Ever Feel Like You're Spinning Your Wheels?

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday, and I always jump the rail and go off topic from marketing and business. And just as a warning, today is one of those days when I get a little more personal than you're supposed to be in a blog post.

Last week, no matter what I did, I felt like I was spinning my wheels - simply stuck on what to do on so many different fronts/projects, including blogging. And the more frustrated I got, the more I dug myself in - just like getting my grandfather's car stuck in the mud when I was a teen. 

Well, Melody Beattie came along, and her timing couldn't have been better:

When our car gets stuck in the mud or snow, we immediately try to get out. Sometimes we have to spin our wheels to a get a rocking motion going. Sometimes we have to try harder, then try again before we can get out. Sometimes, spinning our wheels digs us in more deeply. Then in frustration, we let go, relax. Soon we find ourselves doing what we need to get unstuck. We ask for help or figure out another approach.

That's how it is on our journey. We may find ourselves in a situation we don't know how to handle. So we start spinning our wheels in frustration, confusion, or fear. What we know is we want out. Sometimes we need to get through that time of spinning our wheels in order to get to the next place, the place where we slow down, figure out what to do next. Sometimes our frustration helps generate energy to get momentum going in the general direction of solving the problem. Putting forth that energy gets steam built up, tells us and the universe we're ready to free ourselves.

If you find yourself spinning your wheels, be gentle with yourself. Slow down, get a nice rocking motion going that's rhythmic yet powerful enough to free you, then put the car in gear, step on the gas and gently drive out of the muck.

Sometimes we need to spin our wheels. It helps us get unstuck.

So my point this morning is in two parts - with a bit of help from Sheila, I was able to get out of the rut - it just took talking about the things that weren't coming together. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

And the second part is about feeding your brain and soul regularly - Sheila got me into reading something inspirational every day. We each pick a favorite book/writer at the start of each new year. Then, right after breakfast, we share a little outside inspiration, which always helps. It's not always earth-shaking - just a reminder that whatever we're feeling together or individually is perfectly normal - just like spinning your wheels!

Wishing everybody a spin-free week ahead. Time with family, friends, and the people you love the most, will always get you out of the muck! And those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I always write about are the same as easing off the gas when you're stuck in the snow!

Happy Sunday or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.

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