Are You Feeling Stuck in Life? Consider Changing Your Focus!
If you sometimes feel as though you’re caught in life’s quicksand, you have a lot of company. We work, we struggle, we try to do everything we possibly can to move on to a higher level of well-being, but it seems like the harder we work, the more stuck in life we get. If you’re approaching a Category 5 frustration level with feeling stuck in life, you might give this a try…
Feeling Stuck in Life? Switch Your Focus
Switch your focus from that really nice – but frustrated – person in the mirror to one or more of the other folks who inhabit this good earth.
I realize that it’s important to watch out for number one – ourselves. We need to set goals, lay out plans and then do those things we need to do so that we can at least make some progress toward our goals. We need to demonstrate personal financial responsibility, plan for retirement and frequently just cover our backside so it doesn’t get chewed off by one or more of life’s rodents.
However, what frequently happens is that we become so over-focused on ourselves and our own personal well-being that we wind up building our own walls. We lose the ability – or even desire – to see the bigger picture and the possibilities that life presents to us. We become so focused on “me” that we sometimes begin scrutinizing even the most insignificant events to determine their potential impact on our personal lives.
We become victims to ourselves. And to be really honest about it, we sometimes just become so busy being busy that we lose track of where we thought we wanted our lives to wind up in the first place.
Focus From “Me” to “Others” to Stop Feeling Stuck in Life
One possible solution as I mentioned earlier is to change our focus from “me” to “others”. From being the receiver to being the giver. And no, I’m not even implying that this requires any major change in the things we do every day. It may eventually lead to that but it’s not a critical part of the initial process.
Here’s what I mean. No matter what you do to earn a living or keep your household moving forward, somewhere down the line another person likely benefits from what you do. Think about it. The work we do is not just meaningless busy work. It’s not just to take people’s money so we’ll have a paycheck at the end of the week. It’s not just filling out forms, nailing pieces of boards together, assembling electronic devices, hauling packages, going to meetings, etc. Somewhere, sometime (and maybe immediately) another person will likely be positively affected by what you do downstream.
And yes, if you’re paying attention, you’ve noticed that I’ve used a couple of qualifying words in the preceding paragraph – “likely” and “probably”. In reality, there are some individuals whose money-making efforts are focused mainly on “non-beneficial” activities.
Whose Life Will Be Better Because of You?
For the rest of us however, our activities and work generally reflect a more positive endeavor. That leads us back to the original analogy. If you’re caught in the quicksand, take a few minutes to really think about the people – the individuals who will be better off, healthier or happier because of what you do and who you are. Think about how you are giving of your time and talents so that others will benefit in some way from your efforts.
Do you see what can happen here? When we change our focus from “me” to “others”, our work – the things we do every day – starts taking on a new significance. We are now a giver. Our life honestly is meaningful. We know that what we do is truly important to someone else. That’s pretty special, huh?
If you’re having to really stretch your imagination to see at least one other person benefiting from the things you do and it’s really not fitting together, you might consider looking into a different occupation – or at least a different way to spend your free time. There are people who could really benefit from your talents. Think about what you do well – what you enjoy doing that could help others have a better life. Then take action. You’ll be out of the quicksand before you know it.
How to Get Support
If you’re looking for help if you’re feeling stuck in life, click on the “Work With Vanessa” link to find out how I can help you.