If you feel stuck in life, start small: name the area that feels most stuck, choose one step you can take this week, and lean on people and routines that steady you. Feeling stuck is common and often passes. If low mood or lost interest lasts most of the day, nearly every day, for 2 weeks, talk to a professional.
Key takeaways
- Feeling stuck is a common human experience, not a character flaw.
- Psychologist Corey Keyes describes languishing as the absence of mental health, which is not the same thing as mental illness.
- Per the National Institute of Mental Health, depression involves symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks.
- One small, specific step usually beats a big overhaul.
- Life coaching fits when you feel well but want momentum. Therapy fits when mood, worry, or old wounds keep getting in the way.
What Does It Mean to Feel Stuck in Life?
Feeling stuck in life is exhausting. It can feel like running a marathon in circles in your mind, looking for the way forward and ending up back where you started. Nothing is exactly wrong, and yet nothing is moving.
That middle ground has a name in research. Writing in the peer reviewed journal American Psychologist, psychologist Corey Keyes describes "languishing in life" as the absence of mental health. His key point is that mental health and mental illness are not simply opposites: "the absence of mental illness is not the presence of mental health." In other words, you can be free of a diagnosable condition and still not be doing well.
Languishing is worth taking seriously. In Keyes's research, the 12 month risk of a major depressive episode was over five times greater for languishing adults than for flourishing adults. Feeling stuck is not a crisis, but it is a signal worth listening to.
Is It Feeling Stuck, or Is It Depression?
Ordinary stuckness and depression can look alike from the inside, so it helps to know the difference. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), to be diagnosed with depression, a person must have symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks. NIMH lists common signs and symptoms that include:
- Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
- Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
- Feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
- Fatigue, lack of energy, or feeling slowed down
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Difficulty sleeping, waking too early in the morning, or oversleeping
- Changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes
- Thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts
Here is a rough way to think about the difference. It is a guide for reflection, not a diagnosis.
| Ordinary stuckness | Languishing | Possible depression | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it often feels like | Restless, bored, unsure of the next step | Flat, going through the motions, lacking purpose | Persistent sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness |
| Enjoyment | Still enjoy many things | Enjoyment feels muted | Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities |
| How long | Comes and goes with circumstances | Can linger for weeks or months | Most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks (NIMH) |
| Good next step | Small changes, a plan, maybe a coach | Reconnect with meaning and people, consider support | Talk to a counselor or your physician |
If thoughts of death or suicide are part of what you are feeling, do not wait: call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time.
What Can You Do When You Feel Stuck in Life?
Instead of staring at the finish line, focus on one step at a time. These ideas come from our counselors' experience; a few line up with NIMH's self care suggestions for people living with depression.
1. Think incrementally
If you try to tackle everything that feels stuck all at once, the size of it can be your undoing. Pick one challenge. Work on it. Then pick the next. NIMH's self care advice makes a similar point for people with depression: "Do what you can as you can. Decide what must get done and what can wait."
2. Be honest with yourself about where you are stuck
It takes courage to look at a choice that is not working and decide to make a different one. Honesty here is not about blame, toward yourself or anyone else. It is about getting a clear picture so you can choose where to put your energy.
3. Explore your options before you commit
Feeling stuck can make every path look closed, and the way forward may not look the way you first planned. Write down three possible next steps, even small or imperfect ones, then choose one you believe in and commit to trying it for a set period, such as two weeks.
4. Stop measuring your life against someone else's
Comparison keeps you looking sideways instead of forward. Define success by your own values, and measure progress against where you were last month, not against someone else's highlight reel.
5. Change up one routine, and move your body
Routines are comforting, but they can also keep you in a rut. Change one small habit this week. Movement counts too. NIMH suggests trying to get physical activity, noting that just 30 minutes a day of walking can boost your mood, and trying to keep a regular bedtime and wake up time.
6. Notice what is already good
Take stock of what is meaningful in your life, and pay attention to what gives you a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Pursue those things, and loosen your grip on what you think should make you happy.
7. Enlist an ally
Do not go it alone. NIMH encourages people to connect with others and talk to people they trust about how they are feeling. A friend, mentor, coach, or counselor can help you see options you cannot see from inside the rut.
8. Hold big decisions if your mood is low
When you feel stuck, it is tempting to blow everything up. If you are also feeling down most days, NIMH advises delaying important life decisions until you feel better. Get support first, then decide.
Should You See a Life Coach or a Therapist When You Feel Stuck?
Both can help, and they do different jobs. According to the Cleveland Clinic, life coaches work in the present tense: they help you identify your goals, plan your path forward, and overcome obstacles as they arise. The Cleveland Clinic also notes that there is no formal education required to become a life coach, and that a coach should never diagnose you with a health condition.
Therapy goes deeper when the obstacle is inside the pattern itself. NIMH describes psychotherapy, also called talk therapy or counseling, as something that can help people with depression, and explains that with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), people learn to challenge and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
- Consider life coaching if you feel generally well but want structure, accountability, and a plan.
- Consider individual counseling if the same mood, anxiety, or old hurt follows you into every goal you set.
- Consider burnout counseling if the stuck feeling is mostly about work and exhaustion.
You do not have to choose forever. The Cleveland Clinic notes that many people work with a therapist and a life coach at the same time. For a deeper side by side look, read Do I Need Life Coaching or Therapy?
When Is Feeling Stuck a Sign It Is Time to Talk to Someone?
You do not need to be in crisis to ask for help, and depression counseling is not only for people who are sure they are depressed. Consider reaching out to a counselor if:
- Low mood, emptiness, or lost interest has lasted most of the day, nearly every day, for 2 weeks or more.
- The stuck feeling is affecting your work, sleep, or relationships.
- You have tried small steps for several weeks and nothing seems to shift.
- You are relying more on alcohol or other substances to get through the day.
- You notice thoughts of death or suicide. If so, call or text 988 now.
How Can Foundations Counseling Help You Get Unstuck in Northern Colorado?
At Foundations Counseling, our counselors help people in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Windsor, plus online sessions, sort out whether they are in a rut, languishing, or dealing with depression, and then build a plan that fits. That might be life coaching, individual talk therapy, or both. We are a private pay practice, and sessions are about 200 dollars. We will match you with a counselor who fits, and your first meeting is a free consultation. Our Counselor Match Guarantee means that if the first match is not right, we will work with you to find a better fit.
Watch: what to do if you are feeling stuck
Prefer to watch? This short video covers the highlights of this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is feeling stuck in life the same as depression?
Not necessarily. Feeling stuck is common and often tied to circumstances. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression involves symptoms such as persistent sadness, hopelessness, or loss of interest most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks. If that sounds like you, talk with a counselor or your physician.
What is languishing?
Languishing is a term psychologist Corey Keyes uses for the absence of mental health: life feels flat and lacks purpose, even without a diagnosable illness. In his research, the 12 month risk of a major depressive episode was over five times greater for languishing adults than for flourishing adults, so it deserves attention.
What should I do first when I feel stuck in life?
Start with one small, specific step instead of a full overhaul. Name the area that feels most stuck, choose one action you can take this week, and tell someone you trust. Keep a regular sleep schedule and move your body; NIMH notes that just 30 minutes a day of walking can boost your mood.
Do I need a life coach or a therapist?
A life coach helps you set goals, plan, and stay accountable when you feel generally well. A therapist helps when mood, anxiety, or past experiences keep getting in the way, and can assess whether depression is involved. The Cleveland Clinic notes that many people work with both at the same time.
How do I know it is time to talk to someone?
Reach out if low mood or lost interest lasts 2 weeks or more, if the stuck feeling is hurting your work, sleep, or relationships, or if small steps have not helped. You do not need to be in crisis to start. If you have thoughts of death or suicide, call or text 988 now.
Clinically reviewed by Chris Berger, M.A., LPC, NCC.
You do not have to find the way forward alone. Whether you need a plan, a deeper look at what is holding you back, or both, our counselors in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Windsor can help. We will match you with a counselor who fits, and your first meeting is a free consultation. Schedule your free consultation or call 970.227.2770.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, free and confidential, 24 hours a day. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
