How To Get Unstuck in Life

In my various roles and responsibilities, I find that many people are stuck in life. They feel trapped in a bad situation and don't see a way out. Sometimes it is finances, sometimes relationships, sometimes jobs, and sometimes it is just life circumstances. The feeling is often the same. I have been stuck, in dead-end jobs, in financial hardship, and even on the couch with a messed up back. These are situations that are hard on your mental health and leave you drained and overwhelmed. There is hope and there is a way out. As a life coach, I have walked with many individuals as they have looked for the next steps. I have also served as an employment specialist and job coach. There are some principles to help you get out of the mud and back on the road.

First, you need to be honest about the situation you are in. Don't blame someone else if the problem is you. Don't blame yourself if the problem is someone else. If you have money issues, be honest about your situation in regard to income, spending, and saving. Take an accurate assessment of where you are. This sounds simple, but it is harder than it sounds. Many of us struggle to be honest with ourselves. We want to save ourselves from the shame of our failure. We don't want to admit that someone we love is causing the problems. We don't want to acknowledge where we are and how we got there. It can be hard to admit our failures, our inadequacies, and our insecurities. It is critical and the only way to get back on the road is to admit how far off the road you have gone. Be honest with yourself.

Next, you need a goal. It is not good enough to know that you are not where you want to be. You need to set a goal of where you do want to be. It is important to be realistic about your goals, but don't be afraid to dream. I still have a goal of having my books read and used all over the country. I don't have a goal to be a best-selling author, but to empower people and churches to live out their calling. That is a big dream of mine. That is where I want to be. I also want to continue in my teaching career, continue my education, and continue to serve local churches. I have my goals and dreams in each of these areas. This gives me a vision of where I want to go.

Once you know where you are and realistically where you want to go, it is time to make a plan. Seldom do good things happen without a plan. Making a plan is critical to getting unstuck because it will show you where to step and where to go. A journey without a map is wandering, and wandering gets you lost. A plan is a map for your life. What will you need to complete your goal? In my goals, blogging is one way to move forward. By blogging, I put down my ideas, improve my writing, build an audience and I refine my ideas. In my professional life, I continue to study and attend training classes. I am looking towards another Master's Degree and I have applied for the program. These are steps that I continue to take to progress forward. Perhaps your plan is to get more education, so the first step is to research options. Maybe you need to look at job openings and begin to look for opportunities. Maybe you need to make a plan to decrease spending or increase your salary. Looking at your goal, what are the steps you need to take to get there. It will probably be more than one step. It might take weeks, months, or even years. You may have to get a lot of parts into place. Even if it seems like it will take forever, it is better than doing nothing.

Finally, as you begin the journey to get unstuck, remember the plan and the process. Find support systems. Share the goals with others and ask them to help you. As you begin to complete the steps for your journey, it will seem less daunting. Achieve small victories. Celebrate the first chapter complete, the first class done, and the first $20 saved. Watch the progress you are making and remember that no matter how hard it gets, there is nothing worse than that feeling of being stuck. Being unstuck is worth the struggle and the trials.

I know you can do this. You can achieve great things, the hardest part is getting started. Once you do, things will keep going and you will find tasks being checked off. There is no time like the present to start. I am cheering for you, I am excited to see how far you can go!