Comments on: I Feel Trapped In My Life

By: adrian

adrian — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:51:15 +0000

Not helpful.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:39:33 +0000

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!

By: Lonely soul

Lonely soul — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:05:59 +0000

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.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:19:12 +0000

@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!

By: WP

WP — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:11:34 +0000

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

By: Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills

Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 02:02:42 +0000

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?

By: Jayne

Jayne — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:39:04 +0000

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.

By: Ron

Ron — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:54:30 +0000

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

By: Positively Present

Positively Present — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:51:05 +0000

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!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:03:25 +0000

@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!