6 Powerful Ways to Move Forward in Life When You're Feeling Stuck
Updated: Apr 10
We have all felt stuck at some point in our lives when it feels impossible to keep moving forward towards our dreams. You need to keep believing in yourself and you will find a way to get out of the slump.
Feeling stuck in life? There are many times in life we struggle to find clarity and direction to move our lives in a meaningful way. Research reported a few years ago in a Telegraph article showed that only 3 in 10 people are happy with their current lives, and 69% of people feel trapped in the same routine life.
When those feelings strike and you find yourself overwhelmed, and despondent about what you’re trying to do with your life, it can be tough to move forward. Such phases of life also generate anger, frustration, and anxiety. However, there are certain ways to tap into your hope to overcome the obstacles that make you feel stuck.
6 Tips to Improve Life When You Feel Stuck
Maybe you’re feeling a little stuck while working on a creative project like painting a piece of art. Maybe you’re stuck as you are doing a job you hate, or in a relationship that isn’t working, or in a life that is nowhere near the one you imagined.
Whether you feel stuck to small distractions or a big hindrance, don’t give up just yet. Try these 6 tips to improve your life that can help you move forward and get out of the rut.
1. Reflect and Change Your Perspective
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
~Albert Einstein
Often we try to get out of the slump by pushing forward with brute force or just trying harder. But your first step forward when you feel stuck with your life should be to take a step back and reflect. Feeling "stuck" can be simply a mindset. With some self-awareness and conscious effort, you can change your perspective to be more flexible.
Ask yourself these questions to reflect and change your perspective:
● How will I feel about this situation in a week/a month and a year?
● How else can others (friends and mentors) see this situation?
● What would an 80-year-old me suggest in this scenario?
● How would my younger self react to this situation?
2. Embrace and Commit to Change
One of the most obvious reasons for feeling stuck in life is the fear of change. If you feel afraid of change, you are denying your chances of improving your life. You need to admit you’re stuck due to it and have to commit to getting out of that rut.
Once you know why you’re feeling the way you are and the major thing holding you back is you, it is time to find your why, and take actionable steps towards it.
3. Find and Focus on Your Why
We all have some kind of reason for continuing our daily routine and so, our life. It could be related to money, property, academic excellence, physical well-being, or professional finesse or it could be dedicated to the loved ones you care about or some other personal aspect.
If you know what your why is, you have a magnificent reason to put the focus of your life, saving you from feeling directionless and stuck. Keep reminding yourself what makes it important for you, think about how proud you will be that you didn’t give up and that enthusiasm will keep you pushing forward.
4. Avoid "Analysis Paralysis" and Take Action
Once you're clear with your why, ask yourself, "What's the next smallest step I could take to achieve it?" Analyse your capabilities according to your goals to act appropriately. Avoid analysis paralysis since it does not matter how big and tough your goals may seem, there are always some small steps that you could take to make progress.
“If we think of everything we have to do, we feel overwhelmed. If we do the one thing we need to do, we make progress.”
~Simon Sinek
Determine and design a practical plan of action and follow productive strategies to accomplish them.
5. Take Rest to Rejuvenate Yourself
When we pursue something and do not find the expected results from our efforts, it becomes tough to keep going and we tend to give up. Although giving up may not be the best solution, sometimes you just need to take a break to rejuvenate and come back strongly.
Remember you're responsible for your well-being. Take a break and follow a few self-care tips as suggested below to rejuvenate yourself:
● Follow a healthy diet
● Go to bed earlier to take an ample amount of sleep
● Practise healthy movement (Yoga, exercise)
● Make a gratitude list
● Take a mental health day
● Go for digital detox
6. Seek Help at Appropriate Times
The feeling of being stuck can strike at any stage of life: early in a career, during a job change, at mid-life, after a period of relative stability (financial or relationships) or due to the casualty of someone near and dear.
If you have a persistent low mood, or your feeling of stuckness has become tough to cope with, it's a good idea to ask for help from someone who can understand your condition. There are always people out there to support and encourage you. It can be your family, your friends, or even a professional and certified life coach. Find someone who can help you move through your struggles.
Remember, any movement, or shift will help get you unstuck and move forward. You don’t have to practise all of them; it just takes one to help you keep moving forward with your life.
Learn smart and effective ways to make your life better with expert guidance. Get a personal life coaching session from Smita D Jain to manifest the dream life you want for yourself.
Not sure whether you can benefit from a life coach or not? Take the free quiz to find out the answer.
Smita D Jain is a Certified Life Coach, Executive Coach and NLP Practitioner. Smita’s ‘Empower Yourself’ Personal Clarity Coaching Programs enable busy professionals unhappy in their jobs to tap into their passions and transform them into professions so that they work because they want to, not because they have to.
Prior to her journey as a coach, Smita had extensive experience of 14 years as a corporate and business strategy professional with Fortune 500 companies. She is also a speaker at various public forums, a published writer, and an Amazon bestselling author.
You can learn more about Personal Empowerment Life Coach and Executive Coach Smita D Jain’s ‘Empower Yourself’ Coaching Programs by visiting www.lifecoachsmitadjain.com and book a complimentary strategy session at https://www.lifecoachsmitadjain.com/booking.
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