Being Stuck
When I first got into coaching, my goal and purpose were to help people “get unstuck.” On the heels of finally learning to make myself my own priority, a coworker called me her life coach. I took a month to reflect and do some research on what I thought about that direction in my life. Four years later, I’m more convinced than ever that this is the perfect fit for me because I love being a part of the process of helping people get to a place where they are thriving.
As I was completing a wellness exercise, I was reflecting on being stuck. The immediate imagery I have is being stuck in quicksand and, since I’ve never seen or experienced quicksand firsthand, I have to rely on what I’ve seen on television or in the movies. The character doesn’t see it coming because it just looks like sand. The faster they try to move the faster they sink. Panic sets in and they desperately look for something or someone to grab onto to pull themselves out.
So let’s take that imagery and apply it to the figurative “being stuck” idea.
By the time I realize I’m stuck, I’m already slowly sinking.
Because panic is setting in, I am acting desperately. The more I do, the less progress I make.
I look for something or someone else to pull me out.
As I ponder this imagery, I realize that my beliefs may be getting in my way of getting myself unstuck. In the imagery, I can’t do it myself, I need an outside force to pull me out or I’m spending too much time looking for a branch to save me. The outside force is doing most of the work. Additionally, in my panic, my focus is on one type of solution.
Don’t get me wrong, I strongly believe in support and encouragement from others, it’s what I do for people, but I have to do the work myself. My choices and my actions are my own.
Many people believe success happens quickly and magically. Success lies on the other side of tenacious persistence. Whether you succeed depends on how determined you are to get to your goal. When something doesn’t work, I reflect on why and try something a little different until I figure out what will work for me to get to the goal I want to achieve.