Stepping Out of the Rut

🖋️ The Lioness Journals | August 18, 2025

Have you ever felt like you’re just going through the motions—stuck in a loop—while life seems to pass you by? I know I have. And I suspect many of you have too.

I was talking with a friend recently, and he told me he feels like he just can’t move forward. He knows what he should be doing, but can’t seem to bring himself to do it. That got me thinking: what does it really mean to be “stuck”? And how do we get unstuck from the things holding us back?

When I looked up the definitions, here’s what I found:

·       Stuck = unable to move, or set in a particular position, place or way of thinking (from Cambridge Dictionary)

·       Unstuck = freed or loosened from being fastened or stuck (from Dictionary.com)

These definitions made me pause. Being stuck can feel like walking on a treadmill—you’re moving, but you’re not actually getting anywhere.

And here’s the truth: feeling stuck can quietly erode our well-being, especially when we avoid admitting it. But the first step toward getting unstuck is acknowledging it. There’s no shame or disgrace in that. You’re not broken. You’re not behind. You’re human.

So, once we admit we are stuck, what’s next?

There’s a quote by Zig Ziglar that I absolutely love:

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

You don’t need to wait for the perfect plan or the perfect moment. You just have to be willing to take that first step. Then take another. Keep placing one foot in front of the other, knowing every small action moves you forward.

Here are a few ways to start stepping out of that “stuck” rut:

• Acknowledge you’re stuck. There’s no shame in it. Say it out loud. Name it.
• Identify the root cause. Is it fear? Burnout? Lack of clarity? Be honest with yourself.
• Start small. Break your tasks into bite-sized steps—things that only take 3-5 minutes. Track your progress. After a week, build on your momentum and add something else.
• Focus on what you can control. Let go of what isn’t yours to carry. (This is where I regularly get “stuck”!)
• Ask for support. Tell someone what you’re working on. Let your friends cheer you on and motivate you.
• Practice self-compassion. You’re not stuck forever. This is a chapter, not your whole story. Give yourself some grace.

And let me challenge the old excuse—my favorite go-to: “There’s just not enough time.”

I’m calling BS on that—and calling myself out on that! There’s always time for one small step—if it is truly important to you and matters.

I’ll leave you with another favorite Zig Ziglar quote:

“You are not stuck. You are not finished. You can grow, change, and become everything you were created to be.”

Here’s to a week full of small steps and forward motion. I’m cheering you on from every corner, and roaring right beside you—let’s get unstuck together!

— Ronda 💛

📖 Want More?

I talk about being stuck in Roar Like A Woman, especially in the chapters on Grit and Visionary. Living a purpose-filled life requires making purpose-filled decisions. Staying stuck isn’t the path to progress and success. You have the control and the means to become unstuck—it’s a choice.

There are 35 empowering words to explore in Roar Like A Woman—each one crafted to help you reconnect with the purpose and fire inside you.

👉 Order your signed copy of Roar Like A Woman here.