Being stuck is a real thing and we’ve all experienced it. And it’s not fun. Getting unstuck can happen on its own with time, and/or by employing some useful strategies.

Before I get to those, I just need to point out that we’re all more successful in getting “unstuck” than we think we are – at least when it comes to things like our disposal, teeth, or the silverware drawer. In those cases we get creative. We try to create even some small amount of movement. We think, rightly so, if we can shift it even a bit we’ll have a chance at going the distance. It’s really not that different when we’re stuck in more major ways in our lives.

Here are a few things that on the surface seem small but can create just enough movement to motivate us to go the distance when we’re stuck. All these suggestions are aimed at increasing creativity, which is what’s called for when you’re stuck. To learn more about accessing creativity in general, I recommend Fred Mandell and Kathleen Jordan’s book Becoming a Life Change Artist where they powerfully describe and illustrate how the creative process of the great masters can help us with life’s decisions.

Some Strategies for Getting “Unstuck”:

· Move: Literally get up and move to a different chair, room, or better yet take a walk around the block. Moving your location can also shift your energy, providing an opening for seeing the situation in a new light.

· Lighten Up: When things feel stuck, they feel hard and difficult, and in that frame of mind you can’t be creative, you’re certainly not at your best. I know, easier said than done, but try on a stance of ease. What would this situation be like if it was simple, light, not so heavy? Some even find relief in laughing at themselves saying, “Really, this again? Give me a break! I can figure this out.”

· Try on a New Perspective: Imagine you’re looking at a dice, with images on all sides instead of dots. The side you’re looking at is the side you’ve been looking at for a while. You’re stuck on it in fact. What’s the image you’re stuck on (blackness, a cliff, deep pit)? Now imagine rolling the dice and experiencing your situation from the perspective of a different image on the dice (some images that might be useful are: a tree, bird, beach, forest, bookshelf, menu at a great restaurant, candy store, you get the idea). Keep going until you’ve exhausted all 6 images. What’s possible now?

· Examine Your History: Take a walk down memory lane and ask yourself, when else have you been stuck, how did you handle it then? Chances are you’ve been resilient, creative, and resourceful at many other times in your life. Use that information to help you now.

I look forward to hearing your strategies for getting unstuck and how these work for you.

Judy Elkin