In order to know what the right course of action is, we must first determine the basis for feeling stuck and then we can know what to do.

How can we know what way we are stuck?  

I like to ask the following questions:

1.  Am I living the way I want?  Am I living positively or have I been side-tracked for any reason?

2.  Did I just complete or remove a goal and now need a new one?

3.  Do I just feel stagnant and don't know why?

Depending upon the reason for feeling stuck, will depend upon the best course of action to take in order to remove the feeling and be back on track with going full-stream ahead with our aspirations.

1.  First, am I living the way I want?

If the answer to this question is YES, then it is not the time to make a major change of HOW we do things.  We simply need to change some of the things we are focusing on.  Perhaps, it is time to add a new aspiration to our life.  Or, we might consider if we have clutter in our life (see Clearing Clutter to Create), which often creates a feeling of being stuck even when we may be on purpose.  Otherwise, this is not the primary reason for feeling stuck.

If the answer to this question is NO, which is far more likely, then we need to ask WHY and evaluate the answers.  Am I living positively?  If we said NO, then we are probably not in complete POSITIVE space, which is okay, as that is a natural ebb-and-flow of life.   And if we have been side-tracked in any area of our life, then the odds are high that we will feel stuck in our purpose.  In this case, we need to look at two additional questions.

    a. Do I basically like my life, if I went back to what I was doing before, and recommitted to those aspirations?

    b. Will I be unhappy if I don't make serious changes?

If the answer to (a) is YES, then we need to not do ANYTHING except for refocus on our passion, our life, our aspirations, and do three things every day focused on living that life, rather than the life we've been living that got us side-tracked.  It is a little hard at first, but with the first movement we will notice something shift.  And upon the first shift, subsequent shifts will become even easier.  After that, it will be totally empowering to start living the way we want, and future directions will become very clear.  If we liked our life before, and we hadn't moved, then we don't need to move now -- we just need to do that which we know will make us happy and fulfilled again.

If the answer to (a) is NO, then we need to consider making changes.  This may mean evaluating (or reevaluating) The Purpose Question and The Empowerment Prayer.  WE might also want to review our vocation.  If we did not like our life before, we won't like it if we go back to it.    If it wasn't fulfilling before, it won't be fulfilling by going back to it after being side-tracked from it.  So, in this case, I recommend making changes.  Change where we live, our vocation, or our job, or anything else that feels out of sorts.  Start with one, see how it feels for a month or two, and if the feeling persists, then do another.  Eventually, the movement will shift and we will be able to focus on our true aspirations.  

2.  Did I just complete or remove a goal and now need a new one?

If the answer to this question is YES, then we simply need to add an aspiration in order to feel unstuck.  If we are unsure where to go next, then evaluating (or reevaluating) The Purpose Question and The Empowerment Prayer, may be useful.  Also, be re-mapping our aspirations to our values (See: Mapping Our Values to Our Goals), and creating a collage, or starting a new journal, ideas may come.

If I haven't completed a goal or my answer is NO, then this is probably not the primary reason for feeling stuck.

3.  Do I just feel stagnant and don't know why?

If the answer to this question is "no" then check out #1 and #2 again.

If the answer to this question is yes, then we can consider making MINOR changes right now in order to shift our energy and create new energy by clearing and setting focused intention with our most powerful self.  

If I feel stagnant and don't know why, the best thing to do is continue status quo with major life aspects until I can figure it out.  I know that isn't an easy answer, but if you take action now, and in your state of fog it turns out being the wrong answer, you may commit an error or go down a path that will make you unhappy.  We need to be clear in the decisions we make, otherwise we are just asking for trouble.

When we feel stagnant, usually we need to clear clutter, or make a subtle change in our lifestyle.  For example, a new bedspread, in a different color, might change the feeling of stagnant and free our energy to dream differently.  Or, perhaps rearranging some furniture or knick-knacks might release our energy to create again.  This is when Feng Shui (see Abundant Home) is most useful, because Feng Shui is simply a discipline of focusing attention into the various areas of our life to create natural balance with our environment.  What's wrong with that?  Balance of that sort is always healthy to keep our energy free and clear.  

The other suggestion to remove the feeling of stagnant is to begin to meditate, exercise, and eat healthy again.  Usually when I feel stagnant, I notice I've stopped working out, or quit meditating, or ate too many processed foods.  By becoming energetic and healthy we free our energy for our most creative self to go to work.   We must become our most powerful self if we are to have no stagnant energy blocks.

Try these tips to remove that "stuck" feeling and build new energy for exciting new growth.

We review the more about our Spiritual Nature and The Purpose Question in our new Life Purpose Program entitled, "The Keys To Discovering Your Purpose," featuring our experiential e-workbook, audio CD companion, and upcoming e-book and hardcopy book on Discovering Your Purpose. People report that living a life on purpose brings higher fulfillment, raised self-esteem, increased abundance, and more time to do what they love. Why not be one of the twenty percent living on purpose?

"I think that everyone should read and re-read your [workbook articles] frequently.  It is easy to start with much gusto but  we all need a reminder of our direction." - Mary R. (GA, USA)