I’m Stuck – What Can I Do About It?

I'm Stuck - What Can I Do About It?

January 24, 2024

Why do I feel like I’m stuck? Most people use the terms ‘I’m stuck” when they feel stuck in life, stuck in the same career for years, or are just stagnant in life. Often, when feeling stuck, most people don’t know where to turn for help.

Hi! I’m Katie Lister, a practicing Registered Nurse, and the founder of Growth Gals. This article is the ultimate guide that will give you the information you need when you are stuck in a rut, whether in your personal life or professionally.

Katie Lister

Written by Katie Lister, RN, BScN. An experienced Registered Nurse, Group Facilitator, Life Coach, and Community Leader. Read Katie's Full Author Bio

I'm Stuck - What Does it Mean?

English defines ‘I’m Stuck’ as the feeling of being unable to move from a place or position, or change a situation. Everyone gets stuck in life. You may be in a tedious job or an unfulfilling romantic relationship. Feeling stuck is more of a mindset; deep down, you know what you need to do to overcome the feeling.

Fear is what stops us from moving forward, a fear of uncertainty, a fear of upsetting the balance of things, etc. Sometimes, you might take action, and then self-doubt fills you on how to go about things after the change.

Feeling stuck manifests in various ways such as:

Being irritable and impatient, which are emotional signs of feeling trapped or stuck.
Getting upbeat about an opportunity, then convincing yourself you can’t do it due to your limiting beliefs.
Wanting to do something such as a healthy eating plan, but you lose the motivation to start.
Endless fatigue and lack of motivation.
Settling into your comfort zone and refusing to try anything new.

What to Do When Feeling Stuck

What can I do when I fee like I’m stuck – When start feeling stuck, you may be searching for a way out and have no idea what to do to get unstuck. Here are some of the things you can do when stuck.

Identify Why you are Stuck and What You Want to Change

Feeling stuck is a feeling that’s almost impossible to pin to an exact feeling. Think about your feelings, identify why you feel stuck, and the things you want to change. Start with writing down clearly what you don’t want. Write for instance, “I don’t want to eat junk food every day.” Flip this statement in the positive, for example, “I do want to eat healthy and organic foods every day.”

Identify Your Sense of Purpose and Your Core Values

Identify your sense of purpose. List down what matters to you and why. There is no right or wrong. All you need is to write down what matters and edit it over time if you need to, so just start with small steps that you can manage. If you want to add something new, you can always edit this list.

Set Goals

When you plan for the future, you should set goals. Split these goals into smaller and achievable tasks. These small goals will eventually add up to make a whole of the larger goal. Create a small and achievable habit that with time becomes a longer and big-term habit. For example, you can start by skipping rope for five minutes per day and gradually increase the time.

Boost Your Productivity

As the adage goes, ´” Procrastination is the thief of time” and being stuck is proof of this. When feeling stuck, you wallow in your misery and indecision and you end up doing nothing all day. Try the Pomodoro Technique, a time management technique invented by Francesco Cirillo. In this technique, you learn how to do a task for 25 minutes, then rest for two or three minutes. After four consecutive sessions, take a longer rest and tick off every session with a tick

Take Back Your Power

Identify one area of your life that you feel confident enough to change and do it. You cannot stand still and be in motion simultaneously. Doing something about your situation serves as a reminder you can get unstuck by sheer willpower. Some activities may seem small, but they are a reminder of the power you wield. Some of the activities include:

Choosing to take a walk
Place a phone call to a friend or family member
Send a job application

Is there something wrong with me? Find out here.

How You Can Get Unstuck

If you feel stuck in a rut, you need to identify why you feel this way, then see what will help you to remove these obstacles standing in the way of your greatness. You can get unstuck via several techniques.

Self-Awareness

The best thing you can do for yourself is to gain self-awareness. Examine how your subconscious contributes to your feelings of being stuck. Identify your defense mechanisms and thought patterns getting in the way of your success. Notice the relationship patterns that make you repeat the same cycles. You can do some of the inner work yourself, but you need a therapist who will help and support you during hard times.

Get out of Your Comfort Zone

Stagnation occurs when you stay too close within the boundaries of what you find familiar, or your comfort zone. Try out new things that you would ordinarily not try, even when you feel a lot of fear. Calculate your risks and push yourself, which will open doors to growth. Face uncertainty head-on, especially when they feel scared.

Seek Support

Seek guidance and mentorship from other people when you feel stuck. Chart your own path, but stay open to advice from people who have walked down a similar path and made it. Seek the counsel of people who have done the things you intend to do. Even if these people are not available on a one-to-one basis, check out videos on YouTube, read books, or watch a podcast or two.

Practice Mindfulness and Self-care

Mindfulness involves the continuous and gentle focus of your awareness in the present. Feeling stuck can weigh heavily on your emotional and mental well-being. Put yourself first and practice self-care to rejuvenate yourself. Participate in activities that make you happy such as exercising, spending time outdoors, journaling, or pursuing other hobbies.

Listen to Encouraging Music

Create a playlist of music you enjoy and listen to it when you are feeling stuck and frustrated. Some songs like Dear August by PJ Harding and Norah Cyrus talk about taking wasted love and turning it into wine, which tells you a bad situation can always be turned around into something positive. Watch the full lyric video on YouTube. Another song about being stuck in a relationship is ‘I’m Stuck’ by Noah Cyrus and you can watch the official music video on YouTube or listen to it on Apple Music and iTunes.

Rest and Recharge

Take time to rest and recharge to improve your mental and physical well-being. Eat a well-balanced diet, get enough sleep, and plenty of exercise. Miley Cyrus, one of the most famous pop stars revealed that touring adversely affected her mental health and emphasized resting and recovery after intense and draining performances. If such celebrities prioritize rest, why not you?

Get Therapy

Therapy is crucial for your mental wellness and letting go of the past. Labyrinth therapy is a useful tool for finding your way out of feeling stuck. A labyrinth is a twisting path that has only one way to reach the center. This age-old symbol has been used to represent walking meditation and other rituals.

For religious people, a Labyrinth can be used as a form of meditation and gives you space and time to listen to God. You can practice walking meditation almost anywhere. However, the predictability of the labyrinth route frees you from dealing with distractions that you might encounter on a normal nature walk. If it’s your first time, you can either:

Go to an actual labyrinth location
Use a miniature model of a labyrinth in a therapist’s office and trace a finger through the labyrinth, then try to relax.

Use Social Media

Sometimes it’s best to log off social media when you are feeling stuck. Watching videos of people living their best life may trigger you and make you feel worse about your situation. However, social media apps can also be a positive influence. Look for positivity videos on TikTok that will motivate and uplift your spirits. Since TikTok videos are short, you can always check if the poster has a YouTube channel where they might post the full video.

Have a Vision

You can use several methods to develop a vision. Write down your vision that will help you establish your goals, whether professional or personal. Create a vision board with visuals of whatever you intend to achieve.

How Growth Gals Can Help You Get Unstuck!

Shout out to all women out there who crave to get unstuck in life, but don’t know where to turn to. Growth Gals is a tight-knit community of like-minded individuals who are intentional about self-discovery. We are a supportive community that can help you achieve all your goals. Follow growthgals_ on Instagram and stay updated on all our journals on goal setting, support, and coaching groups. Be on the lookout for our newsletter that offers you the latest on personal growth and getting unstuck. Join us today and start your amazing journey!

I'm Stuck - Conclusion

‘I’m stuck’ is mostly a perspective and a state of mind, but once these negative thoughts and feelings take root, it’s not easy to uproot them. However, nothing is cast in stone and it’s never too late to change. Using these tips, you can get unstuck and change your life for the better to lead a happier and more fulfilling life.