You Aren't "Stuck" and Never Were

By Janine Wirth.

I want to address something today that several of you seem to be wrestling with lately - this feeling of being "stuck".

I see this phrase thrown around almost daily, especially online, where women ask strangers on internet forums or Facebook groups for advice to help them get "unstuck". I'm going to give you my personal opinion on this, and best you buckle up because it's bound to ruffle some feathers - nothing new for me, as you all know how much I love an excellent truth bomb.

I have issues with someone saying they're stuck because it gets used as this blanket excuse that negates accountability and personal responsibility.

Before you start huffing and puffing about me not understanding, I beg you to read on and let me make my case.

Being "stuck" is not a destination or an emotion. We tend to put ourselves in a self-imposed prison or adult "time-out" when we don't know what else to do. So, instead of grabbing that useless band-aid of "I'm stuck", I invite you to dig a little deeper.

You could be feeling:
- uninspired
- unmotivated
- overwhelmed
- confused
- angry
- frustrated
- sad

You get my drift.

So, the sooner you take the time to look within and ask yourself what is REALLY going on, the quicker you'll get to the truth and therefore find a solution to the challenge. I'll give you some examples, so you can immediately implement this, as I'm always here for taking action.

If you feel uninspired, it could be a sign that you need a new project or that you have the need to create something from scratch so that you can engage the creative part of your brain.

If you feel unmotivated, I invite you to revisit your WHY and check in if it still resonates with you. What are you currently doing that isn't in alignment with your values or your goals?

Reconnecting with my WHY and why I do my work always energises me and reminds me that I'm serving the Greater Good on tough days. I realise that might sound a bit cheesy, but don't knock it till you've tried it.

By the way - if your WHY doesn't light you up like a Christmas tree, then you've found a problem that needs your attention ASAP because your why is like your compass and North Star - without it, you are just drifting along, hoping for the best. I prefer to steer my ship.

If you feel overwhelmed, I'm willing to bet it's one of two things:

i) Either you've got too much on your plate, and you can't cope (It might even be SO much that you have no idea where even to start)

OR

ii) you want to take the next step, but you don't have the necessary information or skill-set to complete the task.

If it's the first option, sit down and brain dump everything you can think of. This allows your brain to give that little hamster on the wheel a voice.

Now go through that list and place the tasks in order of priority. Take the top 3 and ask yourself what you can outsource, delegate or get help with.

If it's something that only you can do, grab your big girl pants, put your phone on airplane mode, sit down and start.

We lovely humans tend to make things more significant in our heads than in reality - and each passing day of putting stuff off helps this task turn into a monster.

I often find that if I have been putting something off, the most challenging part is just getting started. It's like going to the gym; once you're there, it's fine, but the 1st step of physically getting there is where most people fail.

If you fall into category (ii), ask yourself, what do you need to pull the trigger on the next task? If it's information - where can you find it? Perhaps you need to call someone who knows more on the topic than you do, who can help you figure it out as quickly and efficiently as possible (hello coaches).

It might be that you need to do some research, so AFG (ask F*cking Google) or watch a YouTube video, buy a "how-to" course on Udemy - we are so LUCKY to have millions of answers at our fingertips, so get busy and learn how to do what you need to do next.

Believe me, figuring something out and then actually DOING it - especially when it's been holding you back - is one of the most amazing feelings ever.

I could go on and on till the cows come home, but the short story is that you were never stuck, and you will never be stuck; you just felt or thought that because you didn't dig deep enough to hit gold. PSA: You are neither your thoughts nor your feelings.

At the risk of sounding like a turbaned yogi master or online guru, the answers lie within you - they really fucking do, so do yourself a favour and STOP telling yourself that you're stuck.

Much love.

Janine Wirth, is the proud founder of Path to Healing Therapy and Coaching. Her mission is to help female entrepreneurs heal their emotional baggage, heal unresolved emotional trauma and PTSD without spending years in therapy and create spectacular business success for themselves. You may have read her story in The Spotlight and if so you’ll know why she’s so passionate about her work so when she got the opportunity to work alongside The Female CEO and provide a monthly question and answer she was thrilled! 

You can read all about Janine and her work here or catch up socially on Facebook or LinkedIn