Feeling stuck? 3 ways to ‘unstick’ yourself

If you’re feeling stuck, you’re not from alone.

I’d say most of us resonate with that feeling.

Even if it’s not where you are right now.

If it is, help is at hand.

That feeling of being ‘stuck’ is usually a sign that you’ve stopped growing. You want more.

And it might be that you have a sense that you need to do something which will move you from A to B…but you just can’t seem to motivate yourself or get clear on wtf to do.

In those moments you feel frozen, questioning yourself and who you are.

It’s frustrating at the best of times, especially when it begins to impact your happiness and how you’re living day-to-day. You might even start to question if there is something wrong with you.

There isn’t. You aren’t broken and you don’t need fixing.

You do need to do something about that feeling and the good news is that you’re the one best placed to get yourself out of that funk. Feeling stuck in life is a common experience, but it doesn't have to define you and it doesn’t need to be somewhere you stay for longer than you want to.

Before you seek some help to unstick yourself from a coach or mentor with the “I’m stuck, help!” statement, there are likely some really simple things you can do to help yourself first.

Below are a few signs that you’re stuck and, importantly, 3 ways to unstick yourself!

6 signs you are stuck in life

1. You feel as if you’re just going through the motions.
2. You lack motivation and interest in things which usually light you up.
3. After achieving your goal, you don’t celebrate the win and keep doing the same things.
4. You feel drained, unhappy, and burned out.
5. You feel bored AF and nothing interests or excites you.
6. You lack purpose and feel like nothing will ever change.

The good news is that in the same way, the body lets you know when you’re thirsty, hungry, or tired, it’s also clever enough to let you know when you’ve stopped growing. And that comes in the form of this stuck feeling, which manifests in you feeling some (or all) of the above.

Why are you stuck in life?

There are SO many reasons why you may be feeling stuck and getting clear on this can be helpful because it gives you an indication of what needs addressing to unstick yourself.

You might be in a relationship which feels monotonous or toxic, stuck in the comparison trap and comparing your current circumstances to others, chasing perfection and never celebrating your wins, lacking purpose and direction, or you are doubting your ability to have and do the things you want for yourself.

You don’t have to stay stuck…it’s a choice to stay where you are. Own that and take responsibility for doing something to change it.

With that in mind, let’s look at three ways to unstick yourself.

3 ways to unstick yourself

1. Get clarity

When you're feeling stuck, it can be helpful to step back and get clear on where you are right now, and where you want to go.

The thing about feeling stuck is it can sneak up on you without you realising until you’re stuck! The signs aren’t always going to be obvious and before you know it you feel as if you’re in quicksand and have no way out. Doing a little bit of a life audit is the perfect place to start the process of unsticking.

What’s important to you? What are you loving or loathing about life right now? What fills your cup and what drains it? People, situations, places etc What are you holding on to that no longer serves you? Old relationships, shitty friends etc

After you’ve gained clarity on your current situation, consider getting clear on what you’d like to invite in, what do you want more of? What steps can you take to reach your goals?

Gifting yourself those insights will allow for a new perspective, focussing on what matters most for you to gain a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

2. Embrace change

It’s time to shake things up a little and invite change. As humans we like routine, convenience, and familiarity, it keeps us safe and helps to make sure our already overactive brains aren’t overloaded any further. However, the downside to this is we end up doing the same things over and over again. Habits can have the ability to help or hinder - choose them carefully.

Change is the only constant. It’s inevitable so learning to embrace it and adapt as needed is an important skill set to master. If you view change as something scary and difficult, guess what, it’ll be scary and difficult. By seeing change as something that moves you closer to the things you want for yourself, more happiness, more fulfilment, and a greater sense of purpose it suddenly becomes a positive thing that's supporting you rather than trying to sabotage you.

Getting unstuck doesn’t always require a huge life change. Sometimes all it takes to get unstuck is a change of scenery. Mixing things up can help you break out of a rut and get a fresh perspective on life.

If you don’t like where you are. Move. You are not a tree.

Think about how you can start to introduce new ways of doing things:

How can you change up your morning routine? What can you adjust in your day-to-day that would make you feel more inspired? What would make you feel as if you’re moving forward in life? A new hobby? Learning something? How can you re-energise your work life? Work from a different location? Clear your desk? What can you stop doing because it doesn’t make you feel great?

So many different ways to subtly mix things up; go to the gym at a different time, read a book on a topic which excites you, try taking a different route to work, plan a weekend trip to explore somewhere new once a month or quarter.

3. Surround yourself with positive influences

We’ve all heard the saying:

“You’re the average of the five people spend the most time with,”

And I firmly believe who you spend time with greatly influences your life outlook, belief in yourself and what you think is possible. The people you spend time with significantly impact how you show up in life.

The quickest way to unstick yourself is to surround yourself with positive, supportive individuals who are doing great things with their life. Use that as motivation to uplift and inspire you to get unstuck and get back on track. Use their collective intelligence to find solutions and ideas that allow you to start growing again. The ultimate antidote to feeling stuck.

Spending time with those who drain your energy, make you feel sh*tty about yourself or spend their time moaning about how hard life is or how unlucky they are will keep you stuck.

Just like you do a life audit, you can also do a people one; for the people, you interact with in person AND online.

Make it your goal to get clear on the life you want to lead, how those around you make you feel and how you want to show up. Find your tribe and by trying new things you’ll open yourself up to communities of other like-minded individuals too!

Remember feeling stuck is an indicator that something isn’t working for you!

Feeling stuck is frustrating and I know this first hand and it sucks. Recognising the feeling as being a signal to do something different vs there being something wrong with you is a powerful shift. It allows you to take control of how you’re feeling now and question your direction.

Getting unstuck is about finding clarity, embracing change, and surrounding yourself with positive influences. By taking these steps, you can start to feel more energised and motivated to go after your goals.

You deserve to live a life on your terms.

If you need some support to get unstuck, work towards your goals or start exploring how to live life on your terms, click here to set up a consult call and we can chat about how to make that happen for you!