Week 31 - Move Forward: Three strategies for getting unstuck

Dear Friends,

Thanks very much for the positive feedback about shifting our newsletter to HTML with Constant Contact. While we finalize our new look, you’ll be receiving a temporary format to insure that your

issue comes through on time and without a hitch. Stay tuned for the new one!

If you missed the telegathering with Louise Hay, please give yourself the gift of listening to it either on your computer, or by downloading the MP3 file. Our discussion offers a rare chance to

hear a pioneer in the self-help field share wisdom gleaned from years of experience. You’ll find it

here. For more info on Louise, click here, and for more info on the “You Can Heal Your Life” movie, visit here.

Finally, please remember that if you have someone in your life who is struggling with self care issues, the loss of a loved one, a challenging life transition, or the desire to make a change, you can put his or her name in the “comments” section of the store order from and I’ll personally sign the book and include a special, inspirational note. You’ll find the books (with intros online) here.

Have a wonderful week…

Love,

Cheryl

p.s. – Need a little Divine Direction? Use the “Touch of Grace” button on our homepage here: http://www.cherylrichardson.com.

“If a man would move the world, he must first move himself.”

–Socrates

Topic of the Week – Getting Unstuck

I love how synchronicity works. Recently, while browsing through newsletters looking for a past issue for a member of our online community, I came across the following advice about getting unstuck and found myself reading it as if someone else wrote it. I needed a reminder of these steps. If you’re feeling stuck in an area of your life — relationships, career, finances, a creative project, or while trying to accomplish an important goal, this info should help. Here’s what to do to get unstuck…

First of all, it’s important to remember that the thing you need to do most in preparation for getting unstuck is the opposite of what most people do — you need to stop beating yourself up and instead, give yourself a break. Yup, that means being kind to yourself in spite of your stuckness. It means accepting your feelings of hopelessness so you can stop using so much precious energy trying to push these feelings away. Getting unstuck means embracing the total you — the person with good intentions, the one who takes action now and then, and the one who keeps tripping you up. The message is simple: Don’t resist your stuckness — it only keeps you stuck :).

Once you embrace yourself and the situation, the trick to getting unstuck then lies in three behavior changes:

1. Take back your power. One of the biggest mistakes we make when feeling stuck is telling ourselves that our inability to move forward is due solely to outside circumstances — a lack of money, too many problems, or the influence of other people, for example. All of us will be faced with real-life challenges. That’s a fact. But our place of power always lies in the recognition that we have choices. They may be tough choices like selling a home to relieve financial pressure or walking away from an abusive relationship to reclaim our self-esteem, but never mistake tough choices with having no choice at all. You always have choices.

2. Manage your mind. Feeling stuck is first and foremost fueled by our state of mind — the thoughts we think from moment to moment. When we feel unmotivated, it’s because we’re thinking

unmotivated thoughts. When we feel trapped, it’s because we consistently tell ourselves that there are no options. When we feel hopeless, there’s a good chance that the mantra running through our mind is something like: “Why bother?”

So, the key to turning this self-defeating habit around is to take control of your thoughts. Easier said than done, I know. Rather than offer an elaborate process for doing so, try this simple

technique. For one whole week, take a tip from my sister Michelle who instills the following message in her kids, and repeat this phrase throughout the day:

I CAN DO ANYTHING!

Regardless of whether or not you believe it or whether it seems rational, do it anyway. Say it to yourself when you first wake up, repeat it in your mind while brushing your teeth, sing it to yourself

while driving to work or getting the kids ready for school. Then, keep at it through lunch and dinner, all the way up to when you fall asleep. Just keep telling yourself that you can do anything and notice how your mood and perspective shifts.

3. Keep good company. Every successful person I’ve ever spent time with has emphasized the importance of having highly motivated people around them. As a matter of fact, just this morning as I watched Queen Latifah on The Actor’s Studio talk about how to stay motivated while building an acting career, her first response was just that: “Surround yourself with motivated people who are just as committed as you.”

People who feel stuck tend to associate with people who like to commiserate about the unfairness of the world. This is a recipe for disaster — you all stay stuck together. Find people who are up to

something big and who feel excited about life, and spend your time with them. If you don’t have anyone, consider joining or starting a Life Makeover Group. It’s free and it’s a great way to meet

like-minded new friends. You’ll find more info here.

Finally, if you’re really ready to move forward, get help. Remember that any anxiety you feel about being stuck is simply related to inaction. The first step toward getting unstuck is making a

move. Hate your job? Contact a recruiter or job counselor today and find out how to start a job change. Faced with financial pressure? Call your accountant, financial planner, or credit counseling service and ask for help in putting a recovery plan in place. Are you going to fail along the way? Of course. Will you lose motivation now and then? You can bet on it. But the key is to get started. Getting unstuck is only one tiny step away from where you are right this minute. All you need to do is move your feet :)

~*~ Take Action Challenge ~*~

1. Choose one area of your life that you’d like to change and identify three choices you do have available to you right now. If you can’t come up with any, ask a friend for help.

2. Create a new screensaver that marches the words “I CAN DO ANYTHING!” across your screen. If you’re not sure how to do this, let your first action step be requesting help from someone who knows how.

3. Pick up the phone and schedule lunch, dinner, tea, or a catch-up conversation with a highly motivated friend who will support you in your quest for positive change. Ask him or her for help in creating a simple 5-step action plan.

In the News

Have a question for Cheryl? Call in during her live Internet radio show, Coach on Call, on Mondays at 5pm ET (2pm PT, 10pm GMT) at www.hayhouseradio.com. Simply dial (866) 254-1579 if you live in the US, or for international callers dial, 1-760-918-4300 after your country code. Cheryl discusses a variety of topics related to practicing Extreme Self Care and living a high quality life.

We have a variety of unique life-changing gifts in our webstore at www.myextremeselfcare.com. You can have books personally signed for you or a loved one with a note of encouragement or support, include a hand-written gift card with your order, or find a special item to support your own self-care. There are heart ornaments, books, audio programs, lotions, and our popular Mesmerizing Oggz Egg (you need to see it to understand :). Check them out here: www.myextremeselfcare.com.

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Week 31 – Move Forward: Three strategies for getting unstuck

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