5 questions for anybody feeling stuck right now
This essay first appeared in my newsletter, The Weekly Pep Talk. If you’d like to subscribe for a big old dose of positivity in your inbox every Sunday, you can sign up here.
This week I’ve been feeling a little bit stuck. It always happens to me following a busy period of work or when I’ve launched something new, but that doesn’t mean that I find feeling stuck any less annoying. It’s such a frustrating way to feel - tired, devoid of inspiration, and without the motivation to get out there and find any.
I’m sure it’s a feeling that a lot of you can relate to, and so today I thought I’d share the 5 questions I always come back to whenever I’m feeling stuck. They help me to take stock of where I am right now, clear out all of the negative energy hanging around my brain, and get focussed on what I need to do next. Hopefully they’ll help you to do the same.
1) Where is my energy going right now?
This question is a great way to take stock and understand where exactly your energy is going right now. Think about how you’re spending your time, where you’re spending your money and how your energy levels are feeling right now. What activities in your life right now leave you feeling energised? Is there anything that is making you feel depleted?
2) What do you want your life to look like in one year’s time?
If you’re stuck in a bit of a rut, a great way to gain some clarity is to think about what you want your life to look like in a year’s time. Take some time to visualise exactly how you would love your life to look on this date in 2020, and then think about what needs to change to make your vision a reality.
3) What am I craving most in my life right now?
Thinking about what you’re craving in your life right now is a great way to get back in touch with your intuition when you’re feeling disconnected. Take notice of what it is you find yourself daydreaming about, or what you envy about other people’s lives - what can these things teach you about what you’re craving in your own life?
4) How am I currently getting in my own way?
Us humans like to self sabotage, and quite often we do it without even realising. Spend some time thinking about how you might currently be getting in your own way. Are you giving power over to beliefs and stories that aren’t true? Are you comparing yourself to others? How are you procrastinating? You can only fix the problem once you’ve identified it.
5) What small change can I make today?
Finally, once you’ve worked through the questions above, ask yourself what small thing you can today to make a change. We often set ourselves big goals that can feel overwhelming, but breaking your goal down into tiny baby steps can make it feel much more manageable. Plus, you’ll find that once you take action, you’ll start to feel the positive momentum building behind you.
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In the spirit of practicing what I preach, I spent some time answering these questions myself this week, and I thought I’d share my answers here in case you need a little inspiration…
1) Where is my energy going right now?
Over the past few weeks, the majority of my energy has been poured into work. It’s been a busy few weeks at my day job, and I’ve been spending every evening and weekend working hard on Joy School. I love being productive, but I know that I can start to feel overwhelmed when work creeps into every area of my life. I need to switch things up a bit and give more of my energy to the other things in life that bring me joy - reading, walking, sleeping, cooking and hanging out with my loved ones.
2) What do you want your life to look like in one year’s time?
In a year’s time, I’d love to have more flexibility and freedom in my life. I’d love to spend more of my time doing work that has an impact, and in an ideal world, I’d have a greater sense of work/life balance. I’d like to have added to our savings, and hopefully have some fun summer plans on the horizon.
3) What am I craving most in my life right now?
More down time. More connection. More inspiration. More space and time to let new ideas breathe. More confidence in my own abilities. More trust that I’ll achieve the goals that I’ve set for myself.
4) How am I currently getting in my own way?
I know that I’m spending too much time looking at what everybody else is up to, and not enough time focusing on bringing my own goals and dreams to life. I’ve also been guilty of spending too much time working in the past few months - I know that my best work and ideas come when I prioritise living, so I need to give myself permission to do more of that.
5) What small change can I make today?
Today I’m going to get outside and spend a good few hours away from my phone and laptop. I’m also going to look at how I can create some better boundaries between work and life so that I can focus better on both.
So, there you have it, 5 questions for anybody feeling stuck right now. I really hope that they help you if you’re in a bit of a rut at the moment, and I’d love to hear how you get on.