Whether it’s your career, relationship or health, everyone feels stuck at some point. Feeling stuck is normal, but it’s important to push through your stuckness because incredible progress can be on the other side of the blockage.
The feeling of being stuck can take on different forms and scream in many ways. It might be an emotional feeling, a physical sensation like an ache or a mental sense of inertia. Often, the feeling is accompanied by negative thoughts that keep you stuck. These negative thought patterns can be triggered by many factors, including fear of failure or the fear of not being good enough, self-criticism and perfectionism.
A big part of getting unstuck is reframing your negative thoughts. You can do this by thinking about the things that make you feel good instead of the things that you don’t like, as well as changing your physiology to help shift out of a negative mindset. Try something as simple as standing up straighter or going for a quick jog to help break the negative pattern and foster a positive one.
You might be feeling stuck because you’ve gotten to the end of your goal or project and can’t figure out what next to do. Alternatively, you might be stuck because your goals are too big or you don’t know how to break them down into smaller parts. Try breaking down your goal into a series of actionable steps and work on them one at a time.
For example, if you need to write an essay for school, start by brainstorming ideas with someone else who has a similar major. Then, once you have the main points down, try writing up a rough draft to get the ball rolling. Then once you have the first piece written, it’ll be much easier to finish up and rewrite until you have a final draft that’s ready to submit.
You might also be feeling stuck because your needs or wants are evolving. Maybe that dream job you landed a year ago no longer provides as much stimulation or maybe the relationship you have isn’t giving you what you need emotionally. If that’s the case, it may be time to move on or find another way to express yourself. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to change your situation, but it can be an emotional challenge when you are feeling stuck in a place that you want to stay. Changing your perspective and finding new options can help you overcome being stuck. You can also take control of your own wellbeing by eating well, sleeping, healthy movement and connecting with others.