NikithaYesterday, I was in a deep conversation with a friend. Both of us had extreme experiences in life that we couldn’t fathom what it means to be on the other end. While he really cared and wanted to help me, he couldn’t think of any possible solutions. But for me, I already knew what I should be doing next. That’s the power of talking to someone when you are stuck.
Here are a few things which work for me:
1.Talk to a person who is a good listener
You are not necessarily expecting a solution. But the entire act of putting a voice to your thoughts and the presence of another person who mirrors your emotions is so relieving. The answer is already within you. You just have to say it out aloud.
2.Write down 10 possible solutions
Don’t think about right or wrong. Just write 10 or more different things which you can do in that case. Go wild. Most of them might not be feasible. But you will still know what lies in your subconscious mind.
For example, “I feel stuck in my career. What should I do?”
- Talk to your manager
- Ask for a change in project
- Go for a challenging role
- Explore other related areas to your current job
- Become a writer
- Become a teacher
- Become a consultant
- Get better at your hobby and make it your job
- Ask an expert for advice
- Take a break
When you write this down, you know what are the alternatives which your subconscious mind keeps thinking about.
3.Go to sleep with the problem
‘Dear Subconscious mind,
I feel stuck in my career. What do you think I should do differently?’
The dear subconscious mind can give you the answer in the form of dreams, the first thought the next morning or through messages.
Once, when I was struggling to find an answer for a question, I slept with a thought. The next morning, a person from my real life asked me the same question and there I wrote an answer which I didn’t know I had within me. It was a beautiful experience and you have to try it out to experience the results.
4.What advice would you give a friend?
Over the years, I have noticed how compassionate I am when it comes to others and how harsh I am when I am with myself. Even though I have improved over the years, I have a long way to go to come to terms with self-compassion.
In this process, I discovered how I come up with wonderful solutions to others problems. It is easy to think when you are not emotionally involved in a problem.
Think of it as a question posed in an empty Whatsapp group where you are present alone. Now ask a question,
‘Dear <Your Name>,
I have lately been feeling off. What should I do to feel unstuck in my career?’
When you see this question addressed to you, you will come up with some good solutions what the other person can try.
The next part is about you taking an action after judging the pros and cons of the solutions you have come up with.
Which method do you generally use to feel unstuck? Let us know in the comments section!
Happy feeling unstuck!