Why You’re Never Really Stuck

Years ago, I felt stuck in my career. I was a burned out criminal trial lawyer. I’d lost the excitement, the thrill of pleading my case. It was hard to rationalize not being a lawyer after spending so many years in school and building my practice. So, I kept trudging through—feeling more stuck each day.

That feeling, that maybe there was something better for me out there, didn’t leave me even though I tried to ignore it. It whispered day after day and jolted me from sleep night after night.

Could I quit being a lawyer? What would I do instead? Maybe what I always wanted to do—become a writer? I didn’t know what I’d write or how I’d shape my brand or what I stood for. But after feeling stuck in an unhappy career for so long, I had to do something.

That’s when I realized that feeling stuck was actually a gift. It was the Universe wanting more for me. It was nudging me toward a lifetime of happiness and purpose. The Universe didn’t offer me exact steps or instructions, it simply offered this:

Go. Move. Dance. Do cartwheels. Run. Bake a cake. Walk a dog.

Do anything.

Don’t sit here feeling stuck. You are so much more.

Be happy.

Be who you are here to be.

I love you.

You see, that feeling of being stuck is the Universe sounding an alarm that it’s time for you to move, shift, and pivot. It’s flashing a neon sign and chanting “BE HAPPY!”

Do you feel stuck? I bet you do. In one way or another we are all trapped by external circumstances right now. And a pandemic is not something to take lightly, but perhaps our current situation can be a welcomed time of reflection—a time to take stock of our life and our level of happiness.

Do you hate your job? Are you in an unhealthy relationship? Are you afraid the wheels of your life are spinning, sinking you further down in the muck and you don’t know how to get out?

Don’t fret. Your honest answers to the hard questions may very well be good news. That truth can help you chart a course to a better life.

But it sure doesn’t feel that way right now, does it? And sometimes, we feel so stuck that we don’t know how to get out.

When that happens, what do we do? How do we get unstuck?

Understand that you are never really stuck.

Feeling stuck is just that—a feeling. It’s meant to make you uncomfortable enough that you change something. Feeling stuck is one of the very best things that could happen to you. It means that there’s something better, bigger, or more challenging out there for you. It means you’re on your way to living your purpose to finding lasting happiness.

You don’t have to know the whole plan before you shift.

Want to change careers? End an unhealthy relationship? Start researching. Ask questions. Keep a journal. Call a therapist. Designate time each day creating your new path. Everything that’s worthwhile takes time to build and nurture, especially relationships and careers. Don’t expect to know all the answers up front. Just move, think, and imagine your new life bit by bit and with enough time all the pieces will come together.

Moving is manifesting.

You want to know the quickest way to feel unstuck? Move. Truly, just move. Do anything that changes your routine. Lick an ice cream cone. Walk with a friend. Chase your dog. Roll in the grass. Good energy flowing through your body will renew your perspective. And once you’re moving and smiling, your brain will light up with possibility. You’ll see things differently. You’ll move out of feeling stuck and into your future. It may only be an inch here and there, but before you know it, you’ll be in a completely different space than you were.

You’re too amazing to feel stuck in anything and you have too much to offer to be sitting still. So the next time you feel stuck and don’t know where to go, find your wildest dream in your mind’s eye and head that direction.

The Universe is out there rooting for you and so am I.

With resilience, grace, and love,