I’d like to pause to her words . . .
My friend is a professional therapist. This is a woman who can pick apart behaviors, deep dive into one’s motives, and help steer perspectives back to reality … and even she gets stuck from time to time!
Y’all, it’s normal.
This is a relief because that means many people have struggled and have overcome their moments of feeling stuck – there is hope for us.
There is hope when we feel we’re going nowhere.
Hope in the wrestling of wanting more yet struggle to see how.
Hope for those who feel boredom and urgency all at once.
And hope for those who are stuck in a gear that is running themselves to a breaking point.
♥♥♥
If you’re feeling a little stuck, here are some ways to help you move forward, see some hope, and step toward your goals. Most importantly, these are ways to sink in closer to God, lean toward His voice, and move according to His Spirit. When your ways have run their course, when you’ve exhausted your ideas and know-how’s … sometimes, God allows us to feel stuck so we may reach for Him.
“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,” Acts:17:26, 27
- Settle into scripture. Listen, there are distractions everywhere – and those distractions look like social feeds. Where there are lots of options and new materials being presented – for a creative type (or any type) this is a gateway to Distractionville. New knowledge makes one feel as if they’re moving forward, however one must examine the materials being digested. Get into your good’ol paper bible, bring your highlighter and spend some time in 1 John. It’s a short yet mighty read. By doing this you’ll be recalibrating your nervous system and belief system for the good.
- Listen to Scripture. I have a new app that I love. It’s called her.BIBLE and it’s read by multicultural women. There are no devotionals, no videos, no social feed … just the Word, and it’s lovely. I listen while I’m laying by the pool, in my car, or taking a walk. The women reading do not sound robotic nor boring and it gives the bible a fresh yet familiar sound.
- Meet with someone doing what you desire. Remember my therapist friend? Even though we’re friends and have coffee together from time to time – she is also a person I can consult with my own career objectives because we have a similar vein of expertise. Meeting with someone that has gone through, or is going through what you’re walking into – is invaluable.
- Be inwardly listening. I’ve had countless coffee dates with women who simply needed an ear to listen and a voice to help articulate what they were feeling. Every time I’ve left these dates, my heart has soared … and most times I’ve thought, if only I could get paid to do that! Are there “dates” or activities you’ve experienced that feel incredibly purposeful, fulfilling, or wishful?
Lean into those moments and create space to do more of them. When ideas arise, step into them.
- Move at a pace that feels challenging and controllable. Everyday I take my dog for a walk – Our distance depends on the balance between the challenge and the control. Being pulled and yanked around by a Bulladore for miles causes me to give up the walk quickly. However, the more control I have over my ‘muscular meatball’ leads to a much more pleasant challenge of walking three to four miles together. To move out of feeling stuck – give yourself a challenge that is at a controllable pace.
It’s normal to feel stuck or uncertain as to how to move forward – the good news is that what your feeling, others have passed through those feelings too. Be encouraged, there are footprints to follow and advice to be heard.
“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;” Proverbs 37:23 … actually, read all of Psalm 37 (it’s so encouraging)
Need a little more help? – I love this book by Emily P. Freeman, The Next Right Thing (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.)
Blessings to you!
FOR QUIZ RESULTS