How to get unstuck and back into action
Fear and discouragement can be two of the biggest obstacles to growth. Fear keeps you frozen like a deer in headlights, staring at the problem but confused on which way to go. Discouragement keeps you stuck simply because you believe you can’t get out—like an elephant who was tied up young and never even tries to pull free as an adult because it doesn’t think it can.
Both fear and discouragement lead to the same result: inaction. If you want to grow spiritually or professionally, you have to learn how to move through fear and discouragement and get back into action.
Psychological Grounding
In psychology, there’s a tool called a Psychological Grounding Exercise. It’s a simple technique used to help people manage anxiety, panic, or dissociation by anchoring them back into the present moment. This “grounding” in truth can be incredibly helpful, as it reminds our brain of where we are physically and that we are safe (not running from a tiger in the wild—that’s what your brain is programmed for!)
You use your five senses to orient yourself to your physical surroundings, saying out loud each one as you go and activating each sense (ie, actually touching, smelling, and hearing the objects that you’re naming).
5 things you can SEE
4 things you can TOUCH
3 things you can HEAR
2 things you can SMELL
1 thing you can TASTE
By focusing your attention on your five senses, you disrupt anxious thought patterns and reconnect with the here and now. It’s often used in therapy (especially for trauma and anxiety disorders) because it’s quick, simple, and effective at breaking spirals of overwhelming emotion.
Spiritual Grounding
Sometimes we need to ground not just our bodies in the truth of our surroundings, but ground our heart and soul in deeper truths. Discouragement and fear blind us from the truths of who we are and who God is, so I developed this Spiritual Grounding Exercise to root you in God’s truth when you feel stuck, so you can re-center and move forward.
5 things you’re thankful for today
4 people who need your prayers—and pray for them
3 things you like about yourself (avoid physical attributes)
2 truths about God, or titles for Him
1 scripture verse (or any that you can remember!)
Why This Spiritual Practice Works
Rooting ourselves in truth needs to be very intentional, root ourselves in the present moment since discouragement and fear are focused on the past and the future. The exercises are ordered from easiest to do to hardest (not from most important to least). We start with gratitude because it opens our brains up to creativity and hope—neuroscience studies have proved the amazing ability of gratefulness in rewiring the brain. We then move to intercessory prayer because it turns our thoughts outward towards others rather than inward on ourselves. After that, we force ourselves to name three non-physical things we like about ourselves, which can be surprisingly hard to do! But doing so counters the lie of shame and gives honor to God who made us. It also reminds us of our gifts and abilities, countering any victim mindsets with empowerment. And making our brain work to think of something further grounds us in the present.
Finally, we end with the most important two: who God is and what he says. I often find that the titles of God I tend to pick are complementary, for example, God is Creator of the Universe and God is my Father, or Jesus is my Lord and Jesus is my love. For the scripture verse, just do your best to remember one or part of one: “God is love” or “In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth” will suffice in a pinch. If you have time though, go ahead and crack open your Bible and read the full verse or passage!
“He is like a tree planted near streams of water, that yields its fruit in season; Its leaves never wither; whatever he does prospers.” (Psalm 1:3)
So the next time you feel stuck, stop and ground yourself in truth—infusing clarity, hope, empowerment, and peace. This isn’t just about feeling better (though that’s important, too); it’s about getting back to doing what God’s calling you to do, right now, today.
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DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical doctor or a mental health professional. This post is not a substitute for counseling, medical treatment, or any other professional mental health care. If you’re experiencing clinical anxiety or depression, please seek help from a qualified professional. The tools in this post are designed to help you cope with moments of fear or discouragement, not as a treatment for mental illness.
