The Wellness Edition No. 18 - Getting Outta Stuck

Feeling stuck?! It is a feeling pretty much all of us can relate to, right? At some point you just feel stuck in a very inconvenient situation. But let's face it, you are not a tree with deep roots under the ground, you can always move forward - as long as you are willing to make changes. As I mentioned before, if something does not feel right, you should have the courage to change it. I know, changes take courage, staying in the bubble of your comfort zone often feels much more convenient. But that is what it is, convenience...and convenience won't cause any happiness in the majority of the cases. 

So where do we often feel stuck? Jobs that make us unhappy, relationships and friendships that got toxic or that we have just outgrown, hobbies that no longer serve us, a study program that you started and then realised that it is not what you imagined, the place where you live that no longer feels good to you...I think these are the most common situations where we feel stuck. 

I felt stuck pretty much in every job I had, that's why I quit to become self-employed because I think being self-employed gives you full control of further developing your skills and interests. In most employed jobs you end up with doing several tasks that match the job profile and that's it. But when you are self-employed, you have to be an expert in that field you are working in, become your own marketer, your own accountant, your own copywriter and so on...you get the picture, right? Outsourcing is not an option in the beginning, but later on when things are going well, it is a food for thought. 

In friendships and relationships you often feel stuck as well whenever you realise that you have changed and that your former friend or significant other have also changed, but not into the same direction as you. Well, most probably problems occur then because you are just not so compatible anymore. 2017 pretty much is for me the year of many ending friendships and also an ending relationship. But well, what to do? Moving on is the answer! Because you have the ability to move on since you are not a tree...(you get it, I really like the tree comparison)!

When I was still in university I got really stuck as well. My study program was discontinued, I still had to do 3 courses which were not offered anymore and I was fighting for it like a tiger to finally graduate but in the end nothing worked out, I got incredibly sick again because of my Hashimoto's, so I decided to leave without that effing degree. So what? I moved abroad and started working, so I got myself outta stuck. Now I don't even care anymore about having that degree or not, I still found my way and it also does not make me less qualified than the people who did the 4 year college program with me. I know, in other countries it is not a big thing to leave college without a degree but in Germany it is big problem since Germans are so crazy about degrees, certifications and so on. That was one reason why I moved abroad when I realised I will only be able to finish my degree if I spend more time and money (which I did not have) and completely ruin my health just for a sheet of paper. So I said, no thanks and I am much happier since I left that situation behind where I could not win anyways. My only option might have been to get an attorney but I did not have any energy, money nor willingness for taking legal steps. But in the end it also does not matter anymore to me. The only thing that mattered was getting out of stuck and feeling healthy again.

And that is where I am now. I am exactly where I always wanted to be right now. I became a freelance graphic designer who can work from everywhere with like-minded clients who are located all over the globe. 

So I gave you a few examples of being stuck. Don't obsess over it, don't fall into a hole of depression because believe me, you can change your situation to the better. Think about alternatives that get you out of stuck. Change is possible as long as you are open for it. But that is the thing, you have to be open for it and in many cases you have to have the willingness to put lots of work into it. But if you really want something, this should not be an obstacle. 

So ladies and gentlemen, get outta stuck ASAP!

xx, Phyllis