Stuck in a Rut? (aka About to Expand)

Sometimes, we can feel stuck in a rut when we are on the verge of expanding or working towards becoming a new version of ourselves. When we feel stuck, life can feel more messy, scary, and complicated than usual.

At these times, it can be easy to sink back into familiar ways of being. Childhood conditioning or narratives inherited from the broader culture keep us small and afraid. Shrinking back into safe, tried, and true ways of being that keep us small and miserable, we may feel a pseudo-security. 

But if we are inspired to expand, those old ways of being won't fit either, and we may find ourselves in the space in between. These times of transition are challenging. 

But what if we could honour and acknowledge our in-betweenness and exercise compassion for ourselves? 

Maybe we could remind ourselves that showing up in different ways is challenging. It's not easy, so why do we expect it to be? Growth and change are challenging. So, perhaps just acknowledging that we are doing something difficult helps us have patience with the process. 

Expansion is messy. We will make mistakes. We will take two steps forward and one step back. In a world of slick images, glossy advertising, photoshopped perfections, aspirational culture, and everything tied neatly in a bow, when we are in transition or on the version of expansion, it can feel like we don't measure up, so we must find ways to remind ourselves that we are worthy and perfect in our process of expansion. 

We must remember that it's natural to regroup and go inward before the expansion. Maybe we are researching, rejuvenating, building a foundation, resting, creating a support system, healing, grieving, and all that is OK.

It may be a little bit cliche. But it's a cliche for a reason: a butterfly in their cocoon is preparing. We must remind ourselves that there will be identity shifts. Even though things feel slow, work is happening.

I am a life coach based in Vancouver, BC. I love helping people navigate identity shifts. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or are interested in working together.

#feelingstuck #stuckinarut #growth #personaldevelopment #selfcompassion #selflove #innerstrength #pseudosecurity #expansion

Sandy Feet