photo by David Trotter

Being “stuck” is characterized by an inability to move out of one’s current situation. In the moment, most of us believe the lie that our outward circumstances and the people around us are the reason why we’re unable to get unstuck. In reality, the stickiness of our situation comes from one source…our mind.

Believe that you are stuck…and you’ll be stuck.

Here are a few beliefs that often limit our ability to take courageous steps toward freedom:

• I can’t afford…
• I’m not smart enough to…
• People won’t let me…
• I don’t have permission…
• That’s too risky…
• I’m not sure what will happen…

Every one of those “statements” are like glue to the soul…preventing us from experiencing the life we truly want. In order to get unstuck, we need to think in new ways. And, more often than not, we need to behave, respond, or try something new in order to pry our minds free from how we’ve been thinking.

Here are 52 ways you can get yourself unstuck and begin moving toward freedom:

1. Ask someone else how they would do it.
   Whatever “it” is, they’ll probably have a different way to think about it and ultimately a new way to go about it. Just ask.
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2. Read a book on the subject.
   Buy a book on the topic of your stuckness, and look for ways to overcome the situation. Be open to new possibilities.
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3. Ask for a new perspective before bed.
   It’s amazing how our minds and hearts keep working as we sleep. A fresh perspective is oftentimes the result of a night of sleep.
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4. Eat at a new restaurant.
   If you go to the same places all the time, pull in at the first place you see…especially if it’s an ethnic flavor that’s new for you.
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5. Ask the waiter/waitress to order for you.
   If you’re eating at a favorite restaurant or someplace new, ask them to order for you…without even telling you what it is. Just let it show up!
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6. Watch a movie in another language.
   I watched a movie in India with no subtitles…and the sound was unbelievably loud. Moving experience in more ways than one. Your culture is not the center of the world.
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7. Say what you’re really feeling.
   It may not be received well, but it will definitely change up the relationship.
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8. Act the age of your youngest child.
   Shrug off the cares of this world for one day and live through the lens of a young one.
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9. Plant a succulent.
   Get a few small succulent plants from the garden center and put them in a decorative container on your desk. Stare at them…and meditate on the speed of true growth.
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10. Go play at a local playground.
    Swing as high as you can. Slide as fast as possible. Try to make it all the way across the monkey bars. Remember what it was like to be a kid.
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11. Try a new hairstyle.
    Go short if it’s long. Change up the color. Let it grow out.
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12. Go to a different style worship center.
    No matter what faith you are part of…go to a new venue. Change it up. Get a new perspective.
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13. Listen to a motivational talk.
    Head on over to YouTube and search for “motivational” or “inspirational.” Click and watch.
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14. Buy a piece of sporting equipment and use it.
    Get a basketball, football, or baseball – throw it around with a friend. Buy a skateboard or surfboard – do it. Tomorrow…do it again.
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15. Wear an entire outfit from a thrift store.
    Budget $20 for an entire outfit – shirt, pants, and shoes (wear your own undies and socks). Buy it, wash it, wear it for an entire day.
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16. Hang a photo on your wall.
    Take a photo of something you love. Print it at a local photo center. Buy a frame and matte. Put it together, and hang it on the wall.
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17. Bake cookies for your neighbors.
    Bake a huge batch of cookies, and go door to door to give them away to your neighbors. You may actually meet a few of them for the first time.
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18. Walk someone else’s dog.
    Ask your friend or neighbor to walk their dog. As you’re walking, think about what the world is like through the eyes of that animal.
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19. Watch a documentary.
    Pick one…about anything that interests you. Watch it from beginning to end. Ask yourself, “What is worth documenting in my life?”
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20. Flip a coin.
    If you can’t make a decision, boil it down to two options. Heads is option one, and tails is option two.
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21. Draw on your walls.
    Bust through the rules of what is appropriate, and create something magical…especially right next to your bed…with crayons.
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22. Make the best paper airplane in your life.
    Get 10 sheets of paper and start folding. See which one can go the farthest. What’s preventing you from going farther?
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23. Dance like no one’s around.
    Actually, just wait until no one’s home…turn up your favorite tunes and cut loose. How does it feel?
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24. Sing in the shower.
    No music…just you and soap. Belt out your favorite song at the top of your lungs. What’s holding you back?
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25. Tell someone, “I love you.”
    Sure, tell your spouse. Tell your kids. Tell your boss. Be appropriate, but tell someone. Love changes things.
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26. Pay for someone’s food behind you in line.
    Do it at a restaurant or at the grocery store. Don’t ask them. Tell them. Feel what unmerited generosity is like.
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27. Glue your fingers together.
    With Elmers…not super glue. Feel what it’s really like to be stuck. Now, pull your fingers apart. It’s possible, isn’t it?
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28. Walk barefoot in the grass.
    Find some grass. Take off your shoes. Walk, run, skip. What happens inside you?
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29. Turn off all media for one day.
    No TV, Internet, or radio. All there to be silence in those moments. What do you hear?
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30. Sit in silence for an hour.
    Close your eyes. Allow the voices within to come to the surface. What are they saying? Do you believe them? Why or why not?
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31. Express your appreciation to someone who never hears it.
    Is it the chef at a restaurant? Is it your boss? Is it your spouse? Tell them how much you are thankful for their effort.
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32. Make a mix-tape/CD/playlist.
    Pick your technology and pull together 12 songs that inspire you. Listen to them, and make an extra copy for a friend.
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33. Visit a convalescent home.
    Take some individual flowers. Stop at the front desk to check in. Walk around and pass them out. Get to know someone whose life is ending soon.
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34. Take a walk through a cemetery.
    Don’t go to visit a loved one’s grave. Go to look at the names and dates on the headstones. What do you think each person regretted at the end of their life?
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35. Write a poem.
    As you envision your “stuckness” in life, write a poem about your situation. What comes up for you?
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36. Read the “Bill of Rights.”
    Google it. Read it. You have freedom. Embrace it.
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37. List all your limitations.
    Pull out a sheet of paper. Write down every single thing that comes to your mind that you think is limiting you from having the life you want. Wad it up. Throw it away or burn it.
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38. Make a list of possibilities.
    Get a giant sheet of paper (or a whiteboard). Ask yourself, “What are all the possible options in my situation?” Don’t edit out any of them before putting them on the paper. Meditate on the list.
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39. Find the positive intention.
    Whoever you are struggling with…dig deep to find their positive intention in the midst of whatever is driving you crazy. It’s there if you’re willing to keep looking.
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40. Embrace what is.
    Rather than fighting reality, what would it look like to embrace your situation. What if your external reality never changed? Could you adapt?
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41. Help someone without strings attached.
    When you see a need, help. Whatever it takes…meet the need. Fight against any desire to see something in return from them.
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42. Skip a meal.
    Feel what it’s like to not eat. Whatever you feel…it still won’t be true hunger.
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43. Drink more water today.
    It will bring clarity to your mind and flush out your system.
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44. Apologize.
    Don’t come up with a long list of excuses. Express your remorse and mean it. Tell me…what just changed in your heart.
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45. Clean out your refrigerator.
    Throw out the old stuff. Wipe everything down. Put it all back in again…in order. How does that feel?
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46. Organize your socks and underwear.
    Put them in order by size, color, or age…whatever. Just do it. What if your whole life was organized and in place?
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47. Give something away.
    Look in your garage. Open up a closet. There are tons of things you don’t use (or need). Don’t give it to a thrift store. Give it directly to someone who needs it. Find them, and give it away.
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48. Tell a story.
    You have experiences inside of you that others need to hear about. Tell them…get animated…get passionate.
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49. Cry.
    It’s inside you. Let it out. If it’s weighing you down, let it the tears flow. Feel the comfort of the One who made you.
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50. Whisper.
    Lower your voice. Let the other person come close to you. Tell them what you want them to know in quietness…not because it’s a secret…just because. How does the conversation change?
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51. Listen.
    Shut up. Don’t think about your response. In fact, don’t say anything. Just keep listening and listening and listening. What did you learn?
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52. Laugh.
    Loudly. Really loudly. Let it all come out. Embrace the hilarity of the moment…no matter what’s happening. There is joy.

And, if you’re wondering…yes, I have tried all 52 ways. Pick one and get unstuck. The life you truly want is awaiting you.