{"id":43516,"date":"2024-10-15T16:28:42","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T20:28:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?p=43516"},"modified":"2024-10-15T16:30:35","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T20:30:35","slug":"why-stagnation-happens-and-how-to-move-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/why-stagnation-happens-and-how-to-move-forward\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Stagnation Happens and How to Move Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-43518 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Stagnation-Blog-Image-300x300.png\" alt=\"Worried man thinking, sitting on couch looking out of window in living room\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Stagnation-Blog-Image-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Stagnation-Blog-Image-800x800.png 800w, https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Stagnation-Blog-Image-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Stagnation-Blog-Image.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Have You Been Feeling Stuck?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One of the worst places to be is in a rut. This happens when you feel at a standstill with your career. You don\u2019t necessarily hate your job enough to leave, but you don\u2019t feel excited about staying. This happens in your relationships when you feel unsettled with how things are going. You wish that you were closer to people, felt more connected, and didn\u2019t worry that you\u2019ll end up old without any friends. This shows up with your own goals. You really want to start new routines, get into shape, and spend your time in more meaningful ways. Instead, you find yourself lying in bed, scrolling on your phone, and complaining about how you don\u2019t feel energetic. We call this:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Stagnation<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Stagnation is a lack of personal movement, growth, or development. This happens when certain areas of your life stop progressing and start feeling stuck. This results in you sticking to the same patterns, routines, or habits despite the fact that they are currently making you unhappy.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Stagnation Examples<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I\u2019ve been at the same job for years now and feel unengaged. I wish that I could be doing something different, but I don\u2019t feel like I could find a better job. I try reminding myself that I should be grateful to be working at my job, but the longer I stay the worse I feel.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I really need to start getting in shape and taking better care of myself. Every time I try a new routine, I don\u2019t stick with it. I don\u2019t feel like I have the time or energy to make any of these commitments work long term.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I don\u2019t have a lot of good friends or close family relationships. I desperately want to feel more connected to others, but everything I try to do hasn\u2019t worked. Even when I muster up the energy to spend time with people, the relationships don\u2019t end up going anywhere.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">My relationships with friends and family seem strained. I don\u2019t like the way that we all talk to each other, and I feel frustrated and discouraged after being around them. I know that we need to change the way we\u2019re talking to each other, but I don\u2019t know what I\u2019m supposed to do.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">My relationship with God feels out of place. I\u2019ve been praying, reading the Bible, and attending church but I don\u2019t feel connected or at peace. I don\u2019t feel engaged in my faith even though I\u2019m going through all of the motions.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What Causes Stagnation<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong><i>Being in the same place for too long<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Stagnation can naturally happen when don\u2019t make any changes for a long time. This causes you to become more and more set in your ways and less and less inclined to make changes.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Discouraging past experiences<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s difficult to leave somewhere comfortable when you\u2019ve had bad previous experiences. This is the reason why many people don\u2019t get new jobs, don\u2019t leave partners that are not working out, or avoid taking necessary risks. This makes it hard to imagine how change can make a positive impact on your current circumstances.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Feeling stressed and burned out<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Making important changes can take a lot of time and energy. If you are constantly feeling drained from your everyday life, it\u2019s more difficult to spend time on changing your circumstances.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Stress that is not quite overwhelming<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s hard to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/motivation\">motivate yourself<\/a> to get out of a rut if things are not in a crisis. Stagnation causes pain over a long period of time that is easy to cope with in the moment but has a strong toxic effect over time. This is why you might wait years before finally deciding that you\u2019ve had enough waiting around.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Being too busy<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s easy to not make progress on important goals when you\u2019re too busy. All of your time and energy gets sucked into other things leaving you with no energy to spend on creating movement on your goals.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Hope that things will resolve without you having to do anything<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sometimes you can get lucky and your problems will work themselves out. Most of the time, waiting around makes problems harder to deal with and build up dread.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Distractions<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Spending too much time on your phone, browsing social media, or watching TV kills motivation.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The good news is that there are several things that you can incorporate to get through stagnation.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Tips For Getting Through Stagnation<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong><i>Stop making excuses<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There are so many good reasons for why your life is stagnating right now. That\u2019s the problem. Instead of focusing on all of the reasons for why you are stagnating, take responsibility for the things that you can change in your life.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Focus on the next action step<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Any type of movement helps breaking the cycle of stagnating. Do you want to get into better physical shape? Commit to taking a walk every day. Are you feeling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/loneliness\">lonely<\/a> and isolated from others? Start reaching out to people you know and try to broaden your social circle. Do you feel disengaged from work? Make a plan for how you can change your role at work or start networking with other people and exploring new positions.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<i>Bring others in for support<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s much easier to stay accountable when other people are keeping you on track. Find trusted individuals who care about you, are willing to help you out, and will actually be helpful in your pursuit to making changes. These can also include bringing in a professional, such as a therapist, personal trainer, or career coach. If you know that you don\u2019t have enough motivation to see your goals through, then make the decision to include someone who will make a difference.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Refuse to do nothing<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Not doing anything about a problem is a decision. Stop making that decision. Instead, commit to making a decision about how to solve your problem. Are you unsure how to proceed? Do things that bring clarity. Are you unhappy with something happening in your relationship? Commit to a time to start a conversation. Refuse to be someone who sits on problems indefinitely.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Stop waiting for the right time or perfect decision<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Most decisions are better than delaying a decision with stagnation. Having some form of movement in your life makes it easier to build momentum for bigger changes. Don\u2019t know what job to apply for? Just make yourself apply for something. Unsure about whether to get a gym membership or start a private workout plan? Start going on walks and working out at home before deciding. Don\u2019t know when would be a good time to have an important conversation? Schedule a time with the person for when to have the conversation.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Set some deadlines<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Set up a time for when you can have any important conversation, look for a new job, or start a new routine. There are few good excuses for why you can\u2019t simply set a deadline for what needs to be done and how you are planning to resolve it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Stop wasting your time<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Excessively being on your phone, watching tv, or browsing social media makes you feel less motivated to change. Additionally, these things take up valuable time that you could be reinvesting to meeting your goals.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Push yourself to make a decision<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A lot of decisions are hard to make because you don\u2019t have clarity on what you should do. Even though lacking clarity is difficult, this does not make refusing to make a decision a better choice. Being in the drivers seat of your decision making gives you more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/confidence\">confidence<\/a> and control over your outcome. If you refuse to make a decision, then you are responsible for what happens since you could have acted sooner.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Questions And Challenges for You To Consider:<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What areas of your life are stagnating?\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What are the reasons why you are stagnating?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How can you take a single step to create movement in your life?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have You Been Feeling Stuck?? ?One of the worst places to be is in a rut. This happens when you feel at a standstill with your career. You don?t necessarily hate your job enough to leave, but you don?t feel excited about staying. This happens in your relationships when you feel unsettled with how things [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3201,"featured_media":43517,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,542,2095,628,1879],"tags":[2248,2196,1065,2247],"class_list":["post-43516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-featured-articles","category-find-therapist","category-general","category-personal-growth","tag-feeling-stuck","tag-finding-yourself","tag-personal-growth","tag-stagnation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3201"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43516"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43516\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}