I Feel Trapped In My Life
Are you stuck in a rut? Has life lost its luster for you?
It seems that many people feel trapped in the life they are leading. The kicker is that nothing too bad is actually happening. What I mean is that there are no current crises going on. No one has cancer or has passed away unexpectedly or has even lost their job.
It’s just that life has become very boring, predictable and irritating. Can you relate to this?
I certainly can. I’ve struggled with feeling trapped in my life from time-to-time over the years. It kind of sneaks up on you. You build a nice, comfortable life and then bam! You wake up one morning bored out of your gourd.
The good news is that you don’t have to live life this way. There are options. You may not see them right now, but we can work on that.
Five ways to make that trapped in my life feeling vanish
No matter how trapped you may feel, I guarantee you that it is not as bad as it seems. You still have a lot of control and freedom. You just need to open your eyes and see the possibilities.
Here are some things I do to make the feelings of being trapped vanish.
1. Imagine what you want your life to be like a year from now
Your life is largely determined by the vision you have for it. I don’t think there is any hocus pocus in this. It’s just that nothing can happen in our lives until we first imagine it and then act upon making it come true. Trust me on this. Take 30 minutes and write out what you’d like your life to look like a year from now if everything went perfectly your way. You’ll be amazed at how uplifting this exercise is for you!
2. Start actively practicing gratitude
You have plenty of things to be thankful for if you just take a few minutes to acknowledge them. Make a list. Yes, a list. Come on, just do it. Write down at least 25 things that you have to be grateful for. Twenty-five?!? Yes, twenty-five. It will stretch you, but you can do it. Once you have the list read over it. See. You do have a lot to be grateful about. Also, this is your list of assets that can carry you to that vision you created in Step 1.
3. Talk to someone about your feelings
Get your feelings out in the open with your spouse, a trusted friend or a counselor. Oftentimes, just saying it all out loud will help you to see that life isn’t as bad as it seems. Plus, the encouragement you are likely to receive will be like a vitamin to your soul. Open up and discuss your feelings of being trapped and it could be the key that unlocks a new sense of optimism for you!
4. Read or engage in something uplifting
Find some inspiration online, in a book or at an event. You need positive inputs right now. Fortunately, there are a ton of options for you to swing your mind to the positive and to help you see all the freedom you have available. If you are religious, attend your church or synagogue. This is another great way to lift the fog from your life. Find a source of inspiration that lifts your thinking and gets you out of that pit.
5. Make a stand
Decide today that you will no longer follow the path of least resistance in your life. Decide today to make a stand and improve your life for the better. Decide today that you will start working to be free! Being happy and living life to the fullest is a choice. It is available to you. However, there is a cost. Are you willing to do the work and make the choices necessary to have a better life? I challenge you to make a stand.
Spring open the door and grab hold of all that freedom!
Take one small step today to free yourself and you will see a world of opportunities open up to you. Be consistent with practicing these strategies and you will accomplish things that will amaze you! Your mind might resist, but it will change its tune rapidly if you just try my suggestions!
Are you feeling trapped? What are you going to do about it?
Photo by malias
Hey Jeff, great tips as always.
When I saw the title I thought you were crying out for personal help in your own life
Read Glen Allsopp´s latest article – Results: My 7 Day Self-Discipline Challenge
It all comes from within. If one feels trapped in their life or job it is a matter of perception. What makes the difference is how we talk to, think about, and relate to ourselves first and foremost. If we see our self as stuck, we have already talked it up in our mind to the point where it has become true, even if it’s not. And how could it be true, how could we really be stuck in our life? We are all in control of our destiny, we just have to take the reins.
@Glen – Glad to know that the title caught your eye!
@Matt – I agree. We can make whatever changes we want in our lives, but sometimes circumstances seem overwhelming or the cost of making a change seems too high. Debt, past choices and relationships often make us feel like we are stuck. These thoughts and feelings of being trapped can become very strong. I hope the practical steps I’ve offered will help my readers to see there are alternatives.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments!
This is an inspiring post. So many people feel trapped in their lives (I know I have from time to time) and there are some wonderful ideas in here about how to stop feeling that way.
Read Positively Present´s latest article – happiness (is not) for sale!
I think #2 is where it’s at. An attitude of gratefulness, and a list of things we’re grateful for, brings everything into perspective.
Read Ron´s latest article – My Health Insurance Nightmare
I felt like this once and the most helpful thing was to talk to someone about it. It was my thoughts about my situation that were keeping me feeling trapped, not the actual situation. Talking about it with someone can change your feelings in an instant. Knowledge is power and you can’t expect yourself to have all the answers or know all the options on your own.
Hey Jeff, this is an article that a lot of people will be able to relate too. You really dialed in with some helpful and actionable suggestions. Good job, I appreciate your sense of empathy here.
Read Jonathan – Advanced Life Skills´s latest article – Who Is Really In Control Around Here?
Stuck in a rut is a good way to describe that trapped by my life feeling. I was actually a long haul truck driver for nearly four years and that was a perfect example of feeling trapped. I was only home for 3-4 days a month, and the job consumed my life. I have nothing against the company I worked for, it was just the nature of the job. By the time I finally quit I was so desperate to do all of the things that I had been missing like playing softball, dropping by a friends house on a normal evening, basically living a normal life. When I finally quit so I could get a job and be home every night it was like being released from prison. I was afraid that I would never get out of that job – that I would always find an excuse that I could use to justify staying there a little longer. What I learned as a result of that experience is that as tough as the challenge seems and as huge as the change to your life may be, you can always improve your life. The hard part is figuring out how and finding the motivation to actually do it.
WP´s last blog ..Why Bernard Madoff Deserves Every Second of His Punishment
@WP – Thanks for sharing your story! My father-in-law used to be a truck driver and he loved it. This just goes to show you that what is one man’s hell is another’s heaven. We each have to own our lives and build them to be what we want and not what someone else might desire.
Glad to hear you’ve made a change for the better!
I am 18 years old and currently am a freshman at a college on long island, new york. I commute to and from school every day. I feel trapped. I feel lost. I feel like everybody from my high school has moved on and made a new lives for themselves, and here I am, stuck. I am bored with my life. I do not want to be at this school anymore, and tried to transfer after my first semester to a school in new york city, but did not get in. I feel like all my pursuits will never go anywhere and that I am wasting time in this school. I am not following my dreams. i feel like i can’t follow my dreams. I had a hard time in through out my elementary-high school years adjusting and making friends. I did not have a/do not have such a great relationship with my father. I’m not skinny but i’m not fat. People say I’m good looking but i think i’m ugly. I decided to start pushing for my dreams of living in the city and having an internship by the summer, but it doesn’t seem like it’s gonna work. I feel like all these factors are preventing from following my dreams. I want to be a superstar. I want to perform at Madison Square garden. But i don’t think i have a voice. But i want to be famous. I want to break boundaries and follow my dreams. But I don’t think I can. I don’t want this life anymore. I’m so lonely. and bored. and i feel like my life is repeating itself everyday. I’m jealous of my friends. And I feel like i’ve always been such a nice person, and that the people who have been cruel are getting ahead in life. I want my dreams. I feel trapped. I don’t know what to do.
Lonely soul – I’m concerned about you. Your comment worries me a little because I can hear your distress and frustration. I really feel for your situation and want to help. You are NOT alone, but it is up to you to turn things around.
There are three things that I want you to do:
1. I want you to find someone to talk to. It could be a counselor, adult relative or a life coach. I sincerely think you need an empathetic ear to listen to your concerns and to help you sort them out. You might need to go to a few different people until you find the right one that is willing and able to help you. Don’t get discouraged if the first person you approach doesn’t work out. Keep searching until you find a trusted advisor that can speak some encouragement and guidance into your life. This is your first priority.
2. I want you to get a copy of The Success Principles by Jack Canfield to read. You can check it out at the library or buy it. If you get these principles ingrained in your head now, then you will be able to do and acheive whatever you want in your life. Read this book!
3. The third thing I want you to do is start actively practicing gratitude. You may think this sounds corny, but I can assure you it works. You probably won’t feel like doing it at first, but do it anyway. Take a few minutes every morning when you wake up and every evening before you go to bed to write down at least 5 things that you are grateful for. They can be simple things like the sun is shining or I’m having lunch with a friend today. Make sure you write them down and reflect on them for a few minutes. This will have an enormously positive impact on your mood which will make you happier and will also make all your pursuits go better. Google “gratitude journal” for more information on this.
Finally, let me remind you that you are only 18! I know it seems like everyone else’s life is taking off, but you have plenty of time to be wildly successful. Slow and steady wins the race! I’ve been in your shoes and I know it seems overwhelmingly depressing, but you can do this. You just need to go at your own pace and give yourself the time, support and space to grow into your full potential. Don’t give up so early!
Please follow my suggestions and keep me posted on your progress!