Sometimes we think that our lifepath is taking us to a place where everything will be ‘just so’, where we will no longer have to deal with the ups and downs of life. No stress, no changes, no hardships, just all ‘lovely’ and predictable and easy. A place where we will be ‘just fine’. Often, we even fantasise about this and sub-consciously strive to reach such a place.
What we have forgotten though is that obstacles, difficulties, changes – basically anything that takes us off or away from that path - is what makes life a living life, not just an existing life. Our very existence is made up of gentle waves of intense joy, rogue waves taking us to the unknown, and all versions in between, all guiding us along our life journey. What happens when we stagnate on this path is that we become our own obstacle as we bring our personal growth, borne out of the natural ebb and flow of life, to a standstill.
In this time of stagnation, it is vital to remember that our choices, our actions and our ability to come up with ways forward are crucial to our satisfaction and happiness. When faced with a difficult situation, it might feel easier to stay right there, rather than seek something different or create change. On the other end of the spectrum, when we reach that ‘lovely place’, we often feel like it’s just too hard to change or start anything new. So the lack of action at either end of the spectrum is where we can stagnate; it’s where inertia takes over.
However, unlike objects, we have free will to change this state of inertia and get out of our mental slump, by using our own secret weapon, which is to take action. Maintaining the state of inertia can create a depressive state and make us think why we were ever excited about our life in the first place.
If we begin to feel that we are stagnating in any part of our life, we can ask ourselves what choices we could make to help ourselves move forward. This also applies to that settled, ‘lovely’ place, where we might have become a bit complacent, and where inertia has started to seep in, we might ask ourselves what we could do to enliven our outlook.
Life is meant for living, we can learn and grow from all our experiences - the good, the bad, the ugly and the stagnation. Wherever you are, there is always a step you can take, however small or seemingly insignificant, that will help you to overcome obstacles, find a way forward, grow in the process and really feel like you are living. One of the easiest things you can do to get out of a state of stagnation is to try something new – anything. You might not be able to leave a stagnant job, but you could take up a new activity which will give you a renewed perspective on life.
The benefits of trying something new include: increasing your sense of adventure and developing courage; creating memorable moments you will actually remember; increasing your creative capacity and growing your brain; and you’ll get to know yourself so much better in the process.
This is an opportunity for you to continue to learn and grow while getting out of an emotionally stagnant place. I challenge you to try something new for 30 days!
-Aimée