Coaches Corner: Are you feeling stuck?

How many of you feel stuck... in life or vocation? I have often felt stuck and had plenty of reasons to believe I wasn’t enough or capable. First, I was in a remedial reading group in second grade. Second, I stood before my peers with a dunce hat on at a young age. And third, I remember my dad telling me to get an excellent job with great benefits, work for 30-plus years, and then retire, thus creating a feeling of being stuck. Those experiences and words planted a seed in me at a young age, making me feel like I wasn’t enough or capable.

You can go through life as status quo or become the person God created you to be. You may or may not be aware that pilots often put the airplane on autopilot when flying cross-country or internationally. Do you sometimes feel like you are on autopilot and comfortable in your daily routines? That is common for most people.

I enjoy watching baking shows when I need some downtime after a trip. In a recent episode, a contestant tried to overly impress the two judges by creating something she had never attempted. After the failed attempt, she decided to keep things simpler. She learned that she needed to be herself and not be or do something she wasn’t created to do. In the remainder of the episodes, she baked what she knew best, was excellent in her craft, and won the baking contest.

Over the years, I have tried to be or do something God didn’t design me to do, and it takes much more time, work, and effort. Just like the baker, we have to get back to the basics and keep it simple, which takes time and a willingness to be truthful with ourselves. When you are stuck, looking beyond yourself may be one of the hardest things you do, but it can also be one of the most freeing and gratifying things. If you are willing to look at what isn’t working for you, you can move beyond where you are now.

How many of you get frustrated when your computer gets stuck because you have too many applications open at once...you know when that little color wheel keeps going around and around? When I encounter this particular scenario, I want to pick up my computer and throw it against the wall, but I know that will not solve anything. That’s when I must reevaluate the situation, reset my computer, and restart it. God didn’t design you to be stuck in life or a vocation that no longer serves you or others.

Life doesn’t have to be complicated because you don’t have to be all things to everybody. Perhaps you are like your computer, as you have too many applications open simultaneously, or you fill your calendars with more stuff. Complicating your life will not bring you happiness or joy...but it will bring you more distractions, and you will eventually feel stuck.

If you have found yourself in a similar situation and wonder how you got there, know you are not alone. It may be time to let some things go. Give yourself some grace, as you can’t do everything. Set boundaries and be OK with disappointing people.

There are many reasons why people are stuck. Fear can easily paralyze you after a significant event, losing a job or marriage or someone close to you dies, and you find it difficult to move on into the unknown. Whatever reasons you have for being stuck, know that He has a plan for your life…one that moves your heart.

There was a time in my life when I believed that I was not capable or enough, and I felt stuck, but the truth is I have discovered that I am capable, I am enough, and I am no longer stuck. You, too, have the power to change the trajectory of your life.

You are a beautiful work in progress. All your life experiences guide you into becoming the person God designed you to be. Yes, it takes time, effort, patience, prayer, and much grace… but you are here on purpose to fulfill your purpose.

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” Lao Tzu

To connect with Ellie: FB/IG @coachelliewest