Did you know the very first blog posts I ever published were on this topic? I haven’t explicitly addressed being “stuck” since 2016. Given the conversations I’ve had lately with friends and family, I thought it’s time to revisit the topic!
Lately, I’ve been working on naming emotions and focusing on how I want to feel over what I need to do. So, let’s start with emotions. What does being stuck feel like?
To me, it feels: Suffocating. Boring. Uneventful. Frustrating. Confusing. Analysis Paralysis. Limiting. Challenging - in a “bad” way. I’m not learning. I’m not growing. Sometimes hopeless. Like I want a quick fix. Etc, etc. Take a moment to name this for yourself.
In my OG blog posts, my old answer on how to get unstuck is ‘with a shit ton of action and journaling’. Well, part of that is still true but I have a few more tricks up my sleeves.
Put language to the emotions you feel when you’re stuck. (Lucky you, you already did this!) This is an important step because putting language around how we don’t want to feel better prepares us to know how we’d rather feel. At the very least, it can help us identify which of the stuck emotions needs to change first / which one would make the biggest difference if we felt differently. For me, it’s the feeling of not learning/growing. That has to change first and then I can find space/time to work on the rest.
Find your stuck red flags. What situations or experiences are designed to point you straight down Stuck Street? For me, I could never commit to a call center/sales desk job because I’d rather saw off my left foot than be tied to a phone all day. If my time and freedom feels constricted, I will be stuck asap. Find your red flags and write them down. Carry them with you as new projects and new job opportunities come up.
Quit. Yeah, I said it. I’ve said this before actually. Always remember that you are the driver of your life. At any time, you can make a decision that can redirect your course. It might not be an easy decision but it will get you unstuck.
Ok, now what about all this podcast teaser talk? I was pretty sure I’d launch a podcast by March of this year. Well, that didn’t happen, but I’m testing it out again now with all of you to see what you think. This episode is on getting unstuck (I say unstuck a lot - forgive me - I’m learning). Take a listen and let me know what you think! Should I do more of this?
Love, Kelsey
The Everme Show Podcast:
OG Blog Posts:
Unstick What is Stuck: Part 2 - Professionally