Four Reasons You May Feel Stuck

 

When you’re feeling stuck in life it feels incredibly frustrating. You just want to be happy and fulfilled, but instead you feel like you keep living the same day over and over with no way to make things better. It’s easy to fall into this mindset when we are busy with school, hyper focused on our assignments, and not giving ourselves time for rest and peace.

So, let’s talk about your options. It really comes down to making a choice to either stay stuck, or to take control and make some changes.

I think it’s safe to say we have all been there at least once in life. I know I have. Figuring out your future is the BIG question everyone is asking. What do I want to do, where do I want to live, is this the right program for me, will I make enough money in this field, is this the right college for me… ALL THE QUESTIONS. No one else is going to do it for you. It’s now up to you.

Reason Number One: You give up too fast…

All that stands between us and the life we want is often just small daily actions that add up over time. Part of the reason we feel so stuck is because we don’t see the results we want right away, and then we get frustrated because it feels like nothing is working. We get stuck in frustration. Not getting the grade we want, not getting the results we want out of a project, not cultivating the friendships we strive for. We try but we get discouraged when it doesn’t happen at the snap of our finger. Well, I am here to tell you, anything that’s worth having in life takes time, practice, and PATIENCE. That’s the key; Patience. It’s taken me 25 years to realize that. DO NOT GIVE UP.

Reason Number Two: You never change your strategy…

Is your life going to change if you keep doing the same things every day? I’m sure you’ve heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

So, what are you going to do differently now? All those small daily actions that got you here obviously aren’t in alignment with what you want, so what are you changing? Don’t criticize yourself for the past, learn from it. The past is a powerful tool. You learned what doesn’t work, and now you get to try something new. The awesome thing about life is that it’s never too late to become the person you were meant to be. This time in our lives, these college years are all about finding who we are, what makes us unique. So, try it a different way!

Reason Number Three: You hang out with other stuck people…

Your social circle can make or break you. If you surround yourself with negative people or people who are “stuck” where they are in life and not motivated to change you in turn will feel down and confused about your own direction. Your friends can either drag you down or lift you up. They might be super supportive when you’re complaining about how hard life is, but are they encouraging you to settle or go after more?

Surround yourself with people who inspire you to go after your dreams and who are going after theirs too. There are so many ways to meet new people in college and even after college. Get yourself involved with different groups of people and see who empowers and lifts you up the most.

Reason Number Four: You’re putting too much pressure on yourself…

The expectation that we’re supposed to be this, and we’re supposed to have that, and we’re supposed to have accomplished all these things within this timeline, all it serves to do is make us feel so much pressure that we freeze and crumple under the weight.

When we feel like we’re supposed to be doing so much more, it’s no wonder we feel like we’re not going anywhere. Let go of the need to meet anyone else’s expectations. Decide what your values and priorities are. Take a breath and relax. Have a rest day, get that ice cream you’ve been craving, go on that trip you want to take, and stop putting pressure on yourself to make your life look like everyone else’s.

We know it’s easy to slip into a funk. Especially during this phase of life. We hope to encourage each and everyone of you to push through those hard times. College life is hard, living in a new place is hard, meeting new friends is hard, living with roommates is hard. But there are ways to make it easier. We hope this touched some of your hearts and encourages you however you needed.