From Stagnation to Motivation: How to Overcome Feeling Stuck

You ever wake up one day and think, Wait… how did I get here? Not in some deep, existential way (okay, maybe a little), but in a “this is not how I pictured my life turning out” kind of way. I get it. You wake up one day and realize you’re still not where you thought you’d be by now. Maybe you swore you’d be out of that dead-end job by 25, but you’re still there swearing you’ll quit next year.  or that you’d finally go back to school, start that business, move to a new city….whatever it was. And yet, here you are, doing the same things, living the same routine, wondering how the years slipped by so fast. It’s frustrating, and honestly, a little embarrassing to admit. You had plans, big ones. But somehow, life just… happened.

Maybe you got comfortable. Maybe you were waiting for the "right time," but the right time never came. Or maybe you were just too overwhelmed to even start, and now, you feel like you’ve wasted time you can’t get back. And to make it worse? Social media is filled with people your age, sometimes younger and they are thriving. Buying houses, starting businesses, getting promoted, traveling the world. And here you are, scrolling through it all, stuck in the same place. It’s a terrible feeling, but let me tell you something: it’s also normal.

The truth is, this happens to a lot of people. No one tells you how easy it is to get caught up in the routine of daily life. You work, you pay bills, you try to balance relationships and responsibilities, and before you know it, years have passed. And when you finally stop to take a breath, you realize you’ve been running on autopilot, pushing your dreams to "next year," then the next, and the next. It’s a gut-punch moment, but here’s the good news: realizing this means you’re ready for a change. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t even be thinking about it.

But here’s the thing: feeling stuck doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means you’re aware that you want something different. And honestly? That’s a good thing. You wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t ready to do something about it. So let’s talk about how to shift out of this place and actually start moving forward again.

1. Be Honest with Yourself

Take a step back and figure out what you really want. Not what you think you should want, or what people expect of you. What is your dream? What goal keeps popping into your head, even when you try to ignore it? Write it down. Say it out loud. Own it.

2. Start Small, but Start Now

Feeling stuck often comes from the weight of everything you think you need to do. The key is to stop looking at the big picture as one massive, overwhelming thing. Instead, break it down. Want to switch careers? Start by researching jobs in your field. Want to go back to school? Look up one class you can take. Want to move? Start decluttering your space. Little actions create momentum.

3. Hold Yourself Accountable

It’s easy to make plans and then… do nothing. Don’t let that happen. Find ways to hold yourself accountable. Tell a friend about your goal, set deadlines, or even journal your progress. If it helps, create a vision board. This is a visual tool you can use to remind you why you’re making these changes.

4. Let Go of the Timeline

One of the worst things we do to ourselves is obsess over when things "should" happen. The perfect timeline doesn’t exist. Stop beating yourself up over what you haven’t done yet, and start focusing on what you can do now. Success doesn’t have an age limit.

5. Change Your Environment if You Need To

Sometimes, feeling stuck is about more than just not achieving goals it’s about being surrounded by the same uninspiring energy. If your job, relationships, or habits are keeping you in a cycle of stagnation, something has to shift. Even small changes like altering your daily routine, meeting new people, or switching up your workspace can make a big difference.

6. Don’t Wait for Motivation Just Start

Here’s the hard truth: motivation is fleeting. If you wait until you feel ready, you’ll be waiting forever. The trick is to take action anyway. Even when you don’t feel like it. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Because once you start, that’s when motivation follows.

The Bottom Line?

Feeling stuck doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means you’re human. And the best part? You have the power to change it. No, it won’t happen overnight, and yes, it’ll take work. But the time will pass either way so why not spend it moving toward something that actually excites you?

So, if you needed a sign to finally stop waiting and start doing this is it. Let’s go. 

 Take a breath, shake off the guilt, and remind yourself: You’re allowed to change. You’re allowed to want more. And you’re definitely allowed to go after it.