How does this occur?

Usually, feeling STUCK is a result of the following:

• Being overworked and burnt out
• Feeling unappreciated and undervalued
• Experiencing a loss of passion or purpose in what you do

Once we lose momentum, we can begin to question everything in our life. And the longer we stay stuck, the harder it is to get back into the flow of things.

So how can we shift our mindset and help ourself to get into a FLOW state? 

First off, what is a FLOW state and why is it important?

In positive psychology, a flow state, also known colloquially as being in the zone, is the mental state in which a person performing some activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. – Wikipedia

The benefits of being in such a state are that you can tremendously improve the quality of your work and your life. Here are some specifics:

• Heavy sense of concentration. Being able to focus on the work without getting distracted leads to a higher output of higher quality work.
• Sense of clarity. In a state of flow, your body and mind will know what needs to be done without having to think about it.
• Lack of obstacles. The thoughts and feelings that generally cloud our minds, such as stress, worry, and self-doubt, take a back seat when we achieve a flow state.
• Good feelings. Being in a deep flow state is often described as an intrinsically positive experience. There is no superficiality driving this force, it’s just the pleasure that comes with being in the moment and doing something that you are passionate about.
• Happiness. The type of happiness one can gain from being in a flow state goes beyond a temporary high — it is a general sense of well-being and a lasting sense of happiness and fulfillment.

Source: Read more about it through HEADSPACE.

When I was STUCK

I’ve experienced this feeling in my life. I had reached a point where I was at the peak of my Advertising career, I had my dream job and checked all the boxes of success. But something didn’t feel right.

“When I felt I no longer had a sense of purpose, I lacked energy, I lacked motivation… I was depressed. But I was so ashamed of admitting to myself that my job was no longer right for me. I was stuck.”

I was so lost. How could I possibly feel like this amazing career wasn’t enough for me anymore? The guilt set in ~ people would love to have my job. Why wasn’t I happy? The more I forced myself to be happy, the more I felt TRAPPED in this lifestyle that no longer fit with my values and my beliefs.

I had simply outgrown this part of my life.

Once I realized that I had evolved and needed to move onto a new chapter, I was able to accept that there was nothing wrong with me, I just needed a new challenge and a new lifestyle. It’s a natural part of life that we need to talk about! It is no longer realistic to stay in one job for the rest of your life. You are allowed to change. You are evolving.

My career was amazing for the time I was in it, but it was time for something new. And I needed to get into FLOW to get inspired to figure out the next chapter of my life.

How to Move Into Flow State

1. Gain clarity around the real & honest reason you feel stuck
2. Start believing that you have the power to take action towards change
3. Take small actions to get moving
4. Build a strong support system
5. Connect to your Heart

GAIN CLARITY

Get real. Get honest. WHY do you feel this way? What is missing in your life? Like me, I had to let go of the idea I had in my head about my career and WHO I WAS in order to allow myself to evolve into a new version of myself. And this version was not a corporate 9-5 girl. She was a

Journal prompts:

• What is holding me back?
• What is missing in my life right now?
• If anything was possible, what would I say YES to right now?
• What is my ideal lifestyle?

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Start shifting your mindset to embrace the idea of CHANGE. You are capable of

I journaled a lot, practicing gratitude and reminding myself of my strengths and what I love to do

Journal prompts:

• What are my strengths in life? What am I really good at?
• What are some of my proudest accomplishments?
• What are some affirmations I can use to motivate myself?
• What words can I change to encourage self-love & confidence?

SMALL ACTIONS

Every big change starts with a small action in the direction you want to go in. Depending on your goal, how can do to get yourself moving? Action = motivation so in order to build momentum, you need to spring into action. Just 1 small things that you can do consistently, easily and with the least amount of resistance. I enrolled in a bunch of online courses ~ some in alignment with what could potentially become a new career and others totally random! Just topics I was interested in. Try new things, explore, you might be surprised what you find and where it can take you!

Journal prompts:

• What is 1 thing you can do today to get yourself moving?
• What are some daily or weekly actions that will contribute to your goal?
• What are 2 things I’ve always wanted to learn or research about?

STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM

Surround yourself with people who can guide you, who can push & challenge you and most importantly, you make you feel like you are not alone! Mentors, coaches, friends & family ~ whomever can help and support you during this time. I connected with a few coaches to help me in different ways and also provide the support and guidance that I didn’t have. I highly recommend having at least 1 professional guide you along a new journey to give you some structure as you navigate all the changes in your life.

CONNECT TO YOUR HEART

Stay true to who you are and what your heart wants. Be careful not to get swept up in the planning, analyzing & organizing as this can cause procrastination. Also, move away from what you think you SHOULD do or what is expected of you. I constantly had to bring myself back to my purpose and desire to HELP PEOPLE and look for ways to make that into a career. So many times I considered “giving up” and just going back into the ad world which was familiar to me and safe. But had I not connected to my heart and built the TRUST to follow my dreams, I would not be here today sharing my story of resilience, growth and happiness.

Journal prompts:

• If money were not a factor, how would I be spending my time?
• What brings me JOY in life?
• Where do I feel I am at my best?
• What would I spend most of my time doing if I could do anything?

And no matter how you approach getting into flow, remember to be gentle with yourself. Avoid judging your feelings or actions. These feelings are coming up for a reason, to give you information and your actions will help you move through them, sometimes involving trial and error. Allow yourself to learn, to grow and to find what inspires you and gets you into FLOW.

BONUS: Listen to my podcast episode HERE on this topic!