Feeling Trapped? Here are 10 Easy Tips to Experience Happiness Again

When you are feeling trapped, the world appears to be rigged against you.

Nothing you try seems to work out. You feel like you no longer care about anything. And perhaps, you even feel like a prisoner in your own life.

It’s a common experience.

Many people get stuck at some point in life – if not many times. You may experience this as feeling trapped in your body and mind. You could also feel trapped in your job or relationship. Or you could even endlessly ponder the question: what is the point of life?

Not too long ago, I felt that way too.   

I had no idea what to do with my life, disliked my study, and felt unfulfilled. And despite having many friends, I felt lonely too. Not great.

The good news?

It won’t last forever.

Even though it may feel that way right now, it won’t. Better yet, you have the power to change it through frequent self-reflection combined with consistent action. 

So let’s dive in if you want to get unstuck.

Why Do You Feel Trapped?

There may be many reasons why you feel trapped. But most of the time, it comes down to a similar underlying cause:

The reality of your life doesn’t match your expectations.

Too often, we get stuck because we hold on to some previous ideas we had. And when you cling to your expectations that don’t match reality, you feel trapped.

Hollywood makes a great example of this. 

Many famous Hollywood stars achieve massive amounts of monetary success and fame. For an outsider, it looks like they should live the best life ever. 

Yet, many of them become addicts and end up throwing their life away. How does that happen?

If your life doesn’t match your expectations, this causes frustration. 

There are many reasons why this could happen. Maybe your expectations were unrealistic. You may have outgrown the goals, desires, and dreams you had earlier. Or you may have become complacent with what you have got.

Remember this: happiness is never found in a destination.

Instead, happiness lies in the journey itself.

So if you are feeling trapped, it’s time to let go of previous beliefs and expectations. Instead, let’s start focusing on making your journey more meaningful. 

1. Get Moving

A simple first step to get unstuck is to start moving. 

Go out for a walk right now.

Exercise and going outside the house for a walk helps you to feel good about yourself. Not only because you enjoy physical benefits, but also mentally.

Here are some of its benefits:

• Moderate exercise can treat mild forms of depression
• Running for 15 minutes reduces the risk for depression by 26%
• It releases tension and stress
• It boosts physical and mental energy
• You feel more calm and relaxed
• It increases resilience and self-confidence.

In short, if you are feeling trapped and don’t know what to do, go outside for a walk or do some simple exercises.

2. Focus on Making Small Changes

In a world that increasingly moves faster, you might feel like you are falling behind your peers. You may feel like you should be happy all the time and have success yesterday.

As a result, you seek ways to get ahead. What is a shortcut that you can take to catch up to your peers?

If that sounds like you, it’s not surprising you feel trapped.

Life doesn’t work like that. 

So what does work?

The best thing you can do when you feel stuck is to make a small change. What’s something small that you can achieve?

Perhaps it’s waking up earlier or starting an exercise routine. Or it’s the courageous step to look for a new job that will give you more satisfaction.

Take one small step.

And then take another one.

Over the years to come, the large number of small changes you make add up to the big change you desire. 

And trying to short-cut your way through this is a recipe for disaster. There is simply no way you get a six-pack within a month if you haven’t worked out and ate poorly for years.

But what if you start working out twice a week? And start eating healthier dinners? 

Over time, these results compound until you achieve the stuff you can’t even dream of right now. 

Make one small change this week. And repeat that process.

3. Plan Time to Generate Clarity

Do you know what you want and who you want to become?

We rarely stop to ask ourselves that question. Yet, it’s so important that you do – and do so frequently. Lacking clarity is a big reason why people get stuck. 

Clarity is key to success and happiness.

Even if you don’t know what you want, setting some goals is better than none. Pursuing your goals creates clarity. Taking action helps you to figure out what you want.

How to define what to do?

List all the things you would like to do in your life. Pick the one that stands out to you the most and start there. You just have to get moving and learn along the way.

If you want to avoid feeling trapped in your life, generate clarity often.

4. Know That You Are In Control

Often the reason you feel trapped is that your expectations do not meet the reality of life. And unfortunately, there is only so much you can change about reality.

The good news?

You are in full control over your expectations. You can change the meaning you give to any situation.

Right now, you have the power to change the meaning of your situation. You are not trapped. And even if you feel that way, it won’t last forever. 

Instead, you may have just lost a little momentum.

Sounds easy right? 

Though this is an oversimplification, it’s also true. But if you want to dive more into the nuances, check out this guide on self-management.

5. Reclaim Your Power

When you feel trapped, it feels like the world is rigged against you. And as a result, you may feel irritated or even frustrated by external circumstances. 

Unfortunately, this will only get you more stuck.

The more you focus on things you cannot control, the more disempowered you feel.

Though others may be at fault, blaming them isn’t going to make you feel better. And neither will it benefit you to complain about it.

So how can you change this situation?

By taking radical responsibility.

When you take responsibility, you no longer point your finger at what you can’t control. Instead, you look for ways to improve your situation. 

Despite whatever happened or whatever your circumstances are, what can you do right now to improve your situation? 

When you answer that question you feel much more empowered. You automatically look for solutions instead of problems. And doing so will help you to feel less trapped.

Here’s a related article if you want to dive deeper into why responsibility matters.

6. Prioritize Growth

Another reason why you may feel trapped is that you focus on results. And once again, when the reality doesn’t meet your expectations, that causes frustration.

Instead, prioritize growth over results.

Growth is the force of life and results are only a by-product of that process.

Even when you achieve the results you desire, you may get stuck. Look at the Hollywood example we mentioned earlier.

So what is a process that you enjoy?

Take up a new hobby or maybe change your job. Aim for something that you enjoy and that allows you to grow. Even if it means you get fewer short-term results.

7. Embrace Fear

Fear often holds us back. And when you allow this to happen, it shrinks your comfort zone. 

As a result, you experience even more fear.

The more you try to avoid fear, the more trapped you will feel. 

So how do you get unstuck?

A good step is to embrace fear. An even better step is to lean into it.

Seek small situations that make you feel a little fearful. And then push through that fear. 

When you do this, you always come out better on the other side. When you move through fear, you expand your comfort zone. And this will boost your confidence.

And the more you do this, the less fearful stuff becomes.

Don’t get me wrong, you will always experience a degree of fear. Just how much fear you experience depends on how often you’ve put yourself through it.

If you are willing to do only what’s easy, life will be hard. But if you are willing to do what’s hard, life will be easy.

– T. Harv Eker

8. Try Something New

When you feel stuck, you may feel like there’s nothing you can or want to do. That there is nothing that you will enjoy. And that there is no right person or career for you.

The problem is that you simply haven’t tried enough.

Most people only experience a mere fraction of the possibilities they have in their life. The world is filled with stuff that you don’t know about. 

People who would find you very interesting and vice versa. Careers of which you don’t even know their existence. Sports that you have never heard of before. And many other opportunities that are right in front of you to be discovered if you were only to open your eyes to them.

Living your best life is about trying new stuff.

Even things that you think you won’t enjoy. Just try it.

So make a list of things you want to experience. Google for interesting stuff. Ask others about their experiences. Collect some ideas and go out to try some of them.

I challenge you to try something new every week. And who knows what comes out of it.

9. Find a New Job

This tip may be a tougher one. But if you no longer enjoy your job, it’s time to find a new one. 

Not having joy in the thing you do most of the time is a problem. And if this sounds like you, it’s no wonder if you are feeling trapped in your work.

No matter how difficult or scary it may seem, changing your job can lead to a big change in your life. And it’s often also the big decision that can change the quality of your life.

Here is how you can figure out what you should do for a living.

10. Start a Side-Hustle

Feeling trapped is often the result of being passive. And the best way to become active is to find and pursue your passion.

Why is this helpful?

When you feel trapped, you’re likely to feel anxious and stressed. You worry about the future. And you worry that you will feel stuck like this for the rest of your life.

Using your free time to pursue the things you love, helps you to relieve some of that stress. It takes time away from your worries. And instead, you will spend it on something that will make you experience more happiness too.

Besides, if your side-hustle gains traction, you might be able to quit the job you dislike one day. Even if your project doesn’t work the way you want, it’s certain to give you experience and clarity.

Whether your project brings you more money is irrelevant for now. Put your happiness in the first place. Then see where it leads you to.

So what is something you like to do or enjoy talking about?

And how can you create a little hustle around that? A low-budget way to get started is by sharing your passions with the world. Think about a blog, YouTube channel, or podcast. 

Of course, you’re not only limited by that. Maybe you can create and sell products. Or offer your expertise to someone in the form of consultancy, for example.

The idea is to get started so you no longer feel trapped.

Whatever your side hustle turns into is irrelevant for now. Don’t worry about making it a success. Start because it brings you joy. The rest is only a nice additional benefit.

What’s next?

Feeling trapped is a common experience that can leave you feeling frustrated and unfulfilled. However, the good news is that it won’t last forever, and you have the power to change it.

Key takeaways:

• Let go of unrealistic expectations and foster a forward focus instead. Explore the possibilities and pursue your interests.
• Take responsibility for your life and reclaim your personal power by focusing on what you can control.
• Embrace fear and lean into discomfort to expand your comfort zone to boost your self-confidence.

Dive deeper with the following resources to get unstuck:

• Best journals with prompts for self-exploration
• Most life-changing books you must read once
• Best books to read in your 20s

Take action: Choose one tip that resonates with you and commit to implementing it in your life this week.

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