Feeling stuck? Feeling unmotivated? Creative vacuum?

'Being Stuck' means you are neither moving towards your dreams, goals or values nor moving towards your past (e.g thinking, behaviors, etc.) If 'Being Stuck' is not new to you or persistent state for you, it may be time to talk to a trusted friend, mentor or a counselor. (Hint: I know a counselor!) Could be you just need an ally in your corner to help you identify new things and motivate you along the way....like a coach! (Hint: I know a coach, too!) Bottom-line, everyone gets stuck at some point. If you look at from the view of the chinese meaning for crisis, danger & opportunity. It's an opportunity to try something new and different. Getting unstuck is about being flexible. Getting unstuck is figuring out if you are.

Here are some things you can do to help move through whatever you are stuck on.

1. Change your perspective. This can be as simple as sitting in a different room or sitting in a seldom used chair. If you have a routine for creative work, break it. Drive a different route. Wear outrageous socks and see if anyone notices then tell them why you wore them and thank them for noticing.

2. Change the Noise. If your thinking is constantly cycling on negative things, actions, mistakes you've made, friends lost, etc. That is cognitive noise. You need to change the noise makers in your head. Distraction is best. Do this by doing something you enjoy, listening to music, calling a friend, reading positive affirmations. Don't have a book on positive affirmations, you buy own. They generally have them for both men and women.

When negative thinking becomes a habit it's called ruminating. Negative thinking often precedes negative behaviors, it may be time to talk to a counselor and they can help you reframe the thoughts from negative to positive and teach you coping skills to defend your psyche from future attacks. (Hint: I know a counselor!)

3. Use visualization. Sit down, get comfortable, close your eyes. Turn off all the electronics in your life. Be sure to include sights, sounds, feels and taste.

· Visualize a serene place your have visited or want to visit. It may be real or just fantasy.

· Visualize what you will look like when you feel successful.

· Visualize rearranging the room you are in.

· Visualize rearranging your home.

· Visualize rearranging your life with a new car, new home, new furniture. Now visualize how you got there.

At the conclusion of your visualization, you will be at peace. In that moment, quickly think what you need to be doing. It can be small or large, silly or profound. Write it down. Quickly write down the steps needed to complete the action. Commit to completing the task. Go do it!

4. Identify at least one thing you do well. Now go do that. Don’t think about it. Just go do it. This is a way to reinforce positive thoughts and positive actions. Do this often enough it becomes a habit….a good habit!

5. Identify one thing you want to learn. Now go learn about it. The best place is probably an internet search. It may be a hobby or activity new to you so check out YouTube. However, if you are like me, I can lose hours watching stuff on YouTube. Useful stuff but some really stupid stuff, too. Be self and time accountable.

6. Make a Gratitude Jar. Get some paper and write down things you are grateful for. Things about you, friends, relationships, spiritual connections, family, work, experiences, vacations, etc. Cut them up and place them in a jar but a box, cup or other container will work, too. Do not concern yourself with small or large. If is meaningful enough for you to think of it fondly….write it down.

Making the jar is a great action task to get you moving. The benefits really pay off in the future if you are having a bad or down day. Select one or more at random and relive the moment. These will uplift and motivate you.

7. Play the “I’ve won the Lottery” mental game. Just as it sounds, you have won the lottery. You pick the amount. This is pure fun. Dream big and bold. Now with pen and paper, start to write down:

• Who are the first people you are going to tell?

• What’s the first thing you are going to buy for yourself?

• You probably won’t have to work again, so what are you going to do?

• What is the first donation or gift you are going to give?

• What will your day look like after the shock where’s off?

Which answer gave you the most joy or freeing feeling? Figure out what it would take for you to start working toward making it a reality. You probably don’t have to win the lottery for real to start working towards it. Even small steps count!

Many people find a new direction, purpose or mission when they free themselves from constraints of money (or time or obligation).

This has been one of my favorites but I’ve reached a point now where I have the same answers each time. Guess I need to start buying a lottery ticket in order to manifest my dream.

8. Be Silly. Allow yourself to be silly. Maybe close the curtains, too. You get to decide what is silly for you. Above all, have no judgments upon your self. Free yourself from what you think people will think of you. Frankly, what people think of you is none of your business! Some examples:

• I’ve made paper airplanes with clients. It became a competition but more importantly it became a discussion about values. The outcome was a life direction with purpose and mission in alignment with their core values.

• I’ve taken a client into a nearby forest with a bat and let them hit a tree. Don’t worry the tree is doing just fine. This freed the client of some anger. Like a cork on a jug, it freed them from negative thinking to constructive thinking.

• I had a client dress backwards. Clothes inside out. Shoes on before socks, pants before underwear, etc. It’s actually kind of hard to do. Then top it off with a shower…fully clothed inside out. Crazy but the joy on the client’s face telling the story in detail was priceless. It freed us up to do some good coaching and served as a litmus test for when the client encountered difficult obstacles and blocking thoughts.

Relax....It’s Normal

Getting stuck is normal. Everyone has times of indecision. The 3 most common reasons in my experience are 1) Fear 2) Flooding 3) Depression. Fear is a great motivator but it can be sage advice to proceed with caution. The question to ask your self is the fear rational or irrational? Coaching can help you determine which one and how each one can be addressed.

Flooding is the term I use when I see people inundated with life decisions, choices and unexpected stuff. They are not so much stuck as they are overwhelmed and struggling to prioritize things. They are focused on juggling the normal balls but now there are more balls to juggle. Coaching helps you prioritize and focus on taking action and solving things.

Depression is not something coaching addresses. Depression that affects your daily living is something you need to consider consulting a professional. I happen to know a counselor who handles depression and I have referrals for other counselors.