How to Shift Direction When You Feel Stuck

Even before the global pandemic of Covid-19, it was easy to feel overwhelmed by
emotions and stuck in habits that don’t nourish. Psychologist and mindfulness educator
Elisha Goldstein offers a five-step practice for shifting your focus and emotions to a track
that helps you move forward.

How to Shift Away From Feeling Stuck The Three Rs 1. Recognize how you’re feeling

The first step in the practice is to recognize what you’re feeling. That brings blood flow to the prefrontal cortex which is involved with emotion regulation, impulse control, and having a sense of perspective. It allows us to step into that space between stimulus and response where choice, possibility, and growth lie.

2. Release what you’re holding in your body

Then we can recognize that we’re carrying this in our bodies, so we need to release it. We need to shake it out, take a deep breath, release it either through your mouth or through your nose, do a dance. Whatever it is, release that energy. 

3. Refocus your attention

Then we want to refocus. In this part, we’re looking at what it is that we really want. We have…