one thing that will lead you in a forward direction. Once you start taking action flow can begin again and with repeated action you’ll continue to move forward into the ‘flow’ of your life.
“You have to ‘Be’ before you can ‘Do’ and ‘Do’ before you can ‘Have’.” – Zig Ziglar
8. Child like Wonder.
Do something fun (ah….there’s that ‘do’ word again!). Think back to when you were a child and what you liked to do back then. Was there a toy that brought you joy? Perhaps a game? Is there something you’ve been wanting to do and you keep putting it off? Maybe painting? Maybe going to the batting cage? Maybe you just want to dance! This is about you – create your own list and take the time to do something fun. That’s the point here.
“Never lose the child like wonder. It’s just too important. It’s what drives us. Help others.” – Randy Pausch
9. Reconnect to your Soul and Nourish your Soul!
A very wise person mentioned this to me the other day. Being ‘stuck’ has caused me to wonder what could be fun…what makes me happy and do I even remember what ‘happy’ feels like? I often talk about connecting to that inner wisdom – you know, a ‘soul’ connection and realized that much of what gives me joy has been put off.
Reconnect to that part of yourself and you’ll begin to get ‘unstuck’ and then continue to nourish it. I’m giving you permission! Maybe that’s all it takes is knowing that it’s okay to do something fun. So many of us feel the need to work as a way of being productive, however what I’ve discovered is that working more and not taking the time to nourish my soul has caused me to become less productive and I know I’m not alone.
So take the time and think about this one – it could very well be the most important point on this list.
“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life’s about creating yourself.”
– George Bernard Shaw
Conclusion: I hope you found this post helpful. If you did, feel free to pay it forward – it may only take one word, one thought or even one of the quotes above to help someone else in some way.
Photo credit: © Donna Adinolfi