Are you feeling like the days are just flying by and even though you don’t like where you’re at right now, you don’t know how to change it? Trust me; we’ve all been there.
Whether we’re open to admitting it or not, feeling stuck is very common and can hit us at any point in life. We may feel trapped in the same routine, stuck in our careers, or even feel in a rut with our personal lives.
The bottom line is, it sucks to feel stuck!
When we feel stuck, many undesirable thoughts and emotions can run through our minds. We might feel like life is unfair or that our life is going nowhere; nothing is going our way, or nothing seems to make sense.
All these thoughts have one thing in common: negativity!
Small steps
The first step when feeling this way is to acknowledge it fully.
Owning it includes asking ourselves “why” we’re feeling the way we’re feeling. Why are we feeling stuck? What is making us feel this way? How is this affecting our lives in the present moment? The most common reason that drives us to feel stuck is that we are either unhappy or unfulfilled.
Feeling unhappy or unfulfilled for too long can be extremely unhealthy and doesn’t do us any good. Therefore, we have the power to control as much as we can and let fate handle the rest.
The second step is to confront it head-on. If we feel stuck in our professional or personal life, at least we have recognized it. Now it’s time to face this feeling and act upon it. Remember, we are in full control of our thoughts, mindset, and actions.
The idea of feeling stuck for me is never a full-time feeling, but it comes in waves. When I feel stuck, I know deep down that it’s time to make a change. Whether this change is big or small, it’s a step that will lead me in the right direction.
I think that life is all about the journey, and we are on a mission to truly find ourselves. Feeling stuck is a common obstacle that we, as humans, will face at any given age or phase in our lives. It is how we overcome these obstacles that genuinely matter.
Here are the 3 Cs that can help us from stuck to unstuck.
Community
Individuals who have shared interests, beliefs, needs, and common goals make up a community. We live in a world full of social interactions, different cultures, and social media platforms.
When we feel stuck, we should take advantage of the community around us. We can get involved by volunteering, networking, and donating our time to a particular cause. Getting involved in your community is a great way to meet people who are like-minded with similar hobbies and interests.
Expand your perspective. When we expand our view beyond our comfort zone, great things can happen. We should refocus our attention to better things by having a growth mindset. Of course, this is easier said than done, but it is possible.
Share your feelings with people you trust. When you talk openly about your feelings, you may be able to pinpoint why you are feeling a certain way. Expressing yourself helps create new possibilities.
For example, you may feel stuck in your job with no growth. You have the power to control what you can do, such as reaching out to a friend or someone from a networking event. This individual may have a prospective job connection for you or may keep you in mind when a potential position opens that fits perfectly with your experience and education.
Coaching
Coaching is a process that aims to improve performance. This principle helps to achieve a specific personal or professional goal by providing training and guidance. Some types of coaching styles include life coaching, career coaching, and leadership coaching.
If we feel stuck at work, we can use the resources around us, like finding a mentor. A mentor at your workplace can help steer you towards your career goals.
The primary purpose of a mentor is to help you explore different outlets, set goals, develop contacts, and even provide emotional support. We get so busy with the daily grind that we sometimes forget our health and mental sanity comes first.
Speaking of mental health, there is nothing wrong with making an appointment with a therapist to express how you are feeling. Ever heard of talk therapy? An excellent method to talk to a professional about the things that are bothering you and can help clarify and put them into perspective.
Writing down goals and having action plans is a great step towards unraveling the stuck feeling. When you write down your goals and have an action plan, you are then held accountable to reach those goals, which will, in time, turn into an accomplishment for you.
Consistency
Consistency is key. We have all heard this phrase many times. By being consistent with your goals and dreams, you are developing healthy routines and creating accountability. However, when we are stuck, we lose motivation. We may feel hopeless or lack willpower. To reverse these feelings, we can start by replacing an unproductive habit with a positive alternative.
Using an “if-then” plan is a great strategy to break bad habits and form positive alternatives.
An “if-then” plan identifies a situation where we can take a step toward a specific goal. This strategy can help you stay on track.
For example, we may feel like our routine and schedules are so redundant and dull. Change up your routine. Do something that you usually don’t do. Instead of getting extra hours of sleep in the morning, wake up early to have a kick-start to your day. Use the “if-then” plan; if I wake up at 7:00 am, then I’ll go to yoga before work starts.
Commit to the 3 C’S
Using the 3 C’s can be life-changing.
Remember, we all have ways to obtain resources and tools to go from stuck to unstuck. It’s important to know that you are not the only one who feels stuck from time to time.
Feeling stuck is such a familiar feeling, and we all go through it. It’s part of life.
Just keep in mind that you have the power to control certain things the way you act about what happens in your life, and if you learn to stay committed, success will follow in due time.
