Getting stuck happens to everyone, whether it’s in relationships at home or at work or in something we’re doing or not doing. Like life itself, we can’t control what comes our way, but we can control how we respond to it.
Getting unstuck means overcoming inertia. Oh, the dreaded inertia! And the thing is, the longer I don’t take action, the harder it becomes to get going. Must. Get. Moving.
Here are Five Simple Strategies for Getting Unstuck:
1. Recognition
The sooner I realize that I am feeling stuck, the better. Letting myself get overwhelmed, I have found, is the fast track to going nowhere. So I am saying “yes to less.” It gives me more space in my day and time in my calendar, and, as a result, everything is more enjoyable. Even daily chores. Now how cool is that?
2. Ritual
Last summer I discovered free guided meditations from Oprah and Deepak. I love to start my day with a guided meditation. This is built-in time to reflect, renew, and recharge.
3. Forgiveness
Forgive who? Well, me for starters. I embrace my humanness by forgiving myself for getting stuck in the first place, and I forgive everyone else while I’m at it!
Oprah once said, “Do I want to be right? or Do I want peace?” Peace and happiness go hand in hand in my book, and they often start with forgiveness. Forgiveness loosens the glue that holds me stuck in place.
4. Honesty
One of my favorite books of all time is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The first agreement is “Be impeccable with your word.”
That ‘s been a game changer in my world. I never realized all the ways I was breaking this agreement with myself and others.
Being honest about the current state of my own affairs is critical to changing them. The most important person to be impeccable with my word is the person in the mirror.
5. Focus.
Getting unstuck and out from under being overwhelmed invariably requires accomplishing some formidable task. Writing. Deep thinking. Knowledge work. Isn’t there an app for that?
Michael Hyatt introduced me to a great tool called Focus@Will, scientifically optimized music to increase your focus and stop your mind from wandering. It’s like Pandora music for the focused mind. And, depending on the track I choose, it helps calm, center, and inspire me.
I love to listen to music, but lyrics, ads, and words can be enough of a distraction that I don’t even bother. Now I can treat myself to a focused work session with music to keep me on track. Music makes my heart feel lighter and everything a little easier.
I’m happy to report that I’m unstuck and on my way to on fire. It helps me to remember that getting stuck happens to all of us. I use these five strategies to get me moving again. What works for you?
As always, it’s a great life, simplified.
