5 Reasons You’re Still Feeling Stuck
We are creatures of habit and we resist change. But you need to change to get out of this rut.
Life may seem a little gray. You’re just going through the motions, slowly moving from one day to the next. You’ve tried to switch things up so you can get out of this rut, but nothing seems to work.
If you’re struggling to fight the mundane and make more of your life, here are five reasons why you’re still stuck in a rut.
1: You Do The Same Thing Every Day
It’s really easy to get stuck in a routine. Humans are creatures of habit and we resist change. Even though establishing healthy habits is important, novelty is still an essential part of the human experience. Research shows that experiencing novelty can trigger dopamine release in the pleasure centers of the brain. This suggests that our brains reward us for novelty because it is good for us. Novelty is how we learn and grow.
So, if you’re feeling stuck, try adding more novelty to your life. Try learning something new by reading a book, listening to a podcast, or taking a course. Invite new experiences into your life by meeting new people, trying a new hobby or traveling to a new place. Adding more novelty to your life will help you break free from your rut.
2: You’re Avoiding Your Problems
We all go through challenges and struggles. But if you avoid resolving them, they can keep you stuck in the same place. Maybe you need to set important boundaries in your relationships. Maybe you need to start going to therapy. Whatever your issues may be, leaving them unresolved will keep you stuck and unable to move on.
Spend some time journaling about your struggles. This will help you gain a better understanding of them. Also spend time reading books and articles about your problems. Work with a therapist to help you navigate them. Do what you can to start making progress in your life.
3: You Stick With The Familiar
Like we discussed above, we are creatures of habit. And even if you’ve tried adding more novelty to your life and seemingly resolved your problems, you may still find yourself stuck. This is because you crave the familiar.
Maybe you left your toxic work environment only to find yourself in another dead-end job. Maybe you broke off your relationship just to end up in a very similar one. This is due to underlying beliefs and unnoticed behaviors that keep you stuck in the familiar. You don’t think you deserve better or believe life could be any different.
Navigating the unfamiliar can be scary. But it can help you get out of your rut. Journaling and working with a therapist can help you identify and overcome these beliefs and behaviors.
4: You’re Not Taking Care Of Yourself
It doesn’t matter if you’re on the right path or stuck in a rut, if you don’t take care of yourself you’ll always struggle with feeling stuck. If you want to get out of this rut and begin making progress, start taking care of yourself.
1: Eat Nutritious Foods: Your body needs nutrient-dense foods to function properly. Try adding more fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and whole grains to your diet.
2: Drink Lots of Water: Water is really important for your health. Without enough of it, you can experience headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, and a lack of concentration. Aim to drink at least 75 ounces of water a day. But the more you drink the better.
3: Get Enough Sleep: Sleep is when your body and brain rest and recover. So you need to get a lot of it. And the earlier you go to bed, the better quality of sleep you’ll experience. Strive to get at least 7–9 hours of sleep every night and aim to go to sleep around 10pm.
4: Exercise Daily: Exercise provides a lot of health benefits. It strengthens your muscles, improves your heart, decreases your risk for several diseases, boosts your mood and gives you more energy. Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes each day.
5: Nurture Your Mental Health: Your mental health is an important part of your overall well-being. Without it, you can struggle with motivation, apathy, poor appetite, anxiety, depression, and more. Nurture your mental health through meditation, yoga, journaling, breathwork, and therapy.
5: You’re Ignoring Your Dreams
Ignoring your dreams can leave you feeling unfulfilled and unsure about what direction to take in life. If you want to pursue your goals but think your dreams are too silly, unrealistic, or scary to achieve, this may contribute to your being stuck.
Not chasing after your dreams can leave you stranded in limbo. You’re constantly frozen between doing what’s comfortable and what you actually want. You can’t make progress because you’re afraid to abandon your dreams but you’re also afraid to abandon your comfort zone.
If you feel stuck, start chasing your dreams. No matter how big or insignificant you may think they are. You can start small by working towards your dreams on the weekend or you can go all in and make chasing your dream your full-time job. If you’re unsure of what your dreams are, check out this article to find what you’re passionate about.
Conclusion
Feeling stuck can be frustrating. Especially if you’ve felt this way for a long time. If you still feel stuck, try adding more novelty to your life, begin working through your problems, break out of your comfort zone, start taking care of yourself, and chase your dreams.
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