Feeling Trapped

Part of the reason people don’t get the simpler lives they want, is that they feel trapped in their current life. Stifled by obligations, responsibilities and other people’s expectations. It seems that the way life is right now, is the way it always is.

Too often it only feels like you are trapped. Options seem clouded. But, you have more control then you think.

Let’s take a job you don’t like in a bad economy. You could still be putting out feelers for a dream job, or working a side job that is your passion, or changing the hours so they feel better to you, talking to your boss about using your gifts in a different area, or remembering 5 things that are good about your job before you leave work every day. Move your desk. Get outside at lunch. Instead of blaming your job or the economy or the mortgage, you can look at what you can control or ask for. People do this all the time.

Or feeling trapped in a marriage. You can change the way you communicate. Often we have bad habits of communication which leave us stuck in a stale pattern. Or bringing some fun into the marriage. Or deciding to go out with friends. Or asking deeper questions to connect more. Or spending time appreciating your spouse. People transform their marriages and you can too.

Where do you feel trapped? How would you like it to be instead? What is one step that can move you closer?

As you make decisions ask yourself if this decision makes you feel like you are going towards freedom or towards trapped. If someone asks you to volunteer for something do you feel excited at the opportunity or do you feel resentful? When a certain friend asks you to do something with her do you smile? Or do you try to figure out how to get out of it?

And reframe your current beliefs about how it will always be this way. Perhaps, "All things change and transition. And I can steer things in the way I want them to go."

Or instead of saying you feel trapped, you can try, "There are options I am not seeing. Maybe I can do some research or talk with a friend."

Often the way to get out of feeling trapped is to take a risk.

How can you get unstuck?