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    Feeling 'Stuck'? Here Are 4 Helpful Ways To Regain Your Sense Of Purpose

    By Ichha Bhan
    4 Mar'23  6 min read
    Feeling 'Stuck'? Here Are 4 Helpful Ways To Regain Your Sense Of Purpose
    Synopsis

    Feeling 'stuck' can be exhausting and discouraging, and further lead one to feel helpless and lacking motivation. We may feel 'stuck' at different points in our studies, career, relationships, or any other important aspect of our lives. This article talks about ways to smoothly get over the feeling of being 'stuck' and regain one's sense of purpose.

    Feeling 'Stuck'? Here Are 4 Helpful Ways To Regain Your Sense Of Purpose
    Synopsis

    Feeling 'stuck' can be exhausting and discouraging, and further lead one to feel helpless and lacking motivation. We may feel 'stuck' at different points in our studies, career, relationships, or any other important aspect of our lives. This article talks about ways to smoothly get over the feeling of being 'stuck' and regain one's sense of purpose.

    Have you ever felt like you have lost control over life situations and are unsure about what to do next? Feeling stuck can be a frustrating and overwhelming experience. It can leave you feeling helpless, unmotivated, and lost. However, it's important to remember that feeling stuck is a temporary state and there are things you can do to get yourself back on track.

    This article sheds light on this feeling so you can understand it better and know what you can do to break out of a rut and regain your sense of purpose and direction. Whether you're feeling stuck in your career or personal life, or just need a change, these strategies can help you get unstuck and find new opportunities for growth and fulfillment.

    What Exactly Does It Mean ?

    Being stuck can feel like you're in a rut or at a standstill, unable to progress or move forward. It can lead to feelings of frustration, boredom, confusion, and disappointment. You may feel trapped or limited in your options, and experience a lack of motivation or inspiration. Additionally, being stuck can also cause stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem. It's a common experience, but with the right approach, it can be overcome and provide an opportunity for growth and self-discovery.

    Let’s dive deeper into what feeling stuck means; did you know that behind this feeling there is a root emotion? The emotional response of feeling stuck is anger, frustration, irritation, and unease, however, it usually stems from helplessness.

    Also Read | 10 Ways To Think Straight, Without Bias

    What Is Helplessness?

    Emotions on their own are not good or bad. What brings comfort, or in this case, discomfort is how we perceive emotions through our own responses. Having said this, each emotion serves its own purpose and has a solution, and the same goes for helplessness. To understand this better, let's refer to the FLIP model established by the Institute of Clinical Hypnosis and Other Related Sciences.

    Why Do We Feel Helpless?

    The source of helplessness is the situation. If the situation is bringing challenges and it seems like we don’t know how to handle it, we feel like we have nowhere to go. Our perception, at that moment, is that we have tried everything we could and nothing has worked and there is nothing in our environment around us that can help. Therefore, we feel stuck.

    stuck in life, feeling stuck in life, feeling stuck, what to do when you feel stuck in life 140, what to do when you feel stuck, what to do when feeling stuck, how to overcome lack of purposeThe Source Of Helplessness Is The Situation

    Overcoming Helplessness

    Since the source of helplessness is the situation, the solution to it would be to be better prepared for the situations that come our way. The way in which to do this is to build resources and develop skills. Once we work on this, more often than not, the motivation to face these challenges comes naturally, because we eventually start clearing out the cobwebs in our minds and are able to see some way forward.

    This would mean that the purpose of helplessness is to help us identify our strengths and find new and creative ways in which to complete tasks and reach our goals.

    Dealing With Feeling 'Stuck' : A Perspective

    There are various aspects of our lives where we can feel blocked or feel like we are stagnant, however, there are ways in which to deal with them. Here are some general ways in which we can deal with different situations.

    Career

    Feeling stuck in a dead-end job or feeling unfulfilled with your current career path? To overcome this challenge, consider exploring new opportunities, building new skills, networking, seeking guidance from mentors or career counselors, or taking a sabbatical to gain clarity on your passions and career goals.

    Relationships

    Feeling stuck in a stagnant or unhappy relationship? To overcome this challenge, consider seeking counseling, having open and honest conversations with your partner, exploring new interests or hobbies, or taking time to focus on self-care and self-improvement.

    Creativity

    Feeling blocked in your artistic pursuits? To overcome this challenge, try new approaches, experiment with different mediums or styles, seek out inspiration from others, collaborate with others or take time away from your work to recharge.

    Personal Growth

    Feeling stuck in your personal development, or feeling like you've hit a plateau. To overcome this challenge, consider setting new goals, taking on new challenges, learning new skills, seeking new experiences, or seeking out personal growth opportunities.

    Decision- Making

    Feeling stuck or indecisive about important life decisions. To overcome this challenge, seek out guidance from trusted friends or family members, gather information and weigh your options, prioritise your values and goals, or seek professional help from a therapist or counselor.

    Remember, feeling stuck is a common experience, and it's important to be gentle with yourself and seek help when needed. With the right approach, you can find new opportunities for growth and fulfillment and move past feeling stuck. Unfortunately, there is no manual to dealing with this, but it does help to introspect and gain more self-awareness, solely because it makes it easier to understand what will work and what won’t.

    Also Read | Self-Care Tips To Feel Happy And Rejuvenated

    Overcome Feeling 'Stuck': To-Do List

    This section of the article is dedicated to providing practical and actionable activities that can help you overcome feeling stuck. We will explore a range of different activities that can help you regain your sense of purpose and direction and find new opportunities for growth and fulfillment. Whatever your situation, these activities can help you find new ways to thrive.

    Journaling

    Writing can be a very powerful tool, what helps is knowing what questions to ask yourself. If you are feeling blocked or uncertain about the situations in your life, take a moment, find a safe space, and sit with your journal and a pen. Write down your answers, without judging yourself, to these questions.

    • What are the emotions I am feeling right now?
    • What exact situation is causing me discomfort? (keep boiling this down until you feel like you have reached the essence of the problem)
    • What skills or strengths do I have right now that can help ease what I am feeling?

    stuck in life, feeling stuck in life, feeling stuck, what to do when you feel stuck in life 140, what to do when you feel stuck, what to do when feeling stuck, how to overcome lack of purposeWriting Can Be A Powerful Tool To Learn About Oneself

    Talk “Therapy”

    Humans are social animals, we have an innate need to express what we are feeling. Find the person you feel most comfortable with and vent out what you are experiencing. Sometimes, someone else may have gone through something similar, they may have insights into what can be done.

    If not, then even just letting out your thoughts and feelings is a good start to understanding the essence of the situation, because as we talk, we let out our feelings and create space to make sense of the experience.

    Taking One Step At A Time

    A challenging situation is like climbing a staircase with an injured leg. It is impossible to jump steps or reach the top effortlessly. With a little help from the railing, you will be able to take the next step.

    When we feel helpless, it is important to make a conscious choice to evaluate what the next baby step is and have the courage to take it. The more we try to make sense of the whole thing at that moment, the more intimidating it will seem. Focusing our energy on the next small thing we can do for ourselves at that moment will help in raising our confidence to keep moving forward.

    Breaking The Cycle

    Sometimes, during situations where we feel helpless, it is important to step away from that problem and do something else entirely. This could be listening to uplifting music, engaging in hobbies, reading a book, watching a movie, or anything else that is completely separate from the challenge itself.

    When we look at something consistently, for a long time, we can feel exhausted, or everything may start to look and feel the same. It becomes blurry, like an illusion. Stepping away from that situation sometimes creates a break in that pattern. Sometimes, that break can be what we need to figure out our next step, or it may just give our minds some rest.

    Also Read | Why Having A Value System Is Indispensible

    Ichha Bhan is a counselling psychologist, and personal growth coach. She holds more than five years of hands-on experience in working with children and adolescents, helping them and their parents navigate shared emotions, and the challenges of growing up.

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