Last week I ran a previous article because, as I said, I have not been as focused or motivated lately. For me, that is an indication that I am feeling stuck, not moving forward. Apparently it’s a recurring theme for me, because I’ve written about it twice in the past (“Getting Unstuck” and “Stuck in a Rut? Change Course!”).
My life is pretty much remarkable. There is very little stress. I don’t worry about paying my bills. I live in a cozy home in a beautiful area. I have meaningful work. What more could a person want?
Of course, to put it mildly, this hasn’t always been the case. Work, financial, and family stress have been major factors in my life, as they have for many of you. So it begs the question: Why is this feeling of being stuck show up in the good times and the bad?
In typical Susan fashion, I tend to overthink things like that. I’m working on letting go of the analyzing, and just let be. Does the “why” matter, or can I accept that it just is? So, with that in mind, I’ve come to believe that “being stuck” is an important, necessary, and natural part of life. Being stuck, and the process of getting unstuck, leads to creative solutions. You can say that I’m coming around to welcoming stuckness.
This doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t acknowledge it or pretend it doesn’t exist. It simply means I no longer have to fight it. When I let go of the fight, I create the spaciousness for inspired solutions and positive change.
In the two prior posts that I referred to earlier, I provide practical solutions for ways you can get unstuck, so I’m not going to repeat that here. Find what works for you and be gentle with yourself. If possible in your situation, let yourself be stuck for a while when you find yourself getting too frustrated, or impatient, or overwhelmed.
Okay, so you might wonder what I do when I get stuck. My favorite way to get unstuck is to rearrange furniture and this usually happens when my husband, Tim, is out of town for an extended period. Which he is now. For several days. And I’m sure he’s worried as he’s reading this. I don’t know what it is about rearranging the furniture that helps get me unstuck. I suspect it has something to do with bringing in newness. But I’m not going to spend too much time thinking about it. That was the old Susan.
I’d love to hear what you do to get unstuck. Share in the comments.
JT
What! I was afraid of this. I guess I will wear shin guards for awhile. What’s the damn coffee table doing there!?
Love you….T
Wendy
When I was writing my dissertation, I would sometimes get stuck. What worked was to clean the kitchen and wash the kitchen floor. When I was done with all that, I could sit back at the computer with ideas and motivation. I could then continue writing.
Deborah Smith
OH my gosh – I TOO rearrange furniture, especially when Jeff travels. Or I paint the walls a new color!!
Sending you Holiday Wishes for getting unstuck!
Love,
Deb