12 things to remember when you’re feeling stuck in life
Life’s hard. You don’t need me to tell you that. But life is also beautiful and worth living.
Is there a reason some people get to enjoy it to the fullest while others feel like they’re spinning their wheels?
While it’s easy to wish for only good times, it’s often the challenging times that bring about the most growth.
Here are the things you need to remember when you’re down on luck, coming from the person who’s seen it all.
1) It’s temporary
First of all, try to remember that almost nothing at all is permanent. Hell, life isn’t permanent. One day you are, and the next, you aren’t.
I don’t want to bum you out but show you that positive and negative things can change rapidly.
Stay patient and trust that things will improve with time. If there’s a reason why you’re feeling stuck, try to find and fix it. Focusing on solutions and not the problems can do wonders.
It will also help if you do this next thing.
2) Remember past successes
Whenever I’m feeling stuck, I rewind my memory and remember my past successes. I like to recollect how I recovered from the serious injury I had, bounced back from our financial setbacks, or lately, how we navigated through our difficult life transition.
Remembering the things I (and my family) did right, what I’ve already accomplished, and the obstacles I’ve conquered gives me new strength to continue.
If you draw from your past successes, you can reignite your confidence and belief in your ability to navigate through tough times.
Remind yourself of the resilience, strength, and resourcefulness you demonstrated during those times.
Here’s what else is important.
3) Find motivation
There’s a reason why there are endless motivational YouTube videos online. People love to find inspiration and motivation for the things they’re trying to accomplish and for life in general.
Surround yourself with motivational things, such as books, podcasts, videos, or quotes, that inspire and uplift you. If you need to buy that cat poster saying, “Hang in there,” so be it.
I like to engage with content and stories that resonate with my goals, even when I’m not feeling down. It helps me strive for more when I see what other people have accomplished.
Speaking of goals…
4) Set small goals
One of the best ways of getting out of a rut is to set a series of small and easily accomplishable goals.
If you want to change your body composition and be fitter or lose weight but don’t know where to start, simply set a goal that you’ll stretch or exercise for 10 minutes every day. That way, you’ll ease into exercising without even feeling it.
Here are my other suggestions:
- Assign a goal to read a specific number of pages or chapters of a book each day
- Dedicate a few minutes each day to reflecting on and writing down things you are grateful for
- Learn a new skill for a set amount of time 3 times a week
- Set a precise bedtime for most of the week
- Make it a goal to reach out to at least one friend or family member each week to catch up
5) Seek support
Sometimes, we just need a little support and a nudge from someone we can trust. This can be your friend, a family member, or even a professional.
But remember, support can come in many ways and forms. One thing that helped me was this free 5-day challenge that helped me focus on the things that really matter in life.
I did a complete life review, rating different aspects of my life on a scale of 1-10 to identify areas for improvement.
After I did that, I was ready to tackle the world once again and started to embrace change with enthusiasm.
6) Embrace change
Feeling stuck often means we aren’t ready to make a transition. We want to change things around but also don’t want to. If you know what I mean.
I felt like that more times than I’m comfortable admitting. And look, sometimes it’s best not to overthink things. Just try it. See how it goes.
But…
Don’t burn your bridges. This is very important.
I know it’s extremely satisfying telling someone to go f themselves but, bite your tongue. Be civil, and ultimately, you’ll look back at yourself with pride and as someone who walked tall.
You also need to believe that things will turn out okay.
7) Trust the process
Whenever someone asks me how I did what I did, I like to tell them that I simply followed a process and trusted it.
Things in life can move at a snail’s pace. If you just commit to something for a longer period, you WILL start to see progress. That’s why you need to trust the process.
If it takes one year, three years, five years, so be it. Put your head down and work.
Trust that life has a way of unfolding and that everything happens for a reason. Even when things seem uncertain or challenging, have faith that the journey you’re on is leading you toward personal growth and fulfillment.
8) Learn from the experience
Spinning Wheels is a good opportunity for self-discovery and learning. You need to see what you can learn from the situation, what skills you can develop, and how you can become more resilient.
If you’re in the middle of doing something, re-evaluate if it’s worth continuing or not. However, as I just said above, if you’re following a process, it might be best to stick with it till the end.
Just because you’re down now, it doesn’t mean a huge growth curve isn’t just in front of you. If you give up now, you’ll never going to reach it.
9) Break free from comparison
Another important thing to remember is to NOT compare yourself with others. No good will come from that. You’ll only feel worse.
Some of my friends are more “successful” than me, while others aren’t. However, there are millions of people that are better off than me and you. Think about it.
Just because there are so many people that are better at something than us doesn’t mean we aren’t good enough.
Avoid comparing your life journey to others. Each person has their own unique path and timeline.
Instead, you should focus on your own progress and celebrate your achievements, regardless of how they compare to others.
10) Explore new interests and passions
If you’re on social media, train the algorithm to only show you things you’d like to learn and see.
Engaging in something new can spark creativity in you, provide a fresh perspective, and open doors to new opportunities.
Be curious, experiment, and allow yourself to discover new passions. Life is playful when you let it be. Spend more time with kids and pets and see what pure enjoyment is.
I have to warn you, though, it’s highly contagious.
11) Travel
We’ve come to my favorite topic – travel. Just thinking about traveling somewhere makes me happy.
The main reason why I like it so much is because travel exposes you to different cultures, customs, and ways of life. It also involves dealing with unpredictable situations, such as flight delays, language barriers, or unexpected changes in plans.
All of the above, positive and negative, keep me on my toes. This helps me embrace uncertainty and find solutions in unfamiliar environments.
And remember, you don’t have to travel far to experience the advantages that travel offers. There are plenty of opportunities for exploration and growth closer to home.
My advice for you is to plan day trips or weekend getaways to nearby towns, national parks, or natural landmarks.
Discover scenic hiking trails, visit nearby beaches or lakes, or explore charming small towns in your surroundings. You won’t believe how many things you haven’t seen or explored yet. Open your mind and eyes.
12) Life is full of ups and downs
And lastly, remember that life is full of ups and downs. Things are like that for a reason (although we might not see it at this moment).
We need to recognize that it’s okay to have moments of rest, reflect, and even struggle. It’s not only the peaks that define us but also how we traverse our valleys.
Embracing the ups and downs of life builds resilience. It equips us to better navigate future challenges, knowing that we’ve overcome adversity before and we can do it again.
Final thoughts
If you’re feeling motivated at all by this article, why not jump on this bandwagon and try to fix some things quickly?
From creating a vision of the life you want to live, to focusing on the things that matter most, there are many things you can start accomplishing today.