Don't just sit there - 3 Tips to Keep Moving When You're Unsure of the Next Steps

Photography by: Carissa and Ben in Albuqurque, NM
Top & Jacket: Thrifted
Pants: Zara
Shoes: ShoeDazzle

At times, I find myself unsure of the next steps, and I used to completely shut down when that happened. Figuring that since I didn’t know where to go, I’d just sit. I can’t tell you how many times I completely stopped moving when it came to Vetu de Joy because I was stuck and had no idea what to do next. I’d sit on my hands, afraid to misstep, and sometimes, afraid to take any steps at all. This not only cost me MONEY but it cost me some of my esteem! I started feeling like I didn’t know what to do because maybe I just wasn’t good enough to be doing it. Smh.

Not taking any steps turned out to be way worse than making a wrong turn. Action is absolutely essential to creating momentum, and when we stand still, we’re basically telling the Universe that we don’t want anything and don’t want to go anywhere. So guess what we get? Nothing. Once you start taking those steps, no matter how small, it triggers everything around you to also start moving.

So when you feel stuck, uninspired, and overwhelmed with what comes next, here are some tips I’ve used to help me keep going:

1. Breathe. Really. Sometimes you just have to stop, breathe, and realize how difficult you’re making things. We do it to ourselves, and a lot of times, we can undo it. Take some time to get some deep breaths in, clear your mind of all the clutter and do what feels right, instead of overthinking.

Random note, but my twist out was ON POINT during this shoot. LOL!

2. Ask for advice. This is a tough one for me. I always think I can figure it out myself, but sometimes, we just can’t. Don’t be afraid to display a little vulnerability and ask for help. Talk to a friend, a loved one or someone else who has worked on a similar project what they think of the work you’ve done so far, and how you could take things to the next level. Even if you don’t follow their advice to the T, you may get some nuggets of inspiration that may propel you forward.

3. Step away. Not for good! But maybe it’s just for an hour or a week, give yourself time to focus on something else. You never know where your next idea or next piece of inspiration will come from, and it may come when you step away from your project briefly (given pending deadlines). You may walk back to it with a renewed sense of vigor!

Think of it this way, when you get into your car, type the directions into your phone/GPS, start the ignition, put on your seatbelt, but fail to put the car in Drive and press the gas? Guess what… the GPS isn’t going to give you any directions, and you won’t get any until you put the car in Drive and start moving! Even if you start heading the wrong way, the GPS will tell you, “make a legal u-turn”. There’s no need to fear a misstep because in some way, you’ll be redirected onto the correct path.

What do you to to get unstuck? Share your tips in the comments!