Are you feeling stuck in this season of uncertainty? I certainly have days where I feel stuck. Let’s come back down to earth together.
Feeling stuck
As I sit in my meditation room, with all the peaceful things I love surrounding me, I’m reflecting on what makes us feel stuck. It’s a topic I’m seeing and hearing all around me as I talk with others. I’m more often seeing it reveal itself even if the person on the receiving end doesn’t realize it.
It’s a word that can apply to so many things. We can feel stuck in jobs, relationships or our minds. The list goes on an on.
As we enter into the holiday season with a raging global pandemic the feeling of being stuck is all the more present. We’re stuck in our homes without the comfort and joy of extended family visiting us.
If we’re essential workers, we’re stuck at work with the fear of contracting COVID-19 but have to pay the bills and provide for ourselves and/or our families.
Sometimes we simply feel stuck in our own minds. I say “simply” because it sounds simple but there’s much more to it.
The truth is, it all starts with our mind. Every time we feel stuck it’s because we have thought patterns which are solely responsible for holding us back.
What are you stuck with?
What are you stuck with in this season of uncertainty? Do you even know? At the root of anxious feelings or uncertainty, it’s often because we inadvertently feel stuck.
We assume we’re stuck with the life we are living. We assume we’ll never get that promotion. We assume we’ll never have a better relationship so we may as well stay in the one we’re in. We assume we’re not good enough to live the life we were made to so we accept less.
Yikes. Please don’t accept less than what you want and deserve.
Identifying what you’re stuck with:
- Make a list of things you feel unsatisfied with or unsure of in your life
- Write down anything that comes to mind
- Think about things like your job, your home life, your daily habits, etc
If you’re feeling stuck in this season of uncertainty, or have been stuck for much longer, you absolutely don’t need to remain there.
Overcoming the stuck
After you have a list of items you feel stuck with, analyze it for patterns. Ask yourself if any of them are related. Is there a common theme you see? What is the main theme in your list? Are you spending money on any of these items?
All of these things are tied to beliefs you have in your mind. You’ll notice there is a root to the list of things you wrote down. It’s not actually the “thing” that is holding you back, it’s a belief in your mind.
Instead of addressing the problem, we attempt to fill the void with purchasing materialistic items or practicing bad habits that we believe will fix the problem. Unfortunately, they never fix the problem, they only make it worse.
I used to shop like crazy to fill a void
I am definitely guilty of this. I used to turn to shopping every time I felt stuck or unhappy. The high I would get after purchasing something new made me feel so much better.
But here’s the thing…it was only a temporary high and I had spent money that could have been directed towards my dreams vs instant gratification. What’s worse? I’ve thrown away a ton of crap over the years I bought in a moment of feeling stuck.
Don’t buy things that are tied to painful memories. You don’t want that negative energy around you.
Materialistic items may not be what you’re filling voids with but I promise you, there is something you’re trying to burry deep, rather than go internal to address it.
The feeling of being stuck will continue to occur if you don’t find time to acknowledge, address and shift your thoughts. Your thoughts become your reality.
Do these things to get unstuck
- Spend time each day alone with yourself with no electronics or distractions. Go somewhere quiet where you can let your thoughts come and go. Don’t judge whether they’re good or bad, just allow them to enter into your mind and then pass. Don’t force anything.
- Recognize urges to fill a void when those triggers creep up.
- When you feel triggers stop everything you’re doing and ask yourself why you want to go shopping (or whatever you choose to do when you’re ignoring poor thoughts.)
- Replace the bad habit with something that will nurture the big picture. Aka – something that will get you closer to your life goals and not instant gratification.
- Pat yourself on the back because you just broke a negative thought pattern that could have kept you stuck.
Summary – are you feeling stuck?
In summary, you are the only one holding yourself back. I know, it sounds harsh but it’s true. I’ll be the first to admit change is hard. I’ve had to learn the hard way to get unstuck so many times over the years but now I’m much better equipped.
Are you feeling stuck? Let me help you. You are not alone. Let’s create a plan together to get you unstuck and into the life you were made to live. Connect with me to start taking action and changing your life today!
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