Feeling Stuck in Life? 3 Deeper Reasons to Motivate You to ACTUALLY Make Change

When you’re feeling stuck in life, it may seem obvious why you want to make changes in your life. 

• You’re unhappy or unsatisfied with yourself or your current situation
• You have a vision of something you want to have, achieve, or feel
• You’re in a pit of suffering and desperately needing something to change

And yet, when trying to make changes you might find yourself in an endless loop, with sudden bursts of motivation and action followed by crashes back into old habits and ways of being. 

What if we dug a bit deeper than fear or frustration? Can we discover motivations for change anchored closer to the truth of who we are; reasons that are sustainable and momentum-giving? 

Let’s explore some powerful inner motivators that can help us get grounded when we slip off course. These are a few big “why’s” for change, beyond wanting to quickly escape a current situation or to reach a far-off horizon.

1. Change is my choice

At 5 years old, I had no idea what I was agreeing to when an authority figure imposed their personal beliefs on me. Or how my mind and body were impacted when someone at school called me a name. I absorbed everything, like a sponge. 

I didn’t have a choice then. But I do now.

A lot of what holds us back from creating change is identifying with a belief system that was never ours to begin with. That’s why it’s incredibly powerful to know we can choose differently today.

Contemplate the absurdity of living out a belief system you didn’t consciously choose. Let that feeling sink in a bit and start to move you, maybe through anger, or regret, or excitement. 

By doing so, you may feel more open to explore the unknown and become a conscious creator of your own life.

2. Change is magical

Alchemy is the process of turning metal into gold. Change is your very own emotional, physical, and spiritual alchemy. 

Even the smallest little shifts, like noticing how much more calmly you react when your mother says that thing. Or witnessing the tightness in your chest dissolve after you firmly make the decision that feels right. 

We admire and appreciate it everywhere in nature: the caterpillar shedding its shell, the leaves dying in winter, the birth of a baby. We all stop, get silent, and pay attention. 

It’s not just the butterfly or the baby that are lovely and mesmerizing. It’s the process of change that is occurring, as something dies away and something new arises. 

When we think of change as a kind of magical transformation, shifting and wriggling out of an old skin feels like something to celebrate. 

When we detach from our own expectations, we might even look forward to the next time a challenge or a sticking point arises. From our new vantage point, we can see how situations or emotions can bubble, dissolve and transform into something unexpected. 

3. Change is my purpose 

“Purpose” is one of those words that comes with a lot of pressure. But don’t worry, the focus here is not your career, goals, or passion (even though all of those things can play a part). 

Imagine if you could see the process of change as your purpose on earth. We witness and revere change in nature all the time, from the shifting of tectonic plates to ebb and flow of tides. Well, news flash… we’re part of nature! 

As a human, your purpose is the process of shedding layers of fear and conditioning, to reveal more of who you really are. Year over year, it’s becoming a little more honest, a little more peaceful, a little more loving.

So it’s ok if your true north isn’t mapped out yet. Embrace the “not knowing” as part of the journey. 

By bringing awareness to the currents of change–how you approach it, handle it, flow with it– you tap into something incredibly powerful. The very thing which ripples through the world and connects us all: change.

“We can do no great things, only small things with great love”

– Mother Teresa

Journal Activity!

If you’re feeling stuck in life, take a moment to look within and explore your deeper reasons for change. Add the ones we’ve covered in this blog if they resonate for you! 

Use your “bigger why’s for change” to re-center when you find yourself doubting, getting frustrated, or wanting to give up during the process of creating change. By practicing acceptance of all the bad and ugly, change can become a much smoother, more consistent process.