Why You Feel Stuck (And Why That Might Not Be True)
Ever felt like you’re stuck in place, unable to move forward no matter how hard you try?
Maybe you’re not actually stuck—just looking at the situation from the wrong angle.
Over at DigiNav HQ, I recently shared my insights on confidence and momentum—how decision fatigue, self-doubt, and hesitation create the illusion of being stuck when, in reality, it's just that, an illusion. If you haven’t read it, check it out here: Confidence & Momentum.
About 15 years ago, we decided to sell our suburban home and move to a small farm on acres of property in a rural town. I thought I was up for the challenge, but I quickly realized I was underprepared and far less confident than I wanted to be.
The first crack was losing my support system—friends and family were now miles away. I was thrown into an unfamiliar place, way different from the life I had known. Even my old lab, Rocky, seemed uneasy in the new space.
Too many decisions, too little knowledge, and the weight of trying to build a sustainable business while parenting a teenager thrown into the same scenario left me questioning everything. Was this move a mistake? Could I handle this much change?
But here’s the thing: I wasn’t actually stuck—I was resisting the change.
Today, I want to take a step back from the how and focus on why this happens in the first place.
The Illusion of Stuckness
There was a time when I truly believed I was stuck.
Moving from the comfort of a neighborhood where everyone knows everyone to acres of open land should have felt free, but instead, it felt like isolation, stress, and decision fatigue all rolled into one.
Everything was unfamiliar: the vastness of "our" property, the quiet. Even my dog asked, "What have you done?"
The thoughts started creeping in:
What if this was a mistake?
What if I never feel at home here?
What if I can’t handle this much change?
The more I obsessed over these questions, the more frustrated I felt.
But here’s what I didn’t realize back then:
I wasn’t actually stuck. I was resisting the changes.
Why We Think We’re Stuck
Stuckness isn’t about having no options. More often, it’s a lack of clarity and an overload of internal noise. It’s not that we don’t have choices—it’s that we don’t trust ourselves to make the right one.
We tell ourselves:
I don’t know what the next step is.
I need more information before I can move forward.
Maybe I’m just not cut out for this.
But in reality, stuckness is often just waiting for certainty that will never come.
When I moved away, I kept waiting for a moment of confirmation—some external sign telling me I made the right choice. But clarity doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from action. The longer I hesitated, the more frustrated and powerless I became.
The real issue was that I was waiting for the perfect choice instead of making a decision and adjusting as I went.
The Shift: Seeing ‘Stuck’ Differently
At some point, I had to stop waiting for the big aha that I made the right choice. Instead of resisting, I leaned into it.
The wide-open space? It became a blank canvas of exploration.
The strangers from a different place? They became my community.
The uncomfortable quiet? It gave me space to reflect on what actually mattered.
This shift didn’t happen overnight. It started with small. The same road I once saw as lonely became an opportunity for adventure. The silence that once felt overwhelming became a chance to think more clearly. The only thing to change - my perspective.
The discomfort of change doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. It means you’re growing.
Reframing Stuckness: The Questions to Ask Yourself
Instead of asking, “Why am I not getting this?” try asking:
Why am I resisting?
What if this is an invitation to do things differently?
What can I see now that I was missing?
What if the only thing keeping me stuck is getting in my own way?
What if it’s not time yet?
We often aren’t as stuck as we believe—we’re just afraid of making the wrong move. But here’s the thing: momentum isn’t built by waiting; it’s built by action, even if that feels small or uncertain.
Shifting your perspective won’t always make the path easier, but it will help you see the next step more clearly.
Small Shifts Create Big Change
If you take away nothing else from this conversation, remember:
You don’t need to feel confident. You just need to act anyway.
You don’t need certainty. You just need momentum.
Small shifts lead to big transformations.
Have you ever thought you were stuck, only to realize later that it was just how you looked at the road ahead? What were the moments when things finally clicked?