Feeling Stuck?
March 4, 2020
“You can’t edit a blank page.” (Jodi Picoult)
Have you ever felt stuck? Maybe with a creative project, a fitness program, trapped in a job or drowning in debt?
As an author, the blank page or screen can be daunting. Empty space begging to be filled with a story or an idea as my fingers hover over the keyboard, a voice in my head telling me I’m no good. I feel stuck, and the only way I know to get over the hesitation and battle the blank page is to just start typing. To not worry about what I’m writing, because as author, Jodi Picoult says, “you can’t edit a blank page.”
What does this writing tip have to do with living life? March 14th is when Daylight Savings Time begins, when we “spring forward.” And that got me thinking that many times we just need to move forward, one step at a time, to get unstuck.
I found an article written by Tracy Kennedy—10 strategies to keep moving forward when feeling stuck. You can click here to read the entire article, but I pulled five suggestions that resonated with me.
5 tips to getting unstuck:
- Get a new point of view. Ask yourself where you are, what got you here, and what you really want.
- Name it. Kennedy says it’s important to understand why you’re stuck. There’s a difference between I feel stuck and I feel stuck because…
- Remind yourself of the bigger picture. This can give you the motivation to move forward.
- Take a break. Refresh your thinking and shift your focus. When writing, sometimes I just need to do a mindless task. For me, that’s usually working on puzzle or maybe going for a walk.
- Take action. I like this quote from the article from Simon Sinek. “If we think of everything we have to do, we feel overwhelmed. If we do the one thing we need to do, we make progress.”
So, if you’re feeling stuck, do a little soul searching and maybe clean out a closet or go for a walk. It only takes a little shift to get you back on track again. Just don’t keep staring at that blank page.
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3 Comments
Mar 08, 2021 6:08 PM
Melissa Cohill says:
You really inspired me! I really want to write !
Cassie Sanchez says:
I’m so glad. The best way to write is to jump into the deep end. What are you interested in writing?