Do you ever wake up in the morning and feel completely unmotivated? Or more likely, this lack of motivation has been building up over time until one day it feels like you’ve completely lost it and you start feeling like maybe you’re just simply stuck in life?
You might find yourself struggling to find the motivation to do the things you normally love doing. I’m talking from personal experience here. In fact, I’ve been struggling a bit lately with the motivation to write these blog posts (more on that below)!
Sometimes you just feel uninspired and it’s hard to find the motivation to do the things you need and want to do. But motivation is really not something that needs to be found. It is always within you.
HOWEVER, sometimes it gets blocked and thus it seems as if your motivation has been lost and you are left with that “stuck in life” feeling.
The good news is that there are some legit reasons why you might be feeling this way and actionable solutions too!
In this post, I’m sharing the real reasons why you may be experiencing a lack of motivation, as well as effective steps you can take to get your groove back, + 25 AFFIRMATIONS FOR MOTIVATION you can use when feeling stuck in life.
5 Legit Reasons You’re Feeling Stuck in Life (+ 25 Affirmations for Motivation)
Whenever you’re feeling a lack of motivation, it helps to really dig into the root of the problem. Once you can determine why you’re feeling the way you do, then it’s much easier to figure out what to do about it.
Take some time to be quiet with yourself and check in on what’s going on internally. Put away distractions like your phone and social media. Heck, maybe you’ll get bored and start doing what you need to for lack of anything better to do!
All kidding aside, there are definitely real reasons why we feel unmotivated at times, so let’s get into the most likely ones, many of which I’ve certainly experienced.
Related: “10 Major Benefits of Self Reflection (+ FREE Questions to Get Started Today)”
Why You’re Feeling Stuck in Life (and What to Do About It):
1.) You’re unsure what to do
As I mentioned above, I’ve been feeling a lack of motivation lately when it comes to writing these articles. Although writing is something I love doing and it brings me a sense of purpose, still I find I’ve been procrastinating a bit.
It’s not for lack of inspiration. There are tons of things I would love to write about, but as much as this blog is an expression of my own personal journey, it is mainly about helping you – the reader.
So I guess you could say I’ve been feeling a little ambivalent regarding what to write about lately because I want to be sure I’m writing on topics you all want to read about!
What to do about it:
When feeling unsure, think about one small thing you can do that will propel forward in what feels like the right direction.
If you are really struggling to find that next small step, it may be because you are disconnected from your inner voice. Find ways to reconnect with yourself by spending time alone and away from technology.
Write in your journal, go for a nature walk, or meditate. Whatever you do, try to use the time to be quiet and tune in to what your inner voice has to say.
Other times you might need guidance from others, so push your pride aside and ask for it if this is the case. You might talk honestly with a friend or seek advice from a mentor.
2.) You feel overwhelmed
When you feel overwhelmed, it may be because you have too much on your plate OR you simply feel like you do because you haven’t organized all the to-do’s swimming around in your head.
What to do about it:
When you’re overwhelmed, it’s a good idea to revisit your to-do list and add task dates into your calendar to make things manageable.
If you find that scenario #1 applies and you truly have too much on your plate, it may be time to reevaluate your priorities and set some new boundaries. Make sure you allot time for self-care and consider changing up your routine if you find it’s draining you.
If you work from home, try introducing something new into your routine like a midday walk or where you work and pay attention to how those shifts make you feel.
On the other hand, if you are feeling overwhelmed because your to-do list lives solely in your head and is a big jumble, that’s a whole other story! You need to get organized my friend.
Do a big brain dump of everything on your mental to-do list by getting it down on paper. This will help you prioritize your tasks. You will feel much better once you do this and might even find that there’s not so much to do after all.
Related: “How to Plan Your Week to be Productive (9 tips that really work)”
3.) You’re afraid to take action
Sometimes feeling stuck in life is caused by fear of a negative outcome and this stops you from taking action or starting something new. You’re worried that something will go wrong, you’ll embarrass yourself, or you’re not confident in your ability to achieve what you want to.
What to do about it:
It’s important to evaluate where your fear is coming from. Try to shift your mindset to focus on all of the positive outcomes first and foremost and reframe your fear-driven thoughts.
Oftentimes, the hardest part is getting started, but once you take that first small step, you realize it’s not that daunting after all.
For example, if I’m feeling unmotivated to write a blog post, I might tell myself I’ll just write the intro today and work on the rest of tomorrow. Most of the time, once I get started, I will find myself writing much more than I had intended to.
This holds true in many scenarios. Think about when you are feeling unmotivated to exercise. If you commit to only a 10 minute workout, most of the time you end up doing much more than that.
Once you take a small action to get started, you build the momentum to keep going.
Related: “The Truth About Why You’re Not Going After What You Want In Life”
4.) You feel alone
Sometimes a lack of motivation leading you to feel stuck in life is due to loneliness. Humans need connection with others and when you’re not getting this, it can take a toll on you.
When I’m not connecting with others, I often find that I get stuck in my head with my own negative thoughts and this leads to me finding it hard to motivate myself to do anything.
What to do about it:
If you’re feeling a lack of motivation due to loneliness, it’s important to snap yourself out of it and make an effort to seek out time with friends and family.
Some other ways to connect with people would be to join community groups, attend a networking event, or take a class with others who are on a similar path or with whom you share common interests.
Having the opportunity to bounce ideas off of others with similar goals can work wonders for getting your creative juices flowing again and reigniting your spark.
Even online communities like Facebook groups or other virtual communities of like-minded people can help you feel more connected with others. Just don’t go down the rabbit hole of comparing yourself to others on social media.
If looking at others’ social media inspires and energizes you, then I’m all for it, but not if it’s having the opposite effect of making you feel inferior.
Related: “The Mom Tribe: How To Find One That Lasts”
5.) You’re experiencing information overload
Often when I’m feeling stuck it’s because I’m bogged down with too much information.
This can happen when you have too much input from social media, friends, and family and it overloads your brain. It causes you to lose sight of what you want and it becomes difficult to decide what you should do, so instead you feel unmotivated to do anything at all.
What to do about it:
Sometimes it becomes necessary to tune out the outside noise in order to hear your own voice. Therefore, taking a break from social media could be what you need.
I love to seek out inspiration from those I admire on social media, but it’s a fine line because I don’t want to start sounding like a replica of someone else or lose my own voice by confusing myself with everyone else’s ideas.
Information overload can also come from sources closer to home like friends and family. In that case, you may need to set stronger boundaries and start telling your loved ones that you respectfully decline from hearing their opinions on certain topics. This is especially necessary with people in your life who show a lack of support for your ideas or are overly aggressive with their own opinions.
You may also be part of the problem if you’re lacking confidence in your decision-making ability and constantly second-guessing yourself and seeking out advice from others. It’s time to take more ownership of your decisions and stop outsourcing them to other people.
Related: “Is Confidence a Skill? (6 Important Ways to Improve Your Confidence)”
Which of these reasons for feeling unmotivated or stuck in life resonated with you most?
Was there one that felt like THAT IS SO ME? Tell me in the comments!
Need a little extra help to find your motivation? Pick a few Affirmations for Motivation from the list below and try saying them each day!
- I am creating life on my terms.
- I have everything I need to achieve everything I want.
- I am focused on my WHY.
- I have confidence in my unique talents and abilities.
- I have a new opportunity everyday to come closer to my goals.
- I value my ideas and creativity.
- I am determined to achieve what I want.
- I am committed to my goals and nothing can stop me.
- I am proud of myself for all of my big and small wins.
- I have the discipline to accomplish everything I set my mind to.
- I can do hard things.
- I am confident and strong.
- I will reach my goals.
- Everyday is an opportunity for growth.
- I do not need validation from others.
- I have inner strength and resilience.
- I have accomplished things of which I’m proud.
- I have the power to change my life.
- I try my best every day.
- If I set my mind to it, I can achieve anything.
- My fears don’t control me.
- I invest in myself.
- I am capable of great things.
- I make good decisions.
- I accept myself exactly as I am.
Related: “50 Powerful Morning Affirmations for a Positive Mindset”
Carly is a wife, mom, and former NYC fashion industry executive turned writer and life coach. Through her writings on littlevoicebigmatter.com, she shares practical advice, heartfelt insights, and actionable resources to inspire and support women in motherhood, relationships, wellness, and life. Carly also helps women create better balance in their lives and live with more joy, purpose, and connection every day through her coaching.
This really resonates with me on so many levels. It happens so often! Good thing we are not alone. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Miranda,
Thx for your comment. We are definitely not alone. I think everyone feels unmotivated and even stuck in life at times. Just gotta keep moving forward!
I’ve noticed within myself that sometimes the best thing is just to JUMP IN! And then the motivation and courage comes later!!
Hi Rachel,
This is so true! The hardest part is getting started. You just have to start 😀. I do find that affirmations for motivation help too. Thanks for your comment!
Best,
Carly