Are You Feeling Stuck?

I penned this post (in my head) during my long run Saturday morning after reading Ralph Marston's Daily Motivator "Feeling Stuck".

I am stubborn. It is a gift from my parents and one I cherish. I think for this reason, the thought of being "stuck" is one that I do not relish. I am fortunate that when this happens, I have learned to pause, breathe, ponder, decide, and act.

I refuse to be stuck. Ever.

I remember one Thanksgiving when I was in medical school, I had planned to drive from Pittsburgh to Buffalo for dinner with Mom and Dad. A winter storm watch was announced, but I refused to be deterred. I trudged off in my 1981 Pontiac Phoenix with dreams of warm hugs and a home-cooked meal. What should have been a 3-hour drive took 12 hours. There were so many times when I should have turned back. There were so many times when I cried in frustration because I was potentially "stuck." When I got to the highway exchange to head to Buffalo, the highway was closed. Stuck? Nope. I headed off down the county roads. When I got stuck in a snow drift and couldn't move forward...stuck? Nope. I used the passenger floor mats to get traction and out of the snow drift. Repeatedly during this 12-hour drive, I felt stuck (and very tired) but gathered the energy and motivation to find a creative solution to keep moving forward. And that was the goal. To keep moving forward.

You are not stuck.

There may be times when you encounter challenges as you move toward a goal. You will overcome the challenges. That is what makes us stronger. These challenges will force you to pause, breathe, ponder, choose, and act. The main thing is not to let your thoughts or perception that there is no path forward allow you to get stuck. The energy, frustration, and other feelings you experience in your stuckness can and should be applied to finding solutions to move you forward. You may need to ask for help. You may need to think creatively. You may need to use your car mats or kitty litter or a host of other tools in your toolkit to keep you moving forward.

If you are feeling stuck, ask yourself why and then let's create amazing solutions to move forward one step at a time. You can do it.

Be well,

Daphne