Unstuck

Unstuck. 

Have you ever felt stuck? My natural inclination toward routine inevitably ends up feeling like a rut. It's as if your brain begins to run on a loop, and you can't seem to disengage. 

In reading Designing Your Life, I've found that the authors, Burnett and Evans continually refer to what they call dysfunctional beliefs and reframing. I learned several years ago about the concept of false choices. Often times we have the tendency to think we only have one choice or another. 

Except, nothing could be further from the truth. When we limit ourselves to that one right idea, we cheat ourselves out of so many other possibilities.  By reframing this dysfunctional belief, we can accept the idea that, "...by having a lot of ideas...I can explore any number of possibilities for my future."

Sometimes the best way to generate ideas is to begin to brainstorm a list without judging any idea as not being plausible. Later you can go back over that list, and weed out the weaker ideas. Sometimes when I'm stuck I'll search Pinterest for ideas. Allowing others to help jumpstart your ideas is not a bad idea in itself. Writers often keep swipe files to refer back to when inspiration is needed. Jotting down ideas in a pocket sized notebook or on your phone are all ways to keep track of ideas. 

Just like Burnett and Evans state, making something actionable really is the key to getting unstuck. They remind us, "If you can't change your life you can just change your thinking." Getting unstuck many times begins with a change of thinking. Providing yourself with a list of possible alternatives can help you take that first step toward action.