A new year can spur you to make goals. But maybe the idea of going through another cycle of goal planning is already making you weary? Get Unstuck : How To Move Forward In Your Life – I look at easy and inspiring steps to get you moving.
How can it be another year already?
Time is moving too fast!
I don’t know what I want to do with my life!
I don’t know what my purpose is?
What is my passion?
Does this sound familiar?
I used to make new year’s resolutions, planning goals for the full year. I thought keeping a record of your goals was boring, so I chose to burn them symbolically…although that never really made sense as I’d forget what my original goal was when March arrived!
Now I see there’s no point making a goal if you just forget about it.
Why do we make goals and not stick to them
There is science behind this, our brain doesn’t like new things – it repeats things from our past that we already know in order to keep us alive. So if you are planning something completely new, your brain can’t reassure you as it’s unknown territory.
Fear rears it’s ugly head again.
We’re scared that if we make a goal we might not get there, so we make weak goals, or no goals at all!
We’d rather not take a chance and keep in our comfort zone.
Isn’t it better to try and succeed? Even to try and fail is better than doing nothing at all and just coasting through life.
By making a goal you can see what you actually want in life, it may even surprise you. It did for me!
Unsure how to get unstuck?
OK aside from the fear – maybe you just don’t know what you want.
This is completely understandable – perhaps nothing has truly resonated with you yet, leaving you to wonder – what do I really want?
Although – asking that question over and over might make things worse!
We can’t force ourselves to want something if we don’t know what we want.
Some successful speakers, writers, and celebrities have shared their secret of getting the life you want. Here it is…
– to follow your passion!
Easy huh? Follow your passion in life and that will make you happy. There you go! You never need to go to a motivational talk again!
These suggestions are well-meaning, but unhelpful. Not everyone has the ability to know what they are passionate about, especially a passion that starts in childhood and continues into adulthood.
I have many passions, and some that served me for a time, but it doesn’t mean I only want to do that one thing the rest of my life. I was a band promoter, a fashion designer, an author – and I am changing all the time, and so are my goals.
And you know what? That’s absolutely fine.
Steps to get unstuck : How to move forward in your life
What sparks your interest? Still not sure? Below are steps to guide you. Trust in yourself…
Practise gratitude
What are you thankful for now – make a list every day. This will open you up to realise what makes you happy. Want more help on practising gratitude – click here.
Open your eyes
Watch the world around you, take an interest, be curious, is there anything that makes you smile? Write them down in a notebook whenever an idea presents itself. Nothing is too silly!
For example – I saw 5 dogs being walked by a dog-walker, what a great way to exercise.….I saw a mother with a baby wrapped around her, so cute.
De-clutter the mess
It’s true that clutter can affect your mind, so look around what you see everyday. Maybe you have a closet full of clothes you haven’t worn in years, or you have tech-gear that you got on a whim but never made use of any of it? Why not sell it or give it away?
I’m of the mind that if I haven’t used/worn anything in two years, – get rid of it. I bought a digital illustrator as I thought I would use it for drawing, turns out I used it once and never really took to it. It stayed on my desk for months and months collecting dusk – true story – I had to wipe it down every time I cleaned the house! Just seeing it sitting around and not getting used bothered me, and stressed me out as I knew I had no interest. So now it’s gone to a good home and I know they’re making use of it and that gives me relief.
Switch up your routines
We wake the same time everyday, have the same breakfast, do makeup, brush teeth, go to work, lunch, drive home on the same roads, come home eat dinner. It can be easy to just stay on autopilot – gliding through life without really paying attention.
Perhaps you could wake slightly earlier and go for a refreshing morning walk? Or drive a different way to work, giving yourself more time than usual. Shake things up a little and free up that curious part of your mind.
Good food for body and mind
Nutritious food is important for your body to have energy, and for your mind to function well. Keeping hydrated with plenty of water too is paramount.
My tip – Keep a bottle of water on you at all times. I use a tin cup with straw and fill it up constantly – it makes me drink more water every day, and is better than a water bottle as you don’t need to unscrew a lid/cap every time …yes I’m that lazy, but what I realise is tiny steps really encourage big actions.
Important note: Have fun ! Allow yourself to get excited, be curious and above all look on this shift as a positive turn.
If you find the above steps useful, keep an eye out for my next post to take you to the next level – Step Into Your Better Self With Simple Planning
Pin for later – Get Unstuck : How To Move Forward In Your Life
What About You?
Have you any tips and tricks on how to Get Unstuck?
If you enjoyed this, have a look at my previous posts such as How To Declutter Your Mind
Until next time, dear reader.
CG
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