Learn How A Monster Truck can help you Get Unstuck

Have you ever been channel surfing through the hundreds of cable television channels and found nothing to watch?  That recently happened to us, and then all of a sudden we landed on a monster truck race. I do not know why we stopped on that channel, but there was something fascinating about watching these giant vehicles move through the obstacle courses.

There was one truck called Green Ginger that wedged itself into a spot that seemed nearly impossible to get out of. It went back and forth – first gear-reverse, first gear-reverse, first gear-reverse and did not budge.

Watching this had me think about the times I have been stuck in my own life, where it seemed like no matter what I did, I could not get out of the “uncomfortably comfortable” place I was in. That could have been a reason I had such a hard time moving, because there was a level of comfort to my stuckness.  I would stay in that place until the perceived comfort  became uncomfortable.

It is a similar for my clients. They have been working at their job for many years, are successful in the terms that they are making a lot of money and have climbed the “corporate ladder”.

The big missing – they are bored and unfulfilled.

The worst part about this scenario is that it leads to overwhelm, which then has them feel much like the monster truck – stuck in the mud.

Life is way too short to lead an unfulfilled and boring life. The question is what do you do first when you feel stuck?

1. First, admit that you are caught in the “hamster wheel”. As long as you deny feeling trapped or jammed, you will stay there. Once you can acknowledge you are indeed stuck, you can begin the process of becoming unstuck.
2. As counter-intuitive as this may sound, this is the perfect time to raise your joy factor. Studies have shown that when people have more joy in their lives, their productivity and creativity increase. As you put your attention on flourishing, more options will open up for you.
3. Find an activity or two that you really enjoy participating in. Make sure it has nothing to do with the area you feel stuck in. For instance, do you love to try new foods, but have not experimented in a while? Pick up the phone, call a friend and go visit the new restaurant in town. Typically it’s the little things that bring us the most joy. What is it for you?

These are the beginning steps to becoming unstuck and deliberately creating a life you are excited about living. I would love to hear what you do when you are feeling stuck.