Finding Your Way: 10 Steps To Move Forward When You Feel Stuck

Steps To Move Forward When You Feel Stuck 2

When you feel stuck, it can make you feel like you are caught in quicksand and you are sinking and no matter how hard you try, you just canโ€™t seem to get out of it. But thereโ€™s always a way out of every sticky situation in life. Whenever you are feeling stuck in a rut, remind yourself of these 10 things you can do to stop feeling so bogged down.

Letโ€™s explore what to do when you feel stuck and how to stop feeling stuck in life.

KEY POINTS

  • The sooner you can free your thoughts, the better you will feel.
  • Work on a different project. If you canโ€™t do whatโ€™s immediately in front of you, find something else to occupy your thoughts and energy.
  • Read, because someone elseโ€™s words of wisdom may give you some new ideas.

Sometimes when we are trying our best to move forward, something comes along to block us. Here are 10 things to do to help you keep moving in the right direction.

Related: Getting Stuck In Your Head? 5 Strategies To Help You Get Out

10 Things To Do When You Feel Stuck

1. Get out of the house or office.

If you canโ€™t get your mind clear, sometimes stepping outside can give you a new perspective. Getting some fresh air will enliven your senses, and your brain will start to think of new things.

2. Start writing.

Turn on your computer, or get out a pad and paper, and write down whatever is in your head. Once youโ€™ve cleared out most of the extemporaneous thoughts, the ones you want will appear.

3. Work on a different project.

If you canโ€™t do whatโ€™s immediately in front of you, find something else to occupy your thoughts and energy. It doesnโ€™t really matter what it is; you are taking this action to clear your mind by temporarily putting aside whatever youโ€™re stuck on.

When you feel stuck in life, don't stop and keep going.

4. Clean your desk.

Sometimes we have so many irons in the fire that we can get bogged down with what to do first. As you clean your desk, you not only will break a pattern of inactivity but will find things that youโ€™ve already completed and can put away. Doing so will give you some more room to process your thoughts.

5. Take a deep breath.

You would be surprised at how many people hold their breath when they feel tense. When you cut off the oxygen supply to your brain and body, you canโ€™t function as well. Breathing deeply a few times can reenergize you and give you that little extra bit of clarity you need.

Related: 6 Signs You Feel Stuck and Need To Make a Change In Your Life

6. Take a shower.

Even if itโ€™s the middle of your day, a shower can change your perspective and help you get going. We all feel better when we get clean, and though it seems like a small step, it may be just the trick you need to get back on a positive path.

7. Call a good friend.

Hearing the voice of someone you care about and spending a few minutes getting involved in their world can give you a new outlook on yours. Making this positive emotional connection may be exactly what you need to get moving again.

8. Move your body.

Dance, get up and walk around the room, pick up your clothes, or do some exercise. Get those endorphins circulating through your brain. Being sedentary retards your ability to come up with new ideas.

When you feel stuck in life, remember this.

9. Read.

Someone elseโ€™s words of wisdom can give you some new ideas. Reading can also help you relax and recharge your mental batteries.

10. Listen to your heart.

What is it trying to tell you about where you are and what you are attempting to do? Perhaps there is a missing piece that will help you solve the puzzle.

Related: Top 11 Ways To Step Out of Your Comfort Zone And Get Unstuck

We all get stuck in our thoughts and actions from time to time. The key is not to let it continue any longer than necessary. The sooner you can free your thoughts, the better you will feel.

Want to know more about what to do when you feel stuck? Check this video out below!


Written By Barton Goldsmith
Originally Appeared On Psychology Today
feeling stuck in a rut

— Share —

Published On:

Last updated on:

,

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

Boomerasking: The Silent Conversation Killer You Didn’t Know You Had

What Is Boomerasking? Signs You're Guilty Of This Bad Habit

We need to talk. And no, not about you, though thatโ€™s kind of the point. If youโ€™ve ever asked someone a question only to immediately shift the conversation back to yourself, you might be guilty of boomerasking.

What Is Boomerasking?

It is a conversational tactic identified by Harvard Business School’s professor Alison Wood Brooks, wherein a question that seems to show interest serves as a guise for the speaker to center the conversation about themself.

Up Next

Power Colors For Zodiac Signs: Learn To Supercharge Your Life!

Power Colors For Zodiac Signs Interesting Hues

Ever felt drawn to a certain color without knowing why? Or maybe youโ€™ve noticed how certain colors boost your mood and energy. Below are 12 power colors for zodiac signs. Find a hue that aligns with your strengths and helps supercharge your life. 

Wearing the zodiac sign power colors can help you feel more centered, confident, and in sync with your true self. 

So, do you want to learn more about the colors that can enhance your energy and success? Letโ€™s explore the power colors for zodiac signs!

Up Next

10 Subtle Signs Youโ€™re Secretly Becoming Your Best Self

Signs Youโ€™re Becoming Your Best Self

We always hear about green flags in relationships, but what about green flags in yourself? The truth is, youโ€™ve probably grown more than you realize. Itโ€™s easy to focus on what still needs work, but if youโ€™ve been showing up for yourselfโ€”whether in your mindset, habits, relationships, or careerโ€”youโ€™re already on the right track.

Becoming your best self isnโ€™t about waking up one day with everything figured out. Itโ€™s about the small shifts, the quiet wins, and the moments where you choose growth over comfort. So if youโ€™ve been wondering whether youโ€™re heading in the right direction, take this as a sign: Youโ€™re doing better than you think.

Ahead, weโ€™re diving into the green flags that prove youโ€™re stepping into your happiest, most authentic selfโ€”because real growth is happening, even if you donโ€™t see it yet.

Up Next

The Script is Yours: 7 Ways To Be The Leading Lady In Your Own Life

How To Be A Leading Lady Of Your Own Life? Best Ways

Every so often, a movie line sticks with you. In The Holiday, Iris (played by Kate Winslet) has a pivotal realization: โ€œYouโ€™re supposed to be the leading lady of your own life!โ€ This hits home for women in their 20s and 30s, a time when life can feel like a balancing act of dreams, relationships, and self-doubt. 

But what if you decided to step into the spotlight of your own story? Learn how to be the leading lady in your own life and reclaim center stage!

Up Next

How To Break The Habit Of People Pleasing?

Clear Signs Of People Pleasing And How To Stop It

Do you say โ€œyesโ€ to avoid conflict, but deep down, you feel drained? Recognize people pleasing behavior as itโ€™s time to set boundaries and reclaim your peace!

First we must care for ourselves. When we do, we can better care for others.

Key points

When we people-please, it creates a relationship that is not really honest.

We cannot meet everyone else’s needs.

When we become more OK with being ourselves, people will likely be drawn to us because we are being authentic.

Up Next

The Power of Solitude: Does It Lead To Inner Growth?

The Power Of Solitude Important Points

Learn the power of solitude as it gives you a chance to reconnect with yourself. And in these quiet moments, you can truly grow. So, let’s explore more!

Connect to your soul and quiet your busy mind.

Key points

We all need solitude and silence, and we all need social connection.

Solitude helps us put things into perspective and gain clarity.

Solitude can help us to not be reactionary and instead be responsive, open, and more flexible in our thinking.

Up Next

How Do We Practice Compassionate Communication?

Practicing Compassionate Communication Great Ways

What does it take to truly connect with others? Learn to practice compassionate communication in everyday life to ease their pain.

Five principles for compassionate communication.

Key points

Compassion can be thought of as an empathetic, conscious effort to relieve the suffering of another.

Mirror neurons allow us to experience one another in our minds.

Embrace an openness to thoughts and experiences that may challenge your usual way of doing things.