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What do you do when you feel stale, stuck, or hopeless? Going through a downturn of emotions at some point in your life is unavoidable. Sometimes, these feelings hit you after a significant setback. Other times, after you’ve faced numerous smaller obstacles in a row. Doom and gloom can rob even the most optimistic person of their spark, sometimes for days or weeks.
How low can you go?
To be fair, constant positivity is impossible. Think about it—maintaining a consistent, high level of energy and motivation takes a great effort. Live that way for too long, and you’d be completely exhausted.
You don’t want to be caught in the in-between, drifting around without a mission or vision for the future. Feeling stuck is uncomfortable, but these feelings are part of your normal emotional cycle. They're not permanent!
Getting unstuck
Being in a rut can be lonely, and you don’t want to be there longer than you have to. You might feel compelled to force your way out, looking for and accepting less-than-ideal solutions. Or you might try to hide how you’re feeling, to act inauthentically. Experts often suggest getting some exercise, reading a book, going outside, taking a break, or planning a vacation to disrupt this pattern. These strategies can work, but in my recent experience, there’s no one answer that works 100% of the time.
One of the hardest parts of hopelessness is not knowing what will snap you back into place. This difficult time may seem never-ending, like this is your new normal. But at some point, you will feel a change coming. The forces around you can shift, whether you’re the source of the switch or not. A new professional opportunity, a change to a personal relationship, or a tweak to your daily routine could be the catalyst. When you embrace opportunities to become unstuck, they can be the impetus to rediscover your energy and hope.
Getting real
This summer, I went on some great trips. Life can be demanding, and I needed to get away. I’ve found that traveling is the perfect way to honor and celebrate my favorite time of year: summer. No matter how great the trip was, the problem I faced was that my feelings were waiting for me when I got home. Regardless of how long or how far or how relaxing my time away was, I couldn’t escape the nagging sensation of lacking inspiration.
Living in D.C. has felt increasingly like an energy suck. As I travel around the country each week, I sense a shared feeling of stress. This has been especially true in the capital. The political climate and seemingly constant tumult of uncertainty have robbed me of some of my passion and happiness.
Getting away was always just a temporary escape—eventually, I had to return home. After a few trips, I realized I had to make some changes. When I traveled, I watched less of the daily news. I stepped away from what I felt was stealing my energy. I took a break from what wasn’t serving me. I trusted that something would happen to break me out of my rut.
Change is in the air
A few weeks ago, I felt a change. Suddenly, I started feeling energized and hopeful, like I could dream again. What happened?
Politics aside, the tone of the news has changed since the Democrats’ pivot to Vice President Harris. A new national narrative has invigorated me in a way I haven’t felt for a while. The prospect of something different has given me the sensation of constant caffeination. Rather than the same old candidates battling it out over the same old issues, there's some excitement around town. It’s a reminder that anything is possible, even in this world of seemingly absolute certainty and predetermined results.
When you feel drained of hope, you can’t predict when or why your situation will change, but you can trust that change will happen, regardless of how long you have to wait. Remembering this can be difficult when you’re going through it. You have to embrace the journey and remain open to renewed energy, fresh hope, and new opportunities.