Are You Stuck? Moving From Stuck to Strength

Before you answer the question “Am I stuck?,” I want to invite you to close your eyes, pause, and think about any goals that you have, things you wish for, long for, or dream of. Now, take a few deep breaths, and imagine things perhaps long forgotten such as a dream to be a musician or to travel, or to repair that relationship that ruptured. Often times we are not even aware that we are stuck. In the process of feeling impotent to move forward with what we long for, we end up burying our desires, and we do not even realize we have laid to rest our hopes and dreams. Yet, we wrestle with longings buried deep inside our vibrant souls. Yes, breathe in…breathe out…what has been buried, laid to rest, but won’t let YOU rest? That is where I want to take you in this series of reflections on being stuck. I hope that you will be bold and courageous to take this journey with me and with your neighbors as we explore in small segments the journey to resurrecting buried dreams and to getting “unstuck.” Ready? Let’s go! So, now that you have reflected on some things buried and yet longed for, let’s talk about the first strategy to getting unstuck. I warn you that it will not be sexy, glamorous or exciting. However, it is an absolutely essential step. It is to REST.

One of the biggest barriers to movement, ironically, is the lack of rest. Fitness experts tell us that recovery time and rest periods are two of the most essential components of building muscle. Though in the day of hustle and grind, we think relentless work will “get us there,” we actually slow, stall, or even stop our progress when we do not rest. To maximize building muscle, you must rest in between sets, and you must properly recover in between workout days to allow the breakdown and micro-tearing of muscle to begin its building process of new muscle.

So, I want to challenge you to do something with me and with your neighbors for the next month. Let’s add in some daily rest. Could we start with a five-minute mindfulness practice each morning? I will share a personal practice of mine that I recently began after struggling in prayer, being stuck, unable to focus and distracted by all the tasks of the day ahead. I felt led to take a thought inventory on paper each morning. As an overthinker, analytical person prone to anxiety, I needed to empty my mind before I could rest and receive anything new. So, I started writing down on paper every thought that comes to mind. No filter. No editing. No judgements of good, bad, silly, or insignificant. All thoughts are worthy of the paper. It could be as random as, “Huh, when did that crack show up in the ceiling??” or as important as “Oh! I need to remember to pay the electric bill today.” For me, personally, I then take all of the thoughts, pray over them, ask God to help me do what is needed with each one, and then I sit quietly before Him, waiting to hear what He has to say to me. For you, it may mean something similar. For others it may mean taking the thought inventory and simply noticing how busy your mind is, doing some deep breathing, checking in with yourself to see what areas need the most care. What are your mind and body telling you you need today? Notice where the tension is in your body. Stretch your muscles, breathe in, breathe out deeply, get up and move. Listen to the needs of your mind and body and make space for you to just “be.” Try not to solve any problems, just notice them.

I challenge you to re-think what rest means. Rest is not always a vacation, though those are great and they are needed. Rest is prioritizing you, your body, your mind, your soul as a vessel though which the world is blessed and is so deserving of care. You may wonder what this type of practice has to do with getting unstuck. This practice is absolutely essential to the process of getting unstuck because when we are stuck, we are afraid of something. We are afraid of reaching towards a desire, a dream, a goal, an unmet need, for fear we will be met with rejection, failure, or possibly worst yet, being dismissed or ignored.

It is only in the space of reattuning to one’s body, soul, and spirit that we can first become reacquainted with the longings that we have separated from, often subconsciously. I challenge you today to run towards what scares you. Run towards your dreams, your goals, your longings. Start with rest, to honor your longings, to be reintroduced to them. Yes, there is much work after that. But it is the beginning of a beautiful journey to reintroducing the world to the FULL, WHOLE, REAL, AUTHENTIC YOU that we are all waiting for.

(Originally published in Monroe Matters Newspaper, Forsyth, GA, November 2024

Edition)

Lisa Elliott Schumacher, LPC

Life By Design Counseling

Lisa is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Monroe County resident, and a mental health practitioner who is passionate about helping others find their purpose, live fully, and to live holistically healthy lives, body, soul, and spirit. She believes life is meant to be lived by design, not by chance, and she aspires to help others live by design, wholly, fully, and vibrant. The sharing of these thoughts is in no way therapy or a substitute for therapy. If you are in crisis right now...Call or Text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. If you are having a medical emergency, a safety emergency requiring law enforcement, EMS, or experiencing a fire emergency:   DIAL 911.