On Getting Un-Stuck

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Being stuck seems to be everywhere right now. Maybe it’s always been there, and we’re just talking about it more. I’m not sure.

Stuckness can stick its nose in where you don’t want it or expect it. Work. Home. Health. When you’ve leapt into doing the most exciting thing you’ve ever wanted to do.

Take this blog. It was going to be about starting, or rejigging, a plan to feel healthier. As I got bogged down in detail, taking longer than I wanted, I knew I was stuck. Then it dawned on me that whatever the outcome you’re seeking, the basics are the same.

• You know what you want to do – finish a project; get healthier; be fit; stop going around in circles.
• You know you need a plan – which means either starting a new one or rejigging one that’s slipped.
• You identify obstacles – real ones like knowledge and habits, and perceived ones like doubt, fear and uncertainty.

So, where do you start?

That’s a million-dollar question with no secret formula and no quick fix. The answer? You already know it: start somewhere. Anywhere. Just start!

Maybe it goes against the grain to tackle something before you’re confident you’ll get it right. It might even seem downright wrong. The thing is, you’ll never know until you take those first steps.

Beware Tolerance and Fear

What is clear is the longer you wait, the more ingrained doubt, bad habits, and uncertainty become. Tolerance to them increases, and change becomes more and more challenging. Fear builds. You may even end up listening to other people’s doubts, making them your own.

So, there’s many benefits and a low level of risk when you start with small steps and put in consistent effort. As small changes add up, you keep moving forward. Things flow. The building momentum makes it easy to shift direction where you need to. Or stop for a moment to refocus before continuing.

A whole lot better than stopping and starting.

Stop Thinking, Start Doing

Time to follow your gut instinct and take action. Start with one thing. Something where you’ll see results first. It’ll spur you on because:

• you’ll be focused
• focus leads to results
• results keep you on track
• being on track inspires you to keep going when you want to quit
• sticking with it means you’re replacing bad habits with better ones
• results will be the reward that keeps your focus

Be sure to celebrate your success. Then keep going. One more thing. Then another. Consistently. Building momentum and maintaining flow, trusting yourself to take time out without stopping altogether.

Remember, you know yourself better than you think you do. And I’d be surprised if you didn’t know all this too. But knowing isn’t doing. So, no matter where you start, doing something has way more benefits than waiting.

After all, it’s hard to stay stuck when you’re moving!

Until next time…

Anne