I hear so often that people are feeling stuck or tapped.  This is often associated with depression or anxiety.  People feel stuck in relationships, jobs, houses, or locations.  They feel trapped by unseen walls or don’t feel that they have options to move on to another path.  They might be afraid of change, and stay in a bad situation for too long.  Sometimes, making changes in your life can take a while, but never give up if you want to improve your life or your future.

                Have you heard of the book, Who Moved My Cheese?, by Dr. Spenser Johnson?   It’s available on Amazon, and you can get it in multiple formats, and it’s a pretty quick read.  The basic story is that mice feasted on a block of cheese for a long time, and one day, the mice went back for more cheese and the cheese was moved.  It was gone.  Some of the mice stayed around hoping the cheese would return, and others went out to find new cheese to stay alive.  The book talks about the characteristics of each of the mice, and how it affects the future of the mice.

                I don’t remember when I read it the first time, but I remember it and still think about years later.  I’m the mouse that went out to find new cheese.  I think I learned when I was very young that there are options when it comes to any situation.  The trick is to determine what the options are.  If you are in a job you hate, your options are to stay, to look for another job, or think about other options available like retiring early.  If it’s a relationship, again you can stay, you can go, or develop other options.  If you want to see the world, but you’re stuck in a small town, then what do you do?

                We have talked about taking risks before, and some people are more comfortable taking risks than others, but let’s be real.  Taking risks has consequences.  For the mice that stay, waiting for the cheese to return, they are taking a risk that the cheese will be back, but they might get really hungry in the process if they didn’t save any cheese.  Leaving to find the more cheese is a risk as well.  What if you don’t find anything, and now you are in a place you don’t understand.  Both are a risks, and with risks come rewards, some bigger than others. 

                So are you feeling trapped?  What are you willing to risk to feel less trapped?  If you are feeling stuck, you need to find out why you feel stuck.  That might take some soul searching, but it will be worth it, if you can figure out why.  Once you find out why you feel stuck, or trapped, you can find options to make changes.  If you need help, find support and someone to support you while you make the changes that you want to make.  When it comes to risk, however, don’t risk your safety, or your health.  Happiness doesn’t come from that.

                You have the power to change your life for the better.  For some, change is scary and they prefer to stay in their current situation and make the best of it.  For others, staying is scary and moving on is a better option.  If you are the mouse that stays, with hope that things will get better, that’s ok.  If you are the mouse that leaves, that’s ok too.  Take time and plan for things either way.   Make changes that make you feel better about your future.  It’s all part of being happy for life.