We have all felt stuck in life. Feeling stuck is a frustrating exprerience that leaves us feeling depressed, anxious and powerless. Have you ever felt like you're living the same day over and over again? Like you're stuck in a loop of routines, habits, or moods that you can’t seem to shake — even though part of you wants something to change?
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Feeling stuck is more common than we think, and while it might not always be visible on the outside, it can take a serious toll on our mental health. Social media gives the impression that everyone else has life figured out and they are living their best life, while you are left feeling alone.
But here’s the good news: even the most stubborn patterns can be shifted — gently, slowly, and with a little bit of awareness.
What Does It Mean to Feel “Stuck”?
Being mentally or emotionally stuck can show up in all kinds of ways. Maybe you feel unmotivated no matter how much sleep you get. Or you find yourself wasting hours doom scrolling but can’t break the habit. Maybe you’re going through the motions but feel like a ghost in your own life. Or maybe you're repeating habits you know aren’t serving you, but you just can't seem to stop.
Here are a few common causes behind that “stuck” feeling:
Burnout from constantly being “on”
Unresolved emotions like grief, anger, or fear
Lack of clarity around purpose or direction
Self-limiting beliefs that whisper, “You can’t,” or “You’re not enough”
The tricky part is, these patterns often build slowly. One small habit, one stressful week, one emotional avoidance — over time, they form a loop we can’t see clearly until we’re deep in it. The loop becomes the constant in our life. We begin to build our identity around these patterns.
Why the Brain Likes Familiar Patterns (Even Unhelpful Ones)
Our brains are wired for efficiency. They love routines — even the ones that don't serve us. When a certain thought, emotion, or behavior gets repeated, it carves a neural pathway. The more we walk that path, the easier it is to keep walking it. It becomes second nature.
This is why you might:
Wake up dreading the day without knowing why
Keep choosing the same coping mechanism (scrolling, isolating, etc.)
Stay in situations that don’t align with what you truly want
It's not because you're lazy or broken — it's because your brain is doing what it’s designed to do: choose the familiar. But familiar doesn’t always mean healthy.
How to Gently Break the Cycle
If you’re ready to shake things up and start feeling like you again, here are some steps you can take — no drastic overhauls required.
1. Cultivate Awareness
The first step out of any pattern is noticing it. When behaviors and patterns live on autopilot or stem from the unconscious, it is harder to change and shift them. We need to be able to name them to change them.
Ask yourself:
What parts of my day feel like autopilot?
What thoughts or feelings keep repeating?
Where am I ignoring my needs?
What negative beliefs do I hold about myself?
A great first step is to begin to journal the answers to these questions. Write down the first thing that comes to mind when you look at these questions. Ask yourself, is there more? What else is there in this category? Journaling can help uncover patterns you didn’t realize were there. Sometimes just seeing the loop is enough to begin loosening its grip.
2. Make Tiny Disruptions
You don’t need a huge change to get momentum — just a small interruption.
Try:
Taking a different route to work
Choosing to journal in the morning instead of looking at your phone
Swapping your phone scroll for a 5-minute walk
Saying “yes” to something you’d normally avoid — or “no” to something you always accept
Small shifts remind your brain that other possibilities exist.
3. Reconnect With Your “Why”
When you’re stuck, it’s easy to forget what you care about. Reconnecting with your values or long-term goals can provide fuel for change.
Ask:
Who do I want to become?
What do I need in this moment?
What is my body wanting right now?
What actually matters to me beneath all the noise?
What would my future self thank me for doing today?
Sometimes just remembering your “why” can help clear a path forward.
4. Move Your Body, Shift Your Mood
Mental stuckness often has a physical component. Movement helps release stagnant energy and improve mood.
Try:
A walk in nature
Stretching or yoga
Dancing to music in your kitchen
Weightlifting
Sign up for an exercise class that sounds interesting
Even five minutes of movement can change your headspace.
5. Reach Out for Support
You don’t have to figure it all out alone. Working with a therapist to help you rediscover you and find the path out of the stuck loop is very helpful.
Asking for help isn’t weakness — it’s wisdom.
Helpful Tools for Unsticking
If you like having tools in your back pocket, here are a few worth exploring:
Apps: Insight Timer (meditation), Moodnotes (mood journaling), Habitica (gamifying small habits)
Books: Atomic Habits by James Clear, The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer
You’re Not Broken — You’re Just in a Pattern
If no one’s told you this lately: it’s okay to be where you are. Change doesn't have to be big or fast to be real. Even noticing your rut is a powerful first step. Every tiny choice to do something different is a crack in the cycle. Awareness is the beginning of change. We can’t heal what we don’t name.
You're not starting from scratch — you're starting from experience. And you're allowed to start small.
So maybe today, you try just one new thing. One breath. One question. One step.
Your future self is already cheering you on.
If you are ready to have a helpful guide to walk with you through getting unstuck and into your life the way you want to be living, reach out today.