It can feel discouraging when we\u2019re in a moment in our life where we feel trapped, or like we\u2019re unable to grow. The good news? It\u2019s a perfectly normal feeling, and it doesn\u2019t mean there is something wrong with you. On a basic level, humans need variety! It helps keep things interesting and engaging for us. And in the last year and a half, while we certainly have had to adapt to new changes, they aren\u2019t necessarily changes that have made us feel like we have a lot of room for growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The changes you\u2019ve had to adapt to in the last year might be making you feel even more stagnant than you were before\u2013so much of our life has been restricted. And, while there are positive changes happening as people continue to get vaccinated, and precautions get adjusted as COVID risks increase or decrease, that unpredictability can make it hard to plan ahead and decide on what you think the right next course of action is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So what do you do when you\u2019re feeling stuck? The first thing to do is explore that feeling. While you may just want to jump into action, making big changes without exploring how<\/em> those changes are going to serve you might not actually help address this feeling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n That feeling of being \u201cstuck\u201d is trying to tell you something. It could be letting you know that you\u2019re unhappy or unsatisfied with some aspect of your life. If you\u2019re stuck, there is usually an undercurrent of impatience, the idea that you don\u2019t want to be where you are anymore. This feeling, while unpleasant to experience, might actually just be telling you that you\u2019re ready for new challenges and new opportunities for growth. It\u2019s a sign that you\u2019re ready for change\u2013you just have to explore what change that is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a lot of reasons you may be feeling stuck. Some might be things you can do something about, others might not. So it\u2019s important to figure out where the feeling is coming from, so that you can determine what changes are actually in your control and which are not. For example, if you\u2019re feeling stuck in your job, you can do some things about that! You can have a conversation with your boss about the issues you\u2019re having, what you\u2019d like to be doing, etc. Or you can look for job or education opportunities that can help you continue to grow! Of course there are things that can prevent you from making changes, if you can\u2019t afford to make a change or take a risk financially, that\u2019s important to identify too. Determining what is in your control and what is not can help you make empowered choices and allow yourself to let go of the weight of what you can\u2019t change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s okay if what you decide is right for you right now, and down the line you need to change things up again. You don\u2019t know where you\u2019ll be in the future, so you can\u2019t only make decisions based on where you hope you\u2019ll be\u2013you also have to make decisions that reflect where you are now. Trust that in the time between now and the future, you will continue to work on yourself, and will have the ability to recognize when you need to make a change in the future<\/p>\n\n\n\n Changes are scary! You don\u2019t have to change everything about your life, or make a big change you\u2019re not really ready for just because you\u2019re feeling stuck. You can start with something small! For example, if you\u2019re feeling stuck socially, instead of going out and trying a bunch of new things, just pick one club to attend regularly! Or, if you\u2019re thinking of going back to school, start with just a single class and see how that feels before signing up for an entire program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even when you\u2019re feeling stuck there might be things in your life that bring you joy\/fulfilment that you\u2019re just not considering. Do you have small hobbies that you enjoy? Or, think of what your day typically consists of. Is there something you do regularly that makes you feel happier or less stuck? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you calibrate how you spend your time to weight it more heavily toward activities that already fulfill you? That can be another simple way to make changes without feeling like you\u2019re taking on too much risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are some questions to ask yourself when you\u2019re feeling stuck: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is this feeling telling me?<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Where is this feeling coming from?<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Some other things to remember when you\u2019re feeling stuck: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
No one choice will determine your entire future:<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s okay to try a small change first: <\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t overthink it:<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n