Self-Care for When You Feel Stuck (And How to Start Moving Forward)

We’ve all been there, that heavy, sluggish feeling of being stuck. Maybe it’s a creative block, a lack of motivation, or just the sense that life is moving around you while you stand still. When this happens, self-care isn’t just about bubble baths (though those are great too). It’s about gentle, intentional actions that reconnect you with your energy and purpose.

Why We Get Stuck

Stuckness often comes from:

• Overwhelm – Too many options, too much pressure.

• Fear – Of failure, success, or the unknown. We have a lot of this going around

• Disconnection – From our bodies, intuition, or joy. Be unaligned with self.

• Moments of Transformation in Your Life - Sometimes when we go through change in our life it feels difficult and we cannot move through it fast enough, it's uncomfortable and we don't want to be there. So, we feel stuck even if we are moving at a snail's pace.

The key isn’t to force your way out, but to create small openings for movement. Small actions create big transformation.

Self-Care Practices to Loosen the Grip

• Move Your Body (Even a Little) Stagnant energy loves a stagnant body. Shake it out, literally. Stand up and shake your limbs for 30 seconds (Dance to your favorite song), or take a 5-minute walk outside. Physical motion shifts mental blocks.

• Write a "Brain Dump" List Grab a notebook and dump every thought, worry, or to-do onto paper. No editing. This clears mental clutter so you can see what’s really holding you back. This is excellent to do before bed for better sleep. Be sure to end this practice with a thought of something your grateful for.

• Reconnect with Pleasure When we’re stuck, we often stop doing things that feel good. Start to add these small bits of joy back into your life. Listen to a favorite song, savor a piece of chocolate, or doodle aimlessly. Joy is a compass. Follow your joy, always follow your joy.

3 Action Steps to Start Moving Forward

• Pick One Tiny Win - Choose one thing you can do in under 5 minutes (reply to an email, water a plant, stretch). Do it immediately. Momentum builds from micro-actions.

• Ask Yourself: What’s the Next Right Thing? - Not the whole plan, just the next step. Write it down. If it feels too big, break it smaller.

• Schedule a "Future You" Check-In - Set a 3-day reminder to ask: "Did I take one step? How did it feel?" Adjust from there.

• Change the Way You Do Things - Sometimes just changing these everyday things up a bit can create the momentum you need to make some bigger changes in your life. Examples: Drive a different way to work or to the store. Wear clothes you haven't worn in a while. Change what you're eating on a daily basis, get some new recipes. Change your morning and night routines.

Remember:

Stuckness is a season, not a life sentence. Be kind to yourself, progress doesn’t have to be dramatic to count.

I'm in a stuck season in my life. I believe I'm experiencing a moment of great transformation from one era to another that is going to give me great freedom. I can almost feel it about to enter my life but it's not quite there yet. It's very hard to explain the feeling. I feel stuck but I have patience because I know that transformation takes time and I have faith and confidence that what is on the other side is going to be amazing. I know if I keep following my joy and taking care of myself at the deepest level in all areas of my life that everything will keep moving at the speed it was meant to move. 

So, if this is you, don't get impatient, don't give up, just keep moving forward with small steps that are enhanced with faith and joy and we will all be okay.

Your Turn: What’s one small move you’ll make today? Share below—I’d love to cheer you on. Let me know in the comments below>>

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Xo, T