A common feeling that we all have at one point or the other in our existence is the experience of feeling stuck in life. You keep asking yourself, how do I get out of this sticky situation.. How do i stop feeling stuck in life.
The problem that a majority of us do not understand is that this question on its own is vast and needs to be broken down into smaller pieces:
- What aspects of your life do you need to get unstuck?
- How deep have you sunk into the hole?
We would all reach a stage in life where it would we seem like there is a barrier ahead of us that we can’t seem to overcome – it can be a change in career path. You just got promoted at work, but the new responsibilities seems to be weighing you down. You are conflicted on whether you should start your own business or keep working in the same company, and a lots more.
In another instance, the barrier can be a situation you so desperately want to get out of but you don’t know how to go about or the stakes and risk seems too high:
You have been working in the same place for a decade now and want to leave so bad, but you can’t. Why? Because you are in your comfort zone, or you too afraid to risk it. You are scared that you would not be able to find something better so your remain in the same place – stuck – even though you feel miserable.
Lets take it step by step:
How Stuck Are You?
There are various levels to feeling stuck. You might be feeling stuck temporarily – the problem you are facing might last probably for just a week.
There are others also who have been stuck for long periods of time – months to years. The more time passes, the experience of feeling stuck in life intensifies. The outcome is usually one of the following:
- Some people feel like they can’t do anything about their fate and resign to it. Most times subconsciously. Giving up ensures that they never have the will power to pursue their dream and actualize their goals.
- The other set of people are those who have gotten so tired of their situations that they make conscious efforts to make positive changes. They develops habits, engage in activities that pushes them to actualize their goals and dreams.
So what are the factor that makes us ending up feeling stuck in life? Why do you feel trapped and stuck matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to change your situation for the better?
What Causes Us to Feel Stuck?
They are a lot of factors that causes us to feel stuck, but the predominant reason is our fear of making any mistakes or taking the necessary risks. We never leave our comfort zones, playing it safe and hence taking no risks.
The disadvantage of living a risk free life is that there is no excitement, no sense of fulfillment when we finally achieve a challenging goal. When your life is uneventful and without spice, with time you start to feel stuck because your life is a series of uneventful loop that is going no where.
In simple terms, there is nothing driving your existence.
Here are other reasons why you are feeling stuck in life:
You Don’t Know What You Want Out Of Life
When you have no clue on what you really want in life, it is very easy to feel stuck. You start to feel stagnant when you don’t have dreams or goals that you are working towards.
A lot of times, we confuse our hustle or jobs with goals. The feeling of being stuck even intensifies when you work a job that doesn’t make you fulfilled. Even when you get promoted, the extra responsibilities can pull you deeper down the rabbit hole.
When you haven’t figured out the missing piece, you would continue to feel stuck.
You Are Not Getting Support
Another reason why you might be feeling stuck in life is because you are relying only on yourself to solve all your problems. You do not seek the support of others. The truth is no man is an island – you can only go so far on your own.
Some places you can get support from includes : friends, family members, coaches, mentors and counselors.
Having a support group would give you a fresh perspective on your problems and help you tackle them more efficiently.
It is important that you surround yourself with mentors that would influence you positively. When you have a healthy dose of motivation, it is easier to get unstuck.
You Have the Wrong Goals and Objectives
One of the reasons why you might be feeling stuck might be because your goals and objectives are not tailored for you. You see an individual following a path and you decide to do the same.
Comparing yourself to other people can hinder you from being the best version of yourself.
Comparing yourself to other people can be very detrimental to your mental health. Most of the time it ends up in you getting depressed.
When you start to compare yourself with others, you start to question yourself. The feeling that you are inadequate or unsuccessful rises up – this is how you start to feel stuck. You start feeling deep unhappiness and dissatisfaction.
Comparing yourself to your peers would leave you feeling unaccomplished. When you see yourself in competition with everyone around you, you can be hugely demotivated because you are creating goals and objectives all for the wrong reasons.
How Do You Get Unstuck In Life?
No matter how stuck and unhappy you might be, the good news is that there are steps you can take to get out of whatever hole you find yourself no matter how deep it might be.
The feeling of being stuck is a state of mind.
What does this now mean for you?
It means that you can alter the state of your mind when you put the necessary steps into place and take the right actions.
The first step to take is the deduce the reasons why you feel stuck.
Phase 1
If the reason is because of the wrong objectives and goals you have set for yourself, you have to set goals that are realistic and are tailored for your skills and capabilities.
When you set goals, these are the things you look out for:
- Your goals must tally with your core desires.
- Your goals must align with your skills, abilities and strengths.
When yours goals aligns with your skills, it would be easier to actualize and you won’t get frustrated easily.
When your goals and objectives are tailored for you, you would find it easy to get motivated to meet your objectives.
Phase 2
You might be feeling stuck because you are afraid to take risks or leave your comfort zone. The only thing you can do is to just take the dive. You would never know the outcome of a situation unless you try.
We have gotten so used to our daily routines and habits that we might find it difficult to change. It might seem difficult in the beginning, but it gets better as time passes. When you only play it safe, you can be guaranteed that you would be stuck in the same place for a very long time.
The reason why we almost never make any life changing decisions, is because of fear. When you realize that fear isn’t always a negative emotion, the easier it becomes for you to take risks.
Fear can be a powerful tool that can serve as a driving force to help realize your dreams.
Phase 3
This is one of the most important steps to take when you want to stop feeling stuck in life. No matter what situation you find yourself, you are not the first person to go through it. We live in a digital age, so it is very easy get advice.
It is also very important that you have a support group. A support group would serve as your strength on those days it seems like you can’t go forward. Your support group can be your immediate family or friends.
In very serious circumstances you can seek out professional help. The reason why most people remain in the same dire conditions is because they never seek out help.
It All Starts With Your Mindset
Nobody enjoys feeling stuck or frustrated. The good news is that no matter the situation, things would always get better. The moment you start working on your mindset, all other things would start falling into the right places.
Just deciding to change your situation won’t do the trick. You have to actively work towards realizing them. There are some skills you would have to work on:
- Creativity:ÂImproving your creativity would empower you with unique ways to go about solving your problems.
- Learning:ÂThe more you learn, the further you grow and the easier it becomes for you to make the right decisions.
- Focus:ÂFor any objective or goal you set for yourself, without focus you would never complete them.
- Habits:ÂYour habits and routines determine a lot of the decisions you make. Bad habits and routines ensures that you remain stuck in a rut.
- Motivation:ÂWithout motivation, you won’t have the strength to make the necessary changes to better your life.
- Time:ÂPoor time management contributes a whole lot to you getting stuck.
Now you know the reasons why you are feeling stuck in life, the question is you are ready to make the changes the enable you live a better life.