10 Ways To Move Forward If You Feel Stuck
Stuck in a rut? There are many times in life we struggle to find direction and motivation. Those moments can be things like:
But in spite of that feeling, you have to move forward. On the other side of a funk, you can grow as a person and be happy.
Life is a journey to be embraced. Through all the ups and downs, we can create something meaningful.
While it may be easy to stop when nothing seems to be working out, keep going. You never know the good things that can be right around the corner.
Continuing to push forward towards our goals has been proven to help with minimizing mental distress. Here are some strategies that’ll help you move forward.
10 Ways To Move Forward
1. Reflect on what you want
The main reason you might be stuck is that you don’t know what you want. You think about what will make you feel more fulfilled in life.
You need to consider what’s your top priority for your future. Go somewhere that makes you feel calm and relaxed.
As you relax, reflect on what makes you happy. Brainstorm what gives you meaning to get an idea of what your next move will be.
2. Take time for self-care
None of us have unlimited energy. Eventually, we get tired and need to rest. Take time to give yourself some self-care.
That means doing things that make you feel good or help you to feel relaxed. There are a number of different things you can consider trying. I’ll offer a few examples to get you started.
Making yourself feel good:
- Enjoy your favorite meal.
- Watch your favorite TV show.
- Talk to someone you’re close with.
- Do an activity that’s fun.
- Spend time one of your passions.
Making yourself relaxed:
- Take a warm bath.
- Drink some tea.
- Walk in nature.
- Meditate.
- Listen to some relaxing music.
You know yourself well enough to decide what things would make you feel good and relax you. Make it a habit to regularly practice self-care.
3. Let go of what’s holding you back
People can support you, but they can also hold you back. Sometimes you need to let go of those who hurt you.
You need to move on from those who aren’t looking out for your best interest. Pull back and avoid those who aren’t encouraging you.
Along with letting go of people, let go of any old memories you’re holding on to. Release the pain you’ve been holding on to. Allow yourself to be happy again.
4. Focus on your why
We all have some kind of reason we’re continuing on to the next day. It could be because of our faith, it could be because of the loved ones we care about, or maybe it’s just some dream we have.
If you already know what your why is, bring your focus back to that. Remind yourself what makes it important for you to keep pushing forward.
Think about the end goal that you’ll achieve and how proud you’ll be that you didn’t give up. When I was in my last semester of college, for whatever reason, my physical well-being was at a low point.
I wanted to quit because it just felt too mentally and physically draining. But I kept focusing on my why, which for me was that it was important for me to get my degree.
Through focusing on my why throughout the semester, along with the encouragement of my parents, I finished the semester. I got my degree in Philosophy and moved on to where I am today.
5. Focus on one day at a time
It’s easy to get quickly overwhelmed when you focus on how long it’ll take to get to where you want to be in life. Instead, just focus on one day at a time.
Of course some things have to be planned for ahead of time, but in general, try to stay focused on your tasks for the day. If you’re pursuing a degree, that means making it to your classes and learning the information you’re being taught that day.
If you’re trying to get fit or muscular, don’t focus on the moths it takes to get in shape. Focus on just making time to get in some working out in your day.
Use this principle with any struggle you’re working through right now. It’ll help you feel less burdened.
6. Have people to support you
Moving forward is hard enough as it is when life gets tough. But to be alone in pushing yourself can make the journey almost feel impossible.
We need each other now more than ever. You don’t have to go through your struggles alone.
There are always people out there to help you and encourage you. It can be your family, your friends, or even just a local community organization.
No matter what, there’s someone out there who can give you the kind of support you need. Find someone who can keep you motivated through your struggles.
7. Focus on yourself
Don’t focus on what other people are doing. We can make ourselves stuck comparing our journey to someone else’s. We get down because we’re not where we think we should be.
Instead, choose to focus on what you’re doing to get better. Be grateful for the improvements you’re making.
8. Take some steps
You can’t start going forward again in life until you take a step. You have to do something.
Even if you’re not sure it’s something that’ll work, you have to try. You never know if what you do next will lead to an opportunity.
9. Believe in yourself again
With being stuck for a while, you’ve probably stopped believing in yourself over time. But if you don’t believe you can get going again, you probably won’t. A growth mindset, which is believing you can get better, has been proven to be an effective strategy.
10. Develop a routine
Having structure can make the process of taking steps a little easier. Start using a planner with a list of things you can do in your day. It’ll build up your confidence to be able to stick to a routine and get things done.
Final thoughts on moving forward
If you’ve made it this far in life, you can make it even further. I believe the distance we’ve traveled in life shows us just how strong we are.
Don’t give up on your dreams and goals. Keep believing in yourself to find a way to push ahead.
Following these strategies will help give you the motivation to get going again. Continue to give yourself a chance to one day achieve the reality that you’ve always wanted.
Inspirational video on being persistent
