I think we all tend to feel a little stuck sometimes, particularly when things don’t seem to be going the way they should, and we can’t seem to make sense of it all. This can mean different things to different people, such as being unable to find the right words, wanting to be somewhere you can’t be, or getting creative to find solutions that can help us adapt to change. For me, art imitates life. As a writer, I am creating and
communicating each day using written and spoken words; however, sometimes, I feel stuck just like everybody else. That’s is where my OMG comes in handy, and like others, I look for inspiration.
Use Your OMG
Accept that Feeling Stuck Is An Opportunity For Growth
Consider that sometimes we need to go backwards so we can go forwards. Feeling stuck signals that we need to pause, recalibrate, and reconsider goals and choices that help us feel fulfilled and live our best life. Feeling stuck can also help you find creative ideas and solutions to challenges you never thought possible. For example, not meeting friends in person during this pandemic has enabled us to open up our worlds to new ideas that can help us keep connected like never before.
Use Outside In Thinking To Change Your Perspective
Feeling stuck is very different than being stuck. At the heart of it, feeling stuck is a desire for planned change. It is our way as humans of signaling that we are ready for something different. Getting stuck is essentially resisting change, staying in a situation, or similarly doing things because of fear of the unknown. Outside-in thinking can help us see the big picture and brainstorm creatively about what comes next to solve a problem and create new opportunities. Looking outside-in helps us evaluate the strengths, challenges, opportunities, and threats of any given scenario to creatively and optimistically consider what we want and how to get there. For example, being in a job you don’t want or experiencing a job loss can be an opportunity to evaluate what you do want in a career or occupation and start exploring options.
Manage with Mindfulness
When we feel stuck, it can be hard to look at the upside of things and make sense of it all. Mindfulness helps us cope with uncertain times and helps us avoid getting stuck because it promotes clarity of thought. Being mindful is essentially taking things one day at a time– it can also equate to breaking down a situation into manageable pieces and tackle things one step at a time. A case in point the philosophy behind alcoholics anonymous which espouses that you are not choosing to drink for the rest of your life, you are choosing not to drink today- overcoming a habit one day at a time.
Go Forward With Gratitude
Gratitude is an affirmation of goodness. Gratitude helps us focus on what we have and maintain a more optimistic viewpoint. Hence, if you feel stuck, thinking about the pluses in your life and what you want more of can help you visualize your goals, get creative, and experience more of what you desire. Being kind, helping others in need, keeping a gratitude journal or gratitude jar at your dinner table are some fun, safe ways to practice gratitude and help you visualize what you want. For example, I often encounter people that tell me they would like to write a book and ask me how I wrote a book in nine months. My answer; I never set out to write a book in nine months. I set out to tell my story a little at a time each day because I like to write. Along came a pandemic that forced me to change my habits, and enabled me to have more time to write which was a gift that I never expected. In the end, I had a book that I never dreamed I could write in nine months.
Carve out “me time”
We all need a break- I know I do so I have a scheduled me-time at the beginning and end of my day to set the tone of where I want my day to go and end. This can include reading an author’s work that inspires me, or another activity that brings me joy like connecting with friends and family, cooking, or yoga.
Get Outside
Fresh air and sunshine are good for the soul. Now that things are opening up setting the pace in a space that inspires you is important to your mental health. I also work outside whenever can in my garden or I take my computer out on my deck- it’s my summer office space! I’ve also taken up golf which I am enjoying more than I thought and keeps me active and engaged.
See Your Life In Pictures
For some seeing is believing and a visual picture can be helpful to inspire creativity and a healthy mindset. Vision boards with quotes, sentimental objects, and pictured can help remind you of where you want to go in your life and how you can get there.