How Do I Know If I’m Stuck?

Recently, I've had conversations with clients who are moving forward in their lives, toward their specific dreams and goals. They have shared that when they look back, they now realize they didn't even know they were stuck or when it happened exactly. At some point though, they noticed that something was out of alignment.

This became a topic of conversation with a friend and I decided to write about some of the signs…

• It's Saturday afternoon and while you had good intentions when you woke up, it's now 3:00 and you haven't made any progress on the things you were going to accomplish.

• You sit down at your desk to tackle your to-do list.  Before you know it, it's lunch time and your list is barely touched but your desk & all the drawers are nicely organized.

• Just thinking of everything that needs your attention is overwhelming. You tend to prioritize by which item screams the loudest for resolution. This could involve actual screaming of clients, family members, friends, vendors, etc.

• Your friends and family are inviting you to get together and you always have somewhere else to be.  In front of the TV, playing video games, reading another fiction book, thumbing through magazines.

• You show up for work, do your job (and just your job),  share banal exchanges with your coworkers, and head home for some much needed downtime.

• You feel like something is off but you just can't put your finger on it.  And frankly, it feels like it will take too much energy to figure it out.

• You try to make changes but something keeps holding you back.  It's less frustrating to just go with the old way of doing things.

We're all different yet we have some common threads that run amongst us.  Many people have experienced these feelings and typically more than once at different stages of their lives.  I know I have.  It can sneak up on us and before we know it, we're knee deep in it.

I have studied different philosophies and processes.   The first step every time is to notice.  You cannot change anything until you notice that it is there to begin with.  Take an honest look at your situation.  Let's face it, we all need downtime.  Is this an isolated case of needing a break or has downtime become a way of life?  Are you just putting in appearances and going through the motions?

Make a list of what you want.  Really take the time to dream about how you want your life to look…the places you want to go, the people you want to interact with, the foods you want to eat…there is no limit.  Once you have an idea of what you do want, you can begin taking steps towards making your dreams a reality.  When you are connected to your heart's desire you become excited and step into focused action.

I welcome you to share where you found yourself stuck and what you did to overcome it.

© Teresa Cleveland, The Entrepreneur’s Toolbox