Feel stuck or trapped in the life you live?
Feel stuck, trapped or lost?
I felt like this for years, stuck in a job that I no longer found fulfilling. I hopped from one job to the next hoping I’d feel better but it was always short lived. The honeymoon period where everything is a bit new and novel makes it feel ok, but then bam! I’m back where I was 6 months ago. Same feeling of frustration and confusion.
Different office and mostly different people; you’d quite often see the same faces pop up in different places as I guess that’s what happens in a small sector.
Where has all the joy gone?
I worked in the charity sector; I kind of fell into it. I’d spent quite a bit of time temping in the not for profit sector whilst I was studying, so going on to work for a charity felt right for me. I wanted to help people, I didn’t fancy working for a faceless profit driven organisation. This was something I’d decided a long time ago.
I’d been in the sector for about 8 years, before the stuck feeling kicked in. I’d actually quite enjoyed the first 6 or 7 years – you know when you get promoted every few years and there’s drive and motivation? Maybe it was the 7 year itch when the feeling that something was missing arose….
My job, as a professional fundraiser, was starting to feel repetitive. My motivation to be promoted to a more senior level had diminished. I’d completely lost interest in climbing the ladder. I’d lost all joy from what I was doing, yet I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Hence I felt trapped and stuck.
Are you burying your head in the sand?
I was really unclear about what it was that was making me feel so frustrated, and instead of actually doing anything about it, I’d bury my head in the sand and think “maybe I just need a new job; a change of scene,” So for the next 4 or so years, I ploughed on….
At times, it was bloody ridiculous. I felt like banging my head against a wall. I didn’t know how to get out, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, I felt pigeonholed into the charity sector, and the job I did. Part of me just wanted to pack up and leave, not just the job, but the country. Leave it all behind! But the sensible part in me prevented this; “you can’t just run away from this. You have responsibilities”. It was right, I did. I had a mortgage – it wasn’t an insurmountable problem, but what happens afterwards?
Anyway, that was the issue. The same question just went round and round. I wasn’t coming up with a solution because my brain was stuck on the problem. I mentioned it to a few friends, but none of us had any bright ideas as they too felt a similar way. I even mentioned my frustration to one of my managers but he was as helpful as a chocolate teapot. When you’re stuck in this cycle, it feels easier to just switch off and ignore the issue.
But as we know, that just keeps you stuck.
You can break free
Anyway, thankfully, I did eventually break free, yay!!! And now my life is completely different and I am living a life I am way more excited about. It’s been a really fascinating journey and a journey, I’d love to share with you in future posts. You don’t have to feel stuck, trapped or unfulfilled in a life that no longer brings you joy.
Whether you feel stuck professionally or personally, I’ve got something for you. I’ve created a fantastic simple guide to help you gain clarity so you can become unstuck. Download your Reflect and Reset Guide now to gain clarity to move forward.
Had I done these tasks when I felt stuck, I’m sure I would have progressed and found a way forward much faster. This is an exercise I use regularly to help ensure my life is still moving in the direction of my choosing. I hope you find it as useful as I do.
My name is Sabrina Qua and I am on a mission to empower women to break free from limitations and reconnect with themselves, so they can live lives they are excited about. If you feel like you’ve been living your life on auto pilot and you’re not happy with where you are heading or maybe you’ve just lost your way and life has become a bit of a slog, the good news is you can change this.
By exploring who you are and what’s important to you, you will become clear on what you want and how you want to live your life. Personal growth requires work, but it can also be so much fun, so I ask you to keep an open mind, be curious and get ready to create a life you are excited about.