No one likes feeling stuck. That I think we can all agree on some level. Ironically enough as humans we also hate change as well. We are creatures of habit in some regard. We eat 3 times a day, usually, sleep similar times each day, and go to work the same 8 hours 5 days a week, (or more), and yet feeling stuck is one of the worst emotional states.

I experienced this considerably when I would do the same bad cycle, over, and over, and over, and over again. It begins to wear on you.

Being Stuck doesn't feel too good.

Habits are not necessarily evil, but what habits you partake in shape a substantial part of your life. Around 40% of our lives are shaped by our habits.

Now what ends up happening to many is simply nothing. No change, no creativity, simply the same.

And I want to be very clear here, routine is not a bad thing. I personally very much enjoy sleeping at the same time every night and having a consistent exercise schedule. But what I don't like is the dragging of a poor day, every day.

“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” - Seneca

Many of us suffer more from doing nothing rather than having a life we despise. In an age of endless information that encourages us to sit on technology and do nothing.

The consistent feeling of doing and achieving nothing. It leaves you feeling empty in search of something to fill the spot. Usually with some sort of pleasure to fill the moment. That pleasure begins to grow, till eventually, it consumes you.

So, how do we fix this?

I found the solution falls under two categories mainly:

1. Impulse control.
2. Be Proactive.

Impulse Control

We have deeply routed emotions as humans, and unfortunately, we are in many circumstances very bad at channeling our emotions. This can lead us to simply do whatever we FEEL without thinking of the consequence.

So how do we change?

There's the magic word: Change.

I know you're probably thinking, this advice is so simple and there has to be some magic shortcut, and I respond: sometimes the best advice is the most simple.

We have to learn how to channel our emotions for something better. If you have anger about the grades you receive, use that anger to get a better grade on the next assignment.

Anger, disgust, and sadness, these emotions are not inherently toxic, but rather how people handle them. Many do not have the impulse control to make the right decision. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do in tense situations is restrain yourself from making a bad decision out of mere emotions.

We, myself included, have to practice how we handle our emotions on a small scale, whether it be an employee at a grocery store being rude, or some idiot at school being obnoxious. How we channel our emotions is a reflection of who we are.

I know it can be difficult to change our ways, but always reacting the same rather than being able to learn from our mistakes will keep us from growing into something better.

What keeps us from being complacent is the ability to channel our emotions in a healthy way, and that is something that can only happen through practice.

Be Proactive

Here's the meat and potatoes of the complacency problem. Doing nothing. It feels good for a little bit, but then you start to feel lethargic, maybe there is an assignment you ought to be working on or a business presentation you should practice, but then you just don't.

Complacency is this: doing a lot of the same while accomplishing very little at all.

We become stuck in our own made cycles, but what that means is if we made it, we can change it.

Ironically this advice is the most simple, yet the hardest to do. If you want to change you have to make it happen, you have to take action and make things change. You do so by being proactive, not reactive. Starting on an assignment as soon as you can, rather than waiting until when it's due. Or going to ask out that girl rather than wait for the perfect moment to fall into our laps.

The advice is something you already know, but are more than likely avoiding doing. You, yes I mean you.

The work will not do itself. Idle hands will not build the life you want, but a courageous heart and a willing mind can.

Action precedes motivation.

If you start working, you'll find the work maybe wasn't that bad in the first place.

Best of luck.