How to Move Forward When You Feel Stuck

We all feel stuck at some point in our lives and this can take on many different forms. It can show up as losing your momentum with a project or new venture and the excitement has worn off or you feel overwhelmed with so many ideas in your head that you’re not sure which direction to turn in, so you don’t take action because you don’t want to get it wrong. It can look like being stuck in a job that you really really hate, but due to your financial situation, you feel obliged to stay.

There’s a whole spectrum of feeling stuck.

Perhaps you feel trapped in a relationship that has gone past its sell-by date. Maybe you’re in lots of debt and don’t know how to work through it all, or maybe your life isn’t want you had hoped for, it’s lacking connection, joy, and alignment and you don’t know how to change things up and evolve.

No matter where you are on the scale, being stuck is not a great feeling to experience. It can feel suffocating, overwhelming, anxiety-inducing, and absolutely miserable.

When you reach this point sometimes you feel like just giving up, you’re stuck in quicksand and it feels like you’re sinking fast with no way out or no way forward. I want to share with you a 10 point checklist for you to try when you are feeling stuck to help keep that momentum going by getting you back on track and moving forward again.

Pause and take a step back

This should be your first step when you feel stuck. So often when we’re in this situation, we try to push forwards harder to try to overcome it, but it doesn’t work because we need to reassess and check in with ourselves to find a new pathway around why things aren’t working for us.

Taking a step back allows you to pause and access a different level of thinking because you’re not getting caught up in the doing. This allows you to access your current situation from a different angle, which perhaps you wouldn’t have been able to before.

For my 1:1 clients who feel stuck, I get them to do exactly this because hindsight is a powerful tool. I ask them to look at where they are now, how did they get there and think deeply about what they really want. When you take a step back from your life and bring in some distance between the two you gain a whole new perspective because you become the person on the outside looking in. A bit like in the movies when you see the spirit leave the human form and it’s hovering over the situation. Zooming out of your life gives you a real birds-eye view of what’s going on.

Gain some clarity

It’s a challenge to move forward if you’re not sure what got you stuck in the first place. You’ve got to get specific and call it out so you can confront it head-on. With anything that becomes an issue in your life or is holding you back, to uncover the solution, first you must understand the problem, which is why coaching is so powerful. When you dig deeper into the real issue remedial pathways naturally present themselves.

Take these two examples:

“I feel stuck”
“I feel stuck because I feel suffocated by the number of things that I’ve said yes to and there isn’t any time for me to pursue what I want to do.”

Identifying the core of the problem instantly means that you’re going to be able to direct your energy intentionally to soothing the correct problem and address it head-on.

Check out How to Find Alignment in Your Life

Reconnect with your why

Now your WHY is your guiding light, this is what you are going to come back to time and time again. It will make you show up every single day, pick you up when you feel like giving it all up, and keep those motivational juices flowing.

It’s important! It’s why you’re doing what you are doing. Keep it at the forefront of your mind.

My WHY is to empower as many women as possible to hold space for themselves, step into their light, and create a life of their dreams on their terms.

That’s why I show up each day.

Feeling stuck is often caused by losing sight of your big dream and what’s important to you. By going back to your “why” you’re reminding yourself of your original intention and purpose. I highly recommend that you get clear on this because it acts like your life compass and without it, you won’t have that sense of alignment and connection that we’re all looking for as you’re not entirely sure why you’re showing up anyway.

Check out How to Set Intentional Goals & Achieve Them

List down your options

When we feel stuck, a lot of the time it’s because we can’t see a way through to the other side from our current situation. By sitting down and brainstorming different possibilities and ideas, you open up your mind and create a state of expansion as you’re able to see the potential options and you won’t feel trapped anymore.

Also, please remember that there’s never a right way out of a particular scenario. This is another reason why people become stuck because they focus too much on getting it right. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about taking that first step that’s going to move you forward and get you unstuck.

Check out Miracle Mindset Shifts to Practice Balance Like a Boss

Be kind to yourself

To be able to think clearly, we need to be giving ourselves the opportunity to take a break. When we feel stuck, we can fall into the trap of striving to find a way through and our brains become a muddled mess and can’t process any more information.

When we’re kind to ourselves and take a break it refreshes our brains so we can think with more sharpness and see a different solution or better outcome to a problem. It gives you a whole new perspective, a bit like changing your lenses on your glasses when you need to upgrade. You’re then able to process new information better and come at it feeling stronger.

Your break can be anything you want it to be that allows you to clear your mind like getting outside for a walk, meditating, going for a run, listening to music etc. or even do whatever sparks brilliant ideas. I know a lot of my ideas come to me when I’m in the shower or out on a run.

Check out 10 Powerful Mindset Shifts to Love Yourself

Say goodbye to what’s not working

I always tell my clients that they have 2 choices and this is probably something that you’ve heard me say before. You have two choices: you can either repeat or evolve. If you’re feeling stuck and you continue to do what you’ve always done then nothing will ever change. However, if you start putting structures in place that are going to help you change things around then you will start to move forward. It’s that simple.

You’ve got to break those ties with what’s not working for you in order to transform the situation. I know sometimes it can take some time to gain clarity around what’s serving you, but my first point about taking a step back can help with this.

Check out How to Be Intentional With Your Energy

Get clear on what you need

We all operate in different ways and require different things to get through certain situations. What works for me isn’t necessarily going to work for you because we’re different people and require different things to thrive. That’s the beauty of being human, the diversity that comes with it.

Try to tune in to what you need and understand the path that you need to take to get you unstuck.

Do you need a clear vision of what it is you’re trying to achieve?
Do you need to brainstorm some ideas?
Do you need to create some goals for you to work towards?

These are just random thoughts of mine, but connecting with what you need to do and what works best for you will keep you focused and spark a shimmer of motivation to kickstart your momentum again.

Check out Intentional Living Practices For a Joyful Life

Shift Your Mindset

When you focus your energy on the problem your energy becomes negative and downbeat when what you need to be is optimistic and positive. I know it can be difficult when you’re feeling stuck to find sparks of joy, but try not to let it consume you. Try not to fall into a cycle of doom and gloom, but shift this to a cycle of hope and possibility.

A wonderful way that I use to start my day to give it a positive focus is to practice gratitude. I say 3 things that I’m grateful for in my head to start the day. It’s really simple and takes a couple of seconds, but it’s transformative when it comes to lifting my mood, which is a nice space to occupy when I’ve just woken up and easing into the day.

Check out Mindset Shifts To Make Self Care Happen

Take Action

The only way to get unstuck is to take action; if you do nothing then nothing changes. Action is the vehicle that gets you closer to your dreams. It’s vital if you want to make things happen. Also, action breeds action. Not taking action creates stagnation, self-doubt, frustration, and self-loathing. I think we all know which camp that we need to be inhabiting, right?

This action might not be a big choice, but it can also change your life forever. For example, you might decide to change your career, which could mean getting further education. Think carefully about a decision like this, and look for work in your chosen field like jobs in social care or another industry. Or, you might decide to take a smaller action. Perhaps you want to learn a new skill like photography or cooking. This might not seem as meaningful, but it can still change your life and move you in the right direction.

Have a think about the next meaningful step you could take to move you forward. Keep it small and achievable to help keep that momentum going.

Check out How to Stay Motivated When Feeling Overwhelmed

Ask for help

When we’re stuck it’s so easy just to keep it all locked up inside because you don’t want to feel like a burden to someone or add to their pressures, however, I promise that no one will think this way of you.

It’s OK to be vulnerable and ask for help, in fact asking for help is one of the most courageous things that you can do, and it takes a lot of energy and mindset work sometimes. It can feel like a big deal to some, especially if you pride yourself on being independent and self-sufficient. But no man is an island and we need to seek help when needed.

Tap into your support networks, who can you ask for help when you really need it.

Maybe you’re not ready to reach out to someone just yet. If that’s so, and ask the universe, prayer, get some spiritual guidance. Whatever works for you, just reach out. You don’t have to do it alone.

Check out Reasons Why You Need a Coach

Are you feeling stuck at the moment? What does this currently look like for you?