Feeling Stuck?

Have you ever had a time when you recognize that you’re not where you want to be in your health (or life for that matter) but you don’t know what to do?  Maybe you have been trying to lose weight for years, or perhaps you haven’t slept through the night in months, or maybe you’re trying to get pregnant…

You feel like you have tried EVERYTHING…  You really do want a different result, but you can’t seem to make yourself take different actions to produce that result.

Feeling stuck is depressing and frustrating.  You and your calling in life are built for joy and abundance!  Staying stuck in not an option for you!

Recently I have started journaling.  Journaling can be a helpful way of organizing your thoughts, gaining clarity and even decreasing anxiety¹.  Just like meditation, there are countless ways to journal.  I don’t claim that mine is the best, but it has been a powerful way to help me figure things out when I am feeling stuck.  So, I wanted to share this process with you.

Like so many things in life, there are no short cuts…It is important to WRITE down your answers.  You can type them if you prefer but I think pen and paper is ideal…but as always, do what works for you.  Sometimes we want to “just think about the answers” instead of write them…turns out that doesn’t have the same effect in your brain or your life.

Journal prompt to help answer the question, “How can I get unstuck?”

1. What do you want?  This is where you need to get crystal clear about what you want.  If you don’t know what you want, how will you know how to get there?  Be sure that you write down what you REALLY want, not just what you think you can get.  Some examples might include:
   1. I want to lose 27 lbs.
   2. I want to be able to safely eliminate my XYZ medication (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc)
   3. I want to eliminate all joint pain from my body
   4. I want to be able to get through my day with good energy
   5. I want to add 10 lbs of muscle to my body
   6. I want to eliminate brain fog
   7. I want to be able to play on the floor with my grandkids without pain or trouble getting up
   8. I want to be able to sleep like a baby each night and wake up feeling refreshed
   9. I want to be able to…
   10. (The intention for this blog is in regard to health…but you could use these same questions to help you get rid of debt, grow your business, start a business, invest in real estate, become a better parent or anything else you want in your life).
2. What have you NOT tried yet?  Take some time here…I have found even for myself, when I think “I’ve tried everything”, that is rarely true and the very thought tends to close your mind.  OPEN your mind.  Again, don’t limit yourself to what you think you can do…for the sake of the brain storm, just dump on the page anything you could think of that would help you reach your goal.  Some examples might include:
   1. Changing your diet (there’s 1000+ ways to do this)
   2. Get some testing done (this can help you see WHY you are struggling with XYZ)
   3. Invest in a doctor/coach/trainer
   4. Read a book that addresses your challenge
   5. Listen to content via podcasts, YouTube, live events etc
   6. Begin a fast (there are lots of ways to do this)
   7. Start tracking some specific metric each day or week (this could be bodyfat, weight, recording foods, blood pressure, macros, specific vitamins/minerals, blood sugar)
   8. Add a superfood that supports your challenge
   9. Add bodywork- massage, Rolfing, reflexology
   10. Invest in other members of your health team- chiropractor, biological dentist, counselor
   11. Try colonics
   12. Join a gym, yoga studio, spinning class, etc
   13. Hire a chef for 2 days
   14. Commit to meditation
   15. Change your workout routine
   16. Get a standing desk
   17. Add stretching or yoga to your routine
   18. Sign up for a race (with a friend would be even better)
   19. Eliminate a certain food/drink (caffeine, sugar, alcohol, processed food, etc)
   20. This list could be long…keep going…don’t let even these ideas limit you
3. Of those things, pick 1 or 2 at the most to do TODAY.  There are some things that you may have to think about or do later…but there should be 1 or 2 things that stand out that you can do RIGHT NOW to at least get going.
   1. For example, if I am making this list for a given issue, and I am about to leave for a 10 day trip, several of these would be tough to commit to…but I could EASILY find a meditation that applies and do that today and every day for the next month+ even if I am traveling.
4. Create a longer-term plan.  Get started NOW with step 3…but then what?  There are likely some things you could do to set you up for continuing to add to your program later down the road.
   1. For example, if high stress is my issue, I could start meditation TODAY, but I could also call my massage therapist and schedule an appt for next week and a couple of weeks after that.
   2. If weight loss is my goal…I could start meditation today (yes, meditation helps everything)…maybe I have tried running in the past but have never tried signing up for a 5k with a good positive friend who you would love to spend time with.  So in this case your marching orders would be to call the friend and look up 5k’s in your area.
5. BONUS*:  Enlist a trusted friend…share as deeply as you’re able and enlist them to help you in some way.  This might just be “ask me how I am doing with XYZ” every week when I see you at work.  You could also put yourself on the hook by sharing with a group or posting on social media.
   1. For exp. It could be as simple as posting (or announcing), “Hi Friends, for the next 30 days I am focused on improving my energy.  One of the ways I plan to do this is by drinking 100 oz of water every day.  I am asking you to hold me accountable by asking me about it…AND…would you like to do this with me?”

*Don’t move onto this powerful bonus step until you have done the first 3 steps and have them IN writing.  

Exercises like this can be done in 10-20 minutes but the return on that investment of your time can be insightful, empowering and can, if acted upon, turn your life around.  I recommended setting aside some time to go through this process.  You can do it on anything you feel stuck on.  Go ahead and make your “stuck” list and enjoy the process.

WARNING:  There’s a temptation when you read something like this to think, “Good points” and then move on.  That does NOT serve you.  In order for this to really help you, you’ll need to do the work!  You can do this.  And you’re worth the time it takes to get unstuck.

If you’re not already, we’d love to have you join the New Hope Health family, so we can help you reach your health goals.  Feel free to call the clinic to schedule your initial consultation.  269-204-6525.

Reference:

1. Smyth JM, Johnson JA, Auer BJ, Lehman E, Talamo G, Sciamanna CN. Online positive affect journaling in the improvement of mental distress and well-being in general medical patients with elevated anxiety symptoms: A preliminary randomized controlled trial. JMIR Ment Heal. 2018. doi:10.2196/11290

Nothing said or implied in this post is intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease.  It does not take the place of a qualified health care practitioner and is intended for educational purposes only.