Feeling Stuck? Here's How to Get Out of a Rut 🔒

Feeling Stuck Doesn't Always Mean Something Is Wrong

There are moments in life when you feel lost, restless and unproductive. Maybe it's your career, relationships, health or simply the feeling that life is moving around you while you're standing still.

We often interpret feeling stuck as failure. We tell ourselves we're lazy, unmotivated or lacking discipline. But after listening to a recent podcast episode by Mel Robbins, I found her perspective refreshing.

She explained that feeling stuck is often misunderstood. It doesn't mean something is wrong with you but that you've outgrown the version of life you're currently living. That really stood out to me because maybe being stuck is just the tension between where you are and where you know you want to be.

The Three Traps That Keep Us Stuck

Mel talks about three common traps that can keep us in a rut. What I found helpful wasn't simply hearing the advice itself, but identifying where I actually am in the process. If you don't know where you're stuck, how do you know what you need?

Before anything else, ask yourself:

Where in my life do I feel stuck right now?

Is it work? Relationships? Your health? Maybe you've been made redundant and suddenly lost the structure your job gave you. Maybe you completed a degree and realised you don't even want the career path attached to it anymore.

The answers matter because the solution isn't always the same.

The Not Ready Trap

The first trap is believing you're not ready. Are you waiting for more confidence, more certainty or a clearer plan before making a change.

The thing that is holding you back it the inability to make a decision. You can't be vague like "Maybe I'll start." You need to be more certain and direct in your decision such as:

"I am applying for five jobs a week."
"I am using the next six months to invest in my business idea."
"I am going to prioritise my health."

It starts with identifying the WHAT before you even consider the HOW.

The Overthinking Trap

The second trap was probably the one I related to most. You make the decision to change, but then your brain starts working overtime. 

You research endlessly, think about every possible outcome and convince yourself that you need to know more before you can start. Suddenly weeks pass and you've been "working on it" without actually doing anything.

Mel calls the solution the "Hot 15". Spending fifteen minutes a day moving toward something that matters. 

What I liked about this wasn't really the productivity aspect, but the simplicity. I think sometimes the reason starting feels so difficult isn't because we're lazy or afraid of failure, it's because our minds make everything feel huge.

I know for me personally, I can have so many ideas at once that I get overwhelmed and end up doing nothing. And I don't think that's uncommon right now. When there are endless possibilities, endless content and endless people showing what they're doing online, choosing one direction can almost feel harder.

Something I've found useful is taking everything out of my head and putting it onto paper. Mind maps help because you can jot down all your thoughts with no filter.

Then ask:

"Which one of these can become a small action?"

If losing weight feels overwhelming, maybe the action is just a fifteen-minute walk.

If you want to build a business, maybe it's creating the social media page or building the first version of a website.

Small actions make big ideas feel approachable.

The Hesitation Trap

The final trap is hesitation. You've made the decision, simplified it and now know exactly what you need to do.

And then... you stop yourself. You don't submit the application, go to the gym, post the content. You hesitate.

Sometimes we tell ourselves we're waiting for the right mood, the right season or the right timing. But there always seems to be a reason. I'm tired, I'll start Monday, I don't feel like it today.

And I think this is where action matters most. Because waiting to feel ready can keep you waiting forever. You can spend so much time mentally preparing for something that you exhaust yourself before you've even begun.

The Identity Shift

An idea from Atomic Habits by James Clear. Real change isn't always about obsessing over outcomes, it's about identity.

Instead of focusing only on losing weight, maybe it's becoming someone who takes care of themselves. Instead of saying you want to write a book, become someone who writes.

You don't become a writer after publishing a book. You become a writer when you sit down and write.

My Perspective on Feeling Stuck

What I took away most from this, is that feeling stuck doesn't always mean you lack determination or that you're lazy.

Sometimes you're overwhelmed, you have too many ideas and sometimes you know exactly what to do but the weight of everything feels bigger than the action itself.

And sometimes you need to make difficult decisions you don't necessarily want to make, but know you should.

I think change actually begins with choosing a direction and taking a small step towards it, not in knowing everything or felling fully ready. 

To summarise, if you're feeling stuck:

• Make the decision and choose a direction.
• Simplify it, and work on it for 15 minutes a day.
• Just start, count down 54321. It doesn't have to be perfect but its progress. 

With love,
Productive Babe Club