The Tribune

Whether you’re feeling stuck in a career, relationship or just stuck in a rut, being stuck is real and often a difficult space to navigate.

If this is where you find yourself, you are not alone. We’ve all experienced the dull feeling of being stuck at some point. However, being stuck is not necessarily the problem; it is staying stuck that’s the real issue.

The question is why do people stay stuck and how can they get unstuck?

Well, to get unstuck you must first acknowledge that you are in fact stuck and that you are tired of being stuck. People often stay stuck because they are in denial. If you don’t acknowledge where you are it is difficult to take yourself somewhere else.

Having been stuck many times in my life, I recognised that I had to admit where I was and make the decision that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. To get unstuck, I had to step it up. This meant thinking in a whole new way and making some new choices for my life.

Recognise that being stuck in and of itself is not a bad thing. The challenge is whether you are willing to work your way through it. Before you can get unstuck, you must be willing to be honest with yourself about where you are and what you really want.

This will take more than some surface assessment or quick fix process. Instead, you must get to the root of what it is that is holding you back. You must also find the motivation to take yourself to a better state. This is where it gets tough. Taking action usually means it gets tough.

Another challenge is your tolerance for the truth, which could be hard to face. It for this reason that many people remain stuck in unsupportive situations. To make any real changes in your life you must give yourself time. Real change takes time and it takes being fully engaged in the process.

Being disengaged presents many major roadblocks. You must be willing to change your thinking before you can change your life. I find that when you change the way you are thinking about things, the things you were thinking about begin to change. Suddenly, roadblocks begin to become unblocked. Ultimately, living an empowered life is about moving, growing and expanding. It is continuously getting unstuck; knowing that you can rule your destiny.

The first step is to clarify where you think you are stuck. Are you stuck in your relationship, career, finances, or is it a combination of hose areas?

This is a fundamental step because you cannot fix what you do not face. Clarity is always king. When you become clear about where you really are, you can more readily take your life in a new direction. The fact of the matter is that it is your choice to stay stuck or to get unstuck. Getting unstuck is not about looking backwards as much as it is about looking inward in order to move your life forward.

Leader to leader, take this opportunity to do something for yourself. Step up to meet the challenges of where you are; seeing yourself as an extraordinary individual with unlimited capacity to expand your life. Get inside your life and be willing to do the work.

Make today the day that you begin to get unstuck and redirect your life. You can do it, knowing that it moves you closer to living an empowered life.

What do you think? Send comments questions to coaching242@yahoo.com

• Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach, communication and leadership expert. Call 429-6770 or visit www.michellemmiller.com; mail can be sent to PO Box CB-13060.