And, some suggestions on getting unstuck!

Everyone at some point in their life or career will feel stuck. You may be feeling stuck at the moment. Maybe you are at a crossroads or have several options you are considering.  Perhaps you just don’t know what to do next. We’ve all had a rough couple of years, with the pending outcome of Brexit, the pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis.  It’s no wonder we are feeling stuck.

Difficult times or life challenges can have you feeling like you’ve lost your sense of direction. It’s possible you’ve been focusing on surviving rather than thriving and this can be exhausting. If this is you right now, I promise you are not alone.

Here are 3 Reasons Why You Might be Feeling Stuck:

1. Your goals are not big enough

Are you in a comfortable job and generally speaking it’s a good job? Maybe you have a goal but the reason you are not moving forward with that goal is either it’s not challenging enough or it doesn’t excite you.  Or the reason you are not moving forward is that it may not be the right goal.

With any goal, there is some work to do and the problem with achieving goals when you are just not interested or motivated is that you’ll quit at the first opportunity.  Or you’ll find ‘convenient’ distractions.

Have you cleaned the house from top to bottom just to avoid getting on with the boring tasks? Did you find yourself watching too many TikTok videos and thinking @#$% it, I deserve a break!

During the pandemic, my friend told me I was bored. I immediately reacted and told him that I’ve got loads of things to do, I’ve not stopped working on this project and that project and when I’d finished having my mini rant, he said, that’s not what I said, “I know you are busy”, he said.  “But maybe you’re busy doing stuff you don’t enjoy and, on some level, you want to be distracted.”

If the goal isn’t exciting enough or you are not enjoying the journey, this is an issue. Or you’re not that interested in the journey or the end goal, it’s always going to be a tough and challenging process.

Zig Ziglar Quote: “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

Create routine 

Motivation doesn’t last.  Whereas discipline and routine can help you maintain the momentum of taking action, even when you don’t see instant results.  Therefore, take the time to remind yourself why you started the project in the first place.  Also, don’t kid yourself that the people you see on Instagram have found success a breeze!  In fact, don’t believe everything on the internet full stop.  It’s not reality and you can so easily get caught up in the hype.

Maybe it’s time to consider reviewing your career goals and check if they are challenging or exciting enough for you.

2. You’re working towards a big goal

Everyone says you have to have big hairy goals! Not sure why they need to be hairy!! If it doesn’t scare you then it’s not big enough.

That’s great however, it can also be overwhelming. As a result, a big goal has lots of tasks, and lots of steps and can be daunting. Typically, a big goal takes so much longer and this can be exhausting too.

You may start hearing those voices in your head (that’s okay by the way!), telling you to give up, it’s not worth it, you’ll never succeed. It may even be your friends, colleagues, or family, telling you that it’s a waste of time.

Consequently, this negative dialogue will start to chip at your self-belief, knock your confidence, and there’ll be a natural urge to quit and retreat to your safe space.

At this point, seek some help. Reach out to your trusted friends or colleagues and get some perspective on the situation. They may be able to help, point you in the right direction, or make some suggestions.

3. Too many projects on the go!

In this paragraph, I’m going to be discussing having too many projects and goals.  Firstly, this can lead to feeling overwhelmed.  Secondly, you’ll end up trying to do all of your projects and ending up spinning around and not being successful with any of them. Is this you? Are you trying to do too much?

Half-finished projects, abandoned projects, and projects that drain your time and money and go on and on with no return on investment.

You’re bursting with ideas, spend time researching, and learning about this project’s potential, and then burn out because you are trying to do too much.

I’d like to grow my own vegetables, make my own clothes because nothing fits properly off the peg, cook from scratch every night, meditate, go swimming every morning (although, it wouldn’t be good for my frizzy dry hair!), I’d like to work out every day, and drink 2 pints of water…and a hundred other things!  Does this sound familiar?  If you’re doing all these things by the way, please comment below and let us all know how?

The Psychology of Getting Unstuck

Have you read 101 Essays that will change the way you think?  It’s written by Brianna Wiest who believes that the root of the work of being human is learning how to think.

Brianna Wiest has become known for her writing on emotional intelligence, wellness and wellbeing. She has authored many viral articles on the subject, reaching millions of viewers a piece. Today, she is a top contributor to various national publications and is often noted for her work in Forbes.

Wiest writes in her book 101 Essays that will change the way you think, that success is more a product of habit than it is a skill. She goes on to write, that experts have profound self-control, a disciplined routine, and unwavering dedication.

We only have a limited means of self-control and it’s only a matter of time before we give in to our desires or impulses.  People who get this will reduce the number of distractions, eliminate unnecessary decision-making, minimize what doesn’t matter, and then they focus on what does.

Take a break

If you are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, it’s your mind and body telling you to rest. Did you know your organisation should have a Wellbeing Plan in place for every employee?

“Wellness Actions Plans are an easy, practical way of helping you support your own mental health at work. And if you’re a manager, allowing you to support the mental health of your team members.”

Visit: The Charity Mind

“Anyone can complete a Wellness Action Plan. You don’t need to have a mental health problem to feel the benefits. Having a plan just means that you have some practical steps in place to make sure you’re supported when you aren’t feeling great.”

Prioritize

If you have lots of goals and projects you are juggling this might be the solution for you.  Therefore, review all your many goals and project ideas and select the one (or two maybe!), that will give you the most satisfaction or the most return on investment right now. Pick the goal that will have the most impact and the one you’ll enjoy the journey.  You cannot do everything.

You’ll enjoy the work, the journey, and the outcomes. Plan your tasks, plan your time, and don’t forget to factor in other important aspects of your life, your family, your friends, and your social activities.

Remember that nothing is permanent in life.  Sorry to burst that bubble.  Think about it.  Tough times don’t last.  Change is constant.  Let go of some of the things you want to do and re-group, prioritize, and you’ll feel the difference.

Spend time with people that inspire and support

I know it’s cliché, however, you are the product of the 5 people you spend the most time with. If you are surrounded by people who whine and moan all day, complain and blame everyone but themselves you are soon going to behave like them. Scary thought!

Make sure you are spending time with the people that genuinely care about you and want to help.  Above all, it’s important to prioritize your physical and mental health.