There are times when life just feels… stuck. Like you’re going through the motions but not actually moving forward. You might be showing up every day, doing what needs to be done, but inside there’s this quiet heaviness. A sense that something isn’t quite right, and you can’t figure out how to shift it.
What “Stuck” Can Look Like
For one client, it looked like waking up every morning with a pit in her stomach before logging into work. She had a good job on paper: steady income, kind coworkers, but she felt drained before the day even began. She wasn’t unhappy, exactly. Just… numb. She kept telling herself to be grateful, but deep down, she knew something needed to change.
Feeling stuck can show up in so many ways. Maybe it’s a job that no longer feels meaningful, a relationship that feels disconnected, or a version of yourself that no longer fits. Sometimes it’s not even about one specific thing. It’s just a low-level fog that follows you around, making everything feel a little harder.
Burnout Isn’t Always Obvious
One of the most common roots of this feeling is burnout, but not always the kind that’s loud and dramatic. Sometimes burnout is quiet. It’s the slow erosion of joy, the creeping sense of fatigue that doesn’t go away with rest. It’s feeling like you’re always “on” but never really present. And because it builds gradually, it’s easy to miss until you’re deep in it.
Burnout can look like: - Struggling to concentrate or make decisions - Feeling emotionally flat or irritable - Losing interest in things you used to enjoy - Constantly questioning your purpose or direction
And yet, many people blame themselves for not being able to “push through.” But this isn’t a personal failure; It’s a signal that something deeper needs attention.
Starting to Move Again
In therapy, we often start with slowing down. Naming what’s actually happening. Getting curious instead of critical. And then, gently, one small step at a time, beginning to untangle the thoughts, beliefs, and fears that might be keeping you stuck.
Sometimes change doesn’t come from a big breakthrough. Sometimes it begins quietly with a single decision to treat yourself with more kindness, or to listen to that small voice inside that’s been saying, “Something needs to shift.”
An Invitation to Reflect
If any of this resonates with you, take a moment to pause. Ask yourself: - Where in my life do I feel most stuck? - What might I be avoiding or pushing down? - What would it look like to be just a little more honest with myself?
You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to fix everything at once. But you can start by noticing. And if you’re ready, therapy can be a safe place to explore what’s keeping you stuck and help you start moving forward again, one step at a time.
