Feeling stuck in life is your gut telling you that the life you’re living is not the life you’re meant for. And it’s a sign that you need a real change, and a big one. Here’s 4 things that can help you get unstuck.
In this article:
– Why you can’t move forward in life
– What feeling stuck does to your body
– The one thing you need to change to get unstuck
– How to get unstuck in life: 3 tips
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Why you can’t move forward in life
When it was time for me to choose what I would study in college, I felt stuck.
I was scared to choose wrong and feel stuck doing the same boring thing for the rest of my life.
In college, when I studied kinesiology, I felt stuck.
I wasn’t passionate about what I was studying and I didn’t see any satisfying career path I could follow after I would graduate.
Then I got admitted in physical therapy.
That was a relief; I loved the medical science, I would get to work with people and I would feel like I’m making a real difference in the world.
But then, I started working.
And after just a few years, I felt stuck. Again.
My life wasn’t even close to a life I dreamed of.
And thinking that it would have to stay like this for the next 30 gave me so much anxiety that I quit.
I needed a change.
If you feel stuck, you probably need a real, big change in our life.
Feeling stuck in life means that something, or someone, is holding you back and you need to figure out what (or who) it is.
Only when you let it go you can move on.
It can be an old version of yourself.
A boyfriend.
A girlfriend.
Or a job.
Plans.
Feeling stuck in life means that the life you’re living is not the life you’re meant for. And you know it.
It’s your intuition talking.
And if you want to find fulfilment, you need to listen to it.
You’re one decision away from living a totally different life.
You have to find out what the ONE decision you can take that will change everything and create a domino effect.
What feeling stuck does to your body
I believe feeling stuck in life can manifest itself a few different ways in the body.
In my case, I deeply feel it in my stomach. It tightens when I feel uncomfortable or anxious.
Some feel it in the throat. Some in the gut and some have headaches.
It’s different for everyone, but it’s usually a symptom that keeps coming back when stress is triggered.
And by stress it could be anxiety, fear, hopelessness, worry, or any deep feeling that occurs when thinking about the future.
Stress is simply a signal that something is wrong.
And it’ll cause physical symptoms that don’t go away until we do something about it.
“Avoiding” used to be my way of doing something about it.
Needless to say it wasn’t working.
So, pay attention to the feelings that keeps coming back when you’re worried.
Have you ever figured out what having a gut feeling means for you?
If you’re deeply in touch with your intuition, then you know what I mean.
If not, you can learn how to listen to your body for signals.
Feeling stuck in life will trigger exactly that gut feeling.
The one thing you need to change to get unstuck
“This is it. I’m done.”
I was commuting to work and all I could think of was how I would tell my boss that I’m not coming back to work again.
So here I was, about to quit my job, with no plan and no clue what I was going to do next.
It was a beautiful Sunday in the month of June 2021.
I had spent the weekend by the lake with my best friend, and I had had a lot of time to think.
And I was not happy at my job.
I was dreading Monday mornings.
Every day, I wished that some clients canceled their appointment with me so I could work less.
I felt like I had no time for myself, and no energy to do anything when I did have time for myself.
It was hard for me to accept the fact that THIS would be my life for the next 35 year.
I was actually gagging at that thought.
I went into physical therapy to help people.
And I want to help people get better, get back their lives.
Little did I know that the reality was a lot different.
I might have been helping some people, but I wasn’t making a difference in the world.
I felt like I had no purpose. And on top of that, I had no idea what I could possibly do other than what I studied for.
And I was feeling stuck in life.
So I’m that Sunday afternoon when I as sitting by the lake, I knew.
My career was keeping me stuck. I knew what I had to do. So the next morning, I quit.
That was one of the scariest decision I made in my life, but yet, to this day, the best.
You’re always one decision away to having a totally different life.
Getting aware that you’re feeling stuck in life is the first step.
It’s the trigger that you need to start looking for solutions.
2 years ago, I quit my job as a physical therapist.
I didn’t love the job, but that was not the one and only reason that made me quit.
I felt stuck in life; I didn’t like my lifestyle, I wanted more freedom and I wanted to find fulfillment.
And my job was the one thing that kept me from moving forward.
I had no freedom; a few weeks of vacation a year and no location independence since I had to see real people in person.
I wasn’t fulfilled; I didn’t feel like my work was making a big difference in people’s lives and, most importantly, in the world.
And I KNEW I wasn’t meant for that life.
So I quit the job move forward with my life.
And then the domino effect started.
And that decision is the reason you’re reading this today.
So the moment you realize that you’re feeling stuck in life, remember this:
You’re one decision away from living a totally different life.
You just need to figure out what it is, and have the courage to make it.
Hint: it’s probably the scariest decision you’ll ever take.
How To Get Unstuck in Life: 3 Tips
I find that whatever gets me feeling stuck in life falls into one of those 3 categories: fear, guilt or money.
- Fear
- Guilt
- Money
Now let’s look deeper into each of them.
1. Overcome Your Fears
Sometimes I feel stuck in life because my own fears are in the way.
It’s me against myself.
It means that I need to face my fears and overcome my beliefs to be able to move forward.
Some of the things that help me cultivate a growth mindset and overcome these fears are:
- journaling
- talking to a friend for advice
- taking time off whatever is making me feel ruminate about
- reading and learning about my specific problem
- finding inspiration in people who have what I want
Recommended books:
- Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway, Susan Jeffers
- You Are a Badass, Jen Sincero
Related posts:
The origins of the fear of being judged
6 ways the fear of being judged is holding you back
4 essential steps to overcoming the fear of being judged
LIKE MY ADVICES SO FAR?
2. Overcome Your Guilt
I used to feel stuck in life because I was afraid to shine.
And part of that fear came from the belief that I would hurt others by putting myself first or succeeding.
I was filled with guilt, all the time I would tone myself down to make others feel comfortable.
I would “sacrifice” what I want to put other people’s need first.
And I was so scared of being selfish that I would never ever choose myself first.
I thought I was doing this for others.
I thought wrong.
Guilt can be very unhealthy. And contrary to popular believe, it’s not selfless.
Actually, I hate to break it to you, but it’s quite selfish.
Because guilt implies that the world revolves around yourself.
That YOU need to put yourself last so the world would be a better place.
Plus, you know what feeling putting yourself last because of unhealthy guilt brings you?
Resentment.
Recommended read:
Related post: 15 affirmations for self confidence to set better boundaries
3. Change Your Beliefs About Money
Your beliefs about money might keep you stuck in life.
Healing our relationship with money is no easy task.
I’d say that deep down, a money block comes from a mindset problem.
Fixing our money mindset to take it from scarcity to abundance is one of the best thing one can do to move forward without money issues getting in the way.
Recommended books:
Conclusion
Feeling stuck in life is a signal that you’re not living the life you’re meant for. That you’re not fulfilling your purpose. You’ll feel it deeply in your gut if you listen to your body, and only when a real change happens will you be able to move forward with your life. It’s not easy, but it’s totally worth it.
