4 Steps to Get Unstuck in Life

“Getting unstuck is a process. After all, it took you a while to weave the tangled webs that got you stuck in the first place.”

In my last post, I talked about 5 signs that you might be S.T.U.C.K. in life. It was doom, it was gloom, and offered no solution. This was intentional. Sometimes we need to sit with our own self and process where we are before we look for solutions. We need to try to understand our current environment, what caused it, what’s limiting us, and increase our self-awareness. When we do find ourselves stuck, all is not lost. You should pat yourself on the back because you recognize you’re stuck. For real. Without this awareness, you continue the same patterns that contributed to you getting stuck in the first place. Getting unstuck is a process. After all, it took you a while to weave the tangled webs that got you stuck in the first place.

The question is asked, “where do I begin?” Here are 4 ways to kick off the process of getting unstuck:

1. Retreat and Reflect — There is so much noise all around us. It’s in our pace of life, distractions, commitments, schedules, and activities. Prioritize yourself for a day. Turn off the TV. Power down the phone. Go somewhere free from distraction, whether it’s a quiet nook in your home or somewhere outdoors. Be still. Change rarely comes without stillness. Jesus retreated to the mountain tops to reflect and think. He may have been on to something. Give it a try!

2. Put it on Paper — When you retreat, bring something to write on. Yes, write…like with pen/pencil and paper. Leave the electronics at home, so there will be no distraction. It’s time to get real with yourself. Write down how you got stuck. Start it with “I got stuck because I…” Maybe your priorities got out of wack, maybe you experienced a life-changing event, only you know what led to where you are. Name it and claim it. This awareness helps you live more intentionally to begin the process of getting unstuck.

3. Identify Importance — Once you’ve put on paper the reasons you ended up stuck in life, move your attention to the things in life that are important to you. This begins to shift the focus from your past to the future that you can influence ahead. As some thought-starters check out my post about The Five Forces of Balance. These are five areas of importance in which you can begin to assign goals and get unstuck. Make a list of things that are important to you. By “things,” I don’t mean that it has to be physical. Things can be as simple as having peace, or traveling, or your family. Let your list be long and meaningful. Title this page “My List of Importance” and keep it available, not tucked away in a notebook.

4. Take Action — After being still, reflecting on what led to your stuck state, then creating a list of importance, it’s time to take action. If you’re truly stuck, any move is a positive one, right? Where there’s movement, you’re closer to freedom and breaking the strongholds that have kept you stuck. Start small. Really small. Set a goal for the day that will work towards an item from your List of Importance. Do this for a few days. As you begin to do set these small, daily goals, you’ll start to form new habits that will get you moving from stuck to soaring!

Recognize this, getting unstuck is within your power. It’s a choice, and sometimes we all need a nudge. You have a talent. You have a purpose. Get unstuck and get moving!