“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.”
– Nido Qubein
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Have you ever felt stuck at a certain point in life, like you’re not going anywhere fast? Do you have a certain goal that you’ve been working toward but you feel like NOTHING is happening?
While feeling “stuck” can contribute to stress, anxiety, and other unwanted feelings, there are small things that can be done to combat it. We’re human and things don’t always go how we plan them. I’ve felt stuck before when I didn’t really know what to do next or where to turn. Sure, I had my to-do lists and planner, but it was still a “what’s the use” feeling because I wasn’t seeing change. I didn’t like that at all so I had to figure out how to turn things around.
First, I had to change my mindset. I had to actually believe that I wasn’t necessarily stuck and that I had the power to do SOMETHING to make things “start going again”. Here are the 5 things that helped me work my way through then and that still help me today when I feel like I need a push.
1 . Revisit/modify your goals
Go back to the drawing board. If you wrote your goals down, go back to where you originally wrote them and read it over. An example is New Year’s Resolutions. A lot of us write them down and it’s very possible that those goals can change as the year goes by. Make sure that the goal you’re pushing yourself toward is still a goal that you genuinely want and care to achieve.
If not, change it! Read the goal and imagine yourself achieving it the same way that you did when you wrote it. I make it a habit to revisit my New Year’s Resolutions in July at mid-year. This way, I can check my progress, pep myself up for the remainder of the year, or modify as needed.
2 . Try something different
One thing that I learned about life early on is that you should never stop learning. We live in a world where things are constantly changing and you have to stay up-to-date. The same method(s) that you were using to achieve your goal a few months ago may not be ideal now.
A great way to stop on top of things is to read new articles on your interest. Another way is to see what others are doing on social media that are doing what you want to do. Maybe they offer great tips that will give you a new view on how you can do things. I also love using Pinterest for new ideas.
3 . Reach out
This is taking it a step further from my previous tip about social media. Try reaching out to that person! They can either reply or not, you have nothing to lose. You may even know someone outside of social media that can give you insight, all the better! Reach out to those that inspire you and ask your questions/voice your concerns. They just may tell you something that will turn things around for you.
4 . Get motivated
Sometimes, you can become stagnant or “stuck” just because you’re bored. Self motivation is a key factor when trying to accomplish something but it can only take you so far! There are so many ways to get motivated.
Listening to motivational podcasts is a good one. A great way is to also change your surroundings, if only for a day or weekend. Be around people that think differently or live a little differently. See new things so that you won’t fall into the “everyday cycle”.
5 . Let it go
It can always come to this. Feeling stuck can lead to overthinking, which leads to self doubt and other unpleasant feelings. Sometimes, you literally have to let it go and not think or stress over anything. Can anyone say vacation? Go on a vacation, ride out of town, or just take a mental day off to do whatever you want to do. When you get back on track, you may find that things were not as bad or difficult as they seemed.
Let’s chat! I sincerely hope that this post helped if you needed a push. What are some things that you do when you are feeling “stuck”?
Getting motivated on a Monday is a real struggle sometimes. Another thing I do since I freelance is try to make Mondays and Fridays my lightest days so I don’t dread the start of the week and I have something to look forward to at the end of it (the weekend).
Author
I love that. That is definitely a great method. I usually make Mondays lighter and “finish strong” on Fridays. Hmm…you gave me something to think about there!
Asking for help is huge and something I struggle with. Thanks for the reminder.
Author
Me too! I will literally be at rock bottom before I whisper and ask for help and that is when I find someone that I think will genuinely be willing to. I think that that is a huge bittersweet quality to have. I’ve gotten better over the years but I still don’t like it too much girl haha.
Great advice! I often find the solution for me is, as you pointed out, simply to take steps to motivate myself… I easily fall into a rut and need to give myself a little nudge in the right direction lol
Author
It is so hard sometimes especially when you have a million + 1 things going on. That self motivation is everything! Always check in with yourself and take things one day at a time. Thank you for reading!
These are all great tips. I too listen to podcasts for motivation. I’ve also found having my vision board up in front of me keeps me stay motivated and focused on my goals. Naturally, there are moments of struggle, point number 2 is a good way forward in those moments.
Author
Yes, I agree!! Those struggle times are when I’m especially happy for that little pick me up.