Feeling stuck isn’t a lack of motivation: it’s your brain’s way of trying to keep you safe. In this episode, Klaudia unpacks the science behind feeling stuck and guides you through reflective questions to help you reconnect with your purpose and spark new possibilities.
Take a pause, reflect, and join the journey to living with more meaning.
Hello happiness seekers. Welcome back to the Happiness Challenge.
I'm Klaudia Mitura, your host and we are back to the usual format of the podcast after the wonderful 26 day the Alphabet of Happiness Boost.
And before we dive into this episode, I just would love to say again a massive thank you to all of you wonderful human beings who have joined the boost and were with me on that 26 day journey. Thank you also to everyone who has joined me at the Science Museum for the launch of my of the book the Alphabet of Happiness.
And also thank you to all of you who have been sending me lovely messages and engaging with me in social media. Your support truly means so much to me and I'm so grateful for your energy and enthusiasm when it comes to the Alphabet of Happiness.
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book yet and you would like to dive deeper into the Science of Happiness, now is the perfect time because some key retailers are running some promotions and if you have read and enjoyed the book and I know that many of you had, please I would love you to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. I'm aiming for hundred reviews by January because each review helps spread the science of happiness further. So thank you so much for your support.
Okay, back to the topic of this month.
In the episode 201 from stack to Flow, I was joined by psychologist, leadership coach and the author Sarah Rosenhaler to explore what it really means to move from feeling stuck to flow.
And together we have unpacked how reconnecting with purpose and having meaningful conversations can help us shift out of fear, overthinking and self doubt and towards more energy, curiosity and fulfillment.
So in the short episode 202 I'm going to dive into into the Science of Feeling Stuck and also to invite you to engage in reflective exercise to reconnect with your purpose. It's the end of the year, Christmas is almost upon us and I think we do need to inject some kind of energy into the rest of the year.
Before:
So I think it's very interesting to understand that when we feel stuck, our brains are often caught in the loop between the amygdala, which is the fear center, and the prefrontal cortex, which is the decision making part of the brain. And the amygdala interprets uncertainty or any change as a potential threat triggering that stress response.
And that's why we experience this familiar sensation of tightness, overthinking or indecision. And at the same time, the prefrontal cortex, which help us plan and take action, also becomes flooded with stress hormones.
And therefore it's making it much more harder for us to think clearly, to see creative or alternative options. And that really means it's not that we are unmotivated. It doesn't really mean that we not necessarily know what's next.
It's very much more that our nervous system is doing its best to keep us safe. And what in that moment feels safe is what's known to us, that is let's follow the status quo.
And the way out of this moment isn't to really force movement, but really to calm the body and shift the story we are telling ourselves. So when we pause, breathe and reconnect with what matters most to us, we re engage the era linked to imagination, meaning making and purpose.
And that's where new possibilities start to appear. Because we suddenly see different solutions, different ways of thinking. We suddenly thinking out of a box, a moment of sitting down and reflecting.
It's always a great place to start. And I know that often when we feel stuck, we feel impatient. We feel, okay, I, I'm impatient, I want to move forward, I want to know what to do next.
But actually trying to get out of that loop and thinking, okay, I'm just going to reflect on what's important to me.
So what I would really encourage you to do in the next couple of weeks, take a few minutes to journal or simply think about the following questions that can help you to reconnect with your purpose. So question number one is what truly energizes you? What gives you a small spark of feeling alive, feeling excited? What is that?
Maybe describe the situation that last time you felt that. Maybe describe the last conversation that you had with someone that really energized that spark. Second question. When do you feel most like yourself?
So where? On this moment when you feel quite comfortable in your own skin. I know, for example, that I really feel comfortable when I'm writing.
When I'm writing and coming up with ideas, I instantly feel so much better and so much energized and inspired. Number three, whose lives do you want to positively impact and why?
So again, thinking beyond day to day, what is it that you passionate about and who would you like to share that passion with? Number four, if you stop trying to get it right, what would you be curious to explore next? So I think often we are stuck in this look of perfection.
So for a moment, let's imagine we don't have to get it right. We can fail straight away. But if that would not matter, what would you be curious to explore next in the situation?
And number five, what might your purpose look like in small everyday actions? So I think it's incredible to have a grand mission, but also what about day to day as a way of showing up?
For example, if my specific mission is to inspire other people to think about the science of happiness, how I could be showing up day to live with that purpose. And often it is that I bring energy, I bring inspiration to the conversation.
I would really encourage you to reflect on your purpose and identify where you can find that energy. And yeah, what is your purpose? Have your purpose changed? Do you need to forge a new purpose? Do you have no idea?
And actually you need to explore different aspects to actually understand what your purpose is. So thank you so much for listening. I really do encourage you for the next couple of weeks to reflect and reconnect with your purpose.
Whether reflecting on your own or maybe having a conversation with loved one or dear friend over a cup of tea, thinking about our purpose is important and if you have enjoyed this episode, remember to share it with other people.
And of course, finally, don't forget to sign up for my free webinar on 8th of December where I'll be sharing some practical tips on how to live a happier life. You can find all the details on my website, thehappinesschallenge.co.uk.com so let's keep this happiness journey going together.
Thank you so much for listening and stay happy. Bye.
