11 Ways To Get Unstuck When You Feel Trapped In Life

We’ve all felt stuck at some point in our lives – stuck in a job we dislike, a relationship that isn’t serving us, or just an overall feeling of being trapped in an unfulfilling daily routine. A lot of times, this sense of being “stuck” stems from a disconnection from our Higher Selves — our soul’s greater purpose. When we lose touch with our inner guidance system and divine spark, we can easily get bogged down in the material world’s demands, expectations, and limiting beliefs. 

The good news is there are tools and practices we can use to get unstuck and realign with our sense of purpose and authentic self-expression. The best thing you can do for your personal development is commit to discovering your interests, passions, talents, etc. It’s through finding what fulfills you that you can renew your sense of purpose, direction, and motivation. 

Jump To:

• What does it mean to be stuck?
• What does stuckness look like?
• What does stuckness feel like?
• Why do we get stuck?
• How to get unstuck
• Final thoughts

What does it mean to be stuck?

Feeling stuck can mean different things for different people but in general, stuckness is what happens when you start to feel uncomfortable inside your comfort zone. 

Some of the signs of feeling stuck include feeling paralyzed in a situation you don’t like, being unsure about what you want out of life, or not being motivated to make the changes you know would improve your life. Many people experience feeling stuck in a job, a relationship, a routine, a pattern, or a role with other people. 

What does stuckness look like?

Staying in a job you hate

Staying in an unhealthy relationship

Lacking motivation to make healthy choices

Trying different solutions but always coming back to the same problems

Having no plan or vision for the future

Procrastination

Feeling unfulfilled in your current situation

Lacking personal goals

Wondering if there’s more to life

Craving purpose

We all get stuck from time to time and sometimes, it is just a little speed bump that we overcome naturally. But when we are out of alignment with who we are and who we’re meant to be for a long time, we lose energy, motivation, and a sense of purpose. These negative emotions and damaging self-talk lead to a feedback loop that makes it even harder to get up and get moving to break out of the rut. 

What does stuckness feel like?

Anxiety

Depression

Worthlessness

Indecision

Hopelessness

Apathy

Disconnection

Overwhelm

Exhaustion

Procrastination

Why do we get stuck?

Feeling stuck can happen when we feel like we can’t get out of an unfulfilling rut and/or we’re not sure what we want instead.

This feeling of stuckness often results from being out of alignment with your inner guidance system, intuition, or Higher Self. Again, we all get feel stuck at some point in our lives and sometimes all it takes to get unstuck is a little time and patience. But when the feeling of stuckness becomes pervasive and crippling, it’s time to take a hard look at what’s making forward motion feel so impossible.

Human beings are complex beings that crave a sense of purpose and fulfillment. When those needs aren’t being met – we feel deeply uncomfortable and our mental health suffers. One of the most common reasons for feeling stuck is being out of touch with our intuition. Realigning with your Higher Self to determine your values and discover what makes you feel fulfilled is often the best solution to overcoming a sense of stuckness.

How to get unstuck 

Getting unstuck is not always easy but is one of the most liberating positive changes you can make in your life. Committing to getting unstuck is a great way to kickstart your personal growth and forge a new path that allows you to be more fulfilled. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the best ideas for reconnecting with your deeper purpose and breaking out of your rut.

Realign with your Higher Self (Intuition)

The first step to getting unstuck is to realign with your Higher Self or intuition. 

When you are disconnected from your wise inner being, the world can feel bleak and overwhelming. You intuitively know what your purpose and passions are and how to pursue those things, you just need to tune back into your inner guidance. One of the most important questions you can ask yourself in pursuit of getting unstuck is, “Have I been living in alignment with my Higher Self?” 

When you connect with the wise, loving presence of your Higher Self, you’ll begin to feel nudges in the direction of the best path forward. Your Higher Self sees the bigger picture and can provide flashes of insight into your life’s purpose and the next steps to take to align with that purpose. Practices like meditation, journaling, and spending time in nature can strengthen this connection.

15 Weird & Unmistakeable Signs Your Higher Self Is Talking To You

Move your Body

Our mental and physical energy are intricately linked. As strange as it may sound, if your mental energy is stuck, you may be able to kickstart it by getting your physical energy flowing. Getting your body moving through exercise, dance, yoga, or just going for a walk can be an incredibly effective way to breathe new life into your routine when you’re feeling stuck. Moving your body shifts your brain chemistry and can provide a renewed sense of vitality to help propel you out of your rut.

Change Your Scenery

Oftentimes, when we feel stuck, there is not a lot of newness happening our personal life or professional life. In fact, these routines may have contributed to the stuckness in the first place!

Stepping outside of your familiar environments and routines, even through small changes, can help jolt you out of an entrenched pattern of stuckness. 

Take a day trip somewhere new, go on a weekend getaway, or simply hang out in a different coffee shop than you normally do. The fresh perspective of new sights, sounds, and experiences disrupts the mental grooves that keep you feeling stuck. You never know what external change may spark your inspiration, who you may meet, or what opportunities may come to you.

Reflect on Your Values

If you’re having a hard time changing your situation or even knowing what you really want out of life, you can always fall back on your values. What’s really important to you? What are your core values and principles for how you want to live your life? How do you want other people to perceive you? 

Getting clear on your values and evaluating whether your current circumstances align with them can provide powerful motivation to get unstuck. If you’ve been living in a way that’s misaligned with your values, adjust. Understanding your “why” is possibly the best way to commit to creating change in your life. Rediscover your “why” and realign accordingly.

Set “5-Meter” Targets

While feeling stuck can make your goals seem impossibly far away, setting “5-meter targets” – small, manageable action steps – can restore momentum. Many of us struggle with a fear of failure which leads to procrastination and lack of progress. With enough time, small steps build up to become massive results. Try breaking your to-do list down into manageable, bite-sized pieces that you can easily check off.

What’s one little step you can take to make progress today? Celebrate small wins to build confidence in your ability to get unstuck.

Adopt a Growth Mindset 

A “fixed” mindset keeps you bound by limiting beliefs of what’s possible. If you’ve spent your entire life believing that there is a finite amount of growth, success, happiness, etc. available, it can be very difficult to pursue a more fulfilling life. These negative thoughts can hold you back from creating the life you want.

A growth mindset is the belief that you can continually evolve, expand, and improve. Try to look for opportunities to try new things, see things in new ways, and expand your point of view. Adopting a growth mindset in every area of your life will help you realize that you don’t have to stay stuck in your current situation – the world is your oyster!

Find a New Perspective

When you’re feeling totally stuck, directionless, unmotivated etc, it’s easy to believe you’ll feel this way forever. In reality, sometimes the only thing keeping us stuck is our own point of view! If you can find a way to see things with a fresh set of eyes, there’s a good chance you’ll discover new possibilities within your situation.

Find ways to shift your perspective and you might be amazed at what new ideas and opportunities you discover. Talk to people with different backgrounds, read books that challenge your beliefs, or seek outside counseling to gain new insight.

Learn New Skills

Developing a new habit or a new skill is not always easy – especially if you’re feeling low energy and low motivation. However, if you can find the energy to try a new hobby or learn a new skill, you’ll be amazed at how many unexpected doors may open for you! Sometimes all it takes to get unstuck is just a little forward momentum in a new direction.  A bit of hard work in pursuit of a new skill may be the gateway that leads you to a completely different hobby, group of people, interest, etc. 

Plus, using your left hemisphere to actively learn something new is a great way to stir up your mental energy and help you feel less stuck. As Adam Alter says in his book Anatomy of a Breakthrough, “Mental difficulty is a sign of progress rather than stagnation.”

Change Your Social Circle

The people you spend the most time with have a profound influence on your mindset and energetic patterns. If your social circle is full of people who are themselves stuck in negativity, limitation, and fear-based thinking, it will keep you bound to those patterns too. It can be hard to choose to spend less time with a family member or longtime friend, but it’s even harder to feel stuck for your entire life. 

Try to consciously spend less time with people who lower your vibrations and reinforce unhealthy thought patterns, and more time with people who embody growth and inspiration.

Practice Self-Love

Harsh self-judgment and inner criticism only breed more feelings of being trapped. Remember that there is nothing wrong with you for feeling stuck! Just as you might encourage a child who is trying to learn something new, try to speak to yourself with love and kindness. It takes time to feel direction and motivation when you’ve been stuck in a rut for so long. Try to practice self-love in small ways along the way. 

Practice Gratitude

It may seem counterintuitive to be grateful for a situation that you feel trapped in. However, leaning into your circumstances by finding reasons to be grateful is a great way to change your perspective and feel less desperate to escape. With this small moment of peace, you may be able to look at things from a new perspective and a bit more clarity. Consider writing a list of things you’re grateful for every night before bed, this is one of my favorite ways to create an easy daily gratitude practice. 

Final Thoughts

Getting unstuck is an ongoing process of reconnecting with your inner wisdom, passions, and purpose. It requires a little bit of self-compassion, an open mindset, a willingness to step outside your comfort zone, and a lot of patience. The good thing is, by strengthening your intuition, taking small actionable steps, embracing new perspectives, and surrounding yourself with positive influences, you can break free from patterns of stuckness. 

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