Stuck. That’s how I felt. It could be that I was trying to do too much or that I had too much to do. I’m not sure. What I know is that it helped when I stopped trying to make it perfect and focused on making progress. Even baby steps. They count. They matter. I had to realize that sometimes you have to give yourself credit for just showing up. That’s sometimes the biggest hurdle. No need to add the pressure of perfection.
It seems like as women we sometimes have the highest standards for ourselves. I’m convinced it’s society’s fault. How many commercials do you see that promote things to make women look younger? It could be skincare, makeup, or hair dye. They are all geared toward women and rarely speak to men. It’s no wonder that goal of being perfect shows up in other areas of our lives too.
I tell myself what I tell my kids: my best is good enough. Even knowing that at times I just feel stuck and like I’m not doing enough. The affirmation that my best is enough when it feels like what I’m doing is not adding up always helps. As for feeling stuck, I have my ways of working that out too. The idea is simple enough. Find something to do and complete it. The thing doesn’t have to be a big project, just something to remind me that I complete things. Suggestions? Here you go…
Un-Stick Yourself
I’m such a reader that this should come as a surprise to no one! One thing I do is read a book. It feels good when I’m feeling stuck to complete something as simple as a new book. Plus books also provide a brief escape from feelings of overwhelm.
I also love to exercise! Hitting a class and completing it is a feel-good way for checking something off the list as done. Of course, it also has health benefits too. Win-win.
Another idea is to make and keep a list of things that you’ve accomplished. This one should be a list of the big projects you’ve completed. When you feel stuck, look at it and remind yourself that you can do hard things. You have the proof written down in front of you.
Overall, the idea is to do something that you have to complete. Completing small things will remind you that you can and do finish things. It would help you move forward in other areas.
We get better over time, not all at once. Remember that.
