By Guest Blogger Juan Santos M.S., CRC, LCMHC
Are you feeling stuck in life? The feeling itself can hold a weight that makes life feel unbearable.
People often experience a form of being stuck in life during milestones and changes life. A common one, is the milestone of graduating from school and experiencing the weight of the world on your shoulders to the point that you do not know what to do next. For others, it’s the feeling that can come about because of change. Such as the loss of a loved one. This type of change in life can cause physical and emotional changes.
If you are feeling stuck in life, consider the four mindful tricks below.
1 – Shift your perspective
Changing your perspective is a powerful way to give the challenge in your life a different approach. A creative way to shift your perspective is to write down the reason why you are feeling stuck.
- “I am feeling stuck in life because …”
Once you have completed the sentence, try to use the prompts below to approach the challenge with a different perspective.
- If I had a magic wand, I would give myself “X” which would help me address the challenge that is causing me to feel stuck.
- One character strength that would help me navigate my life and propel me forward is…
- A training that I could pursue which would help me get unstuck is…
2 – Providing yourself with doses of self-care is a wonderful way to get unstuck and move forward in life.
Consider how you feel when you are in the stuck mode? Feeling stuck can cause the following symptoms:
- Worry
- Insecurity
- Doubt
- Muscle tension
The key item to keep in mind is that feeling stuck comes with a bundle of symptoms that drain energy. To address it, you can shift to including healthy self-care practices and mindful tricks aimed to energize you.
Including self-care practices in your life can aid you to navigate feeling stuck.
3 – Self-care practices to include in your life
- Once a week treat yourself. This can be as simple as treating yourself to your favorite ice cream.
- At the end of each day journal down one to three self-praises. Below are examples that you can lean on:
- “I am proud of myself for getting out of bed today.”
- “I am proud of myself for showing up and trying today.”
- Start your day with a positive affirmation. Below are examples of affirmation that you can lean on:
- “I’m going to practice 5 acts of kindness today.”
- “I give myself permission to take a break.”
- “Yesterday does not dictate the rest of my life.”
4 – Give Kindness Away
One of the best ways to reach mental clarity and experience joy in life is by giving away kindness. The strategy is found throughout the literature of mental health and wellness.
I want to share an experience with you.
I once walked to a still puddle with a client of mine. The water hardly moved. It was still and untouched. I bent down and filled my plastic up with water. Together we walked from the puddle to a nearby stream. I gave my client the cup and asked him to pour the water into the stream and to tell what he saw. He shared, that the still water was no longer still.
I share the above story with you to highlight the importance of moving forward.
It is okay if you do not know what to do next.
It is okay to feel stuck.
You can, like the water, place yourself in a space that has movement, flow, and vibration. Pour yourself into the practice and you’ll quickly notice the transformational change.
I hope that you found these mindful tricks helpful.
~ For more helpful advice from Juan, visit his other blogs here.
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