How do I get unstuck?

In this episode I talk about how to find your unshakable energy source in the fusion of your passionate purpose and organizational systems. The key to getting unstuck in any particular moment is found in this powerful fusion.

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Transcript

Welcome to A Little Bit Unstoppable. This podcast is for artists, creators, and change makers in any industry who have powerful ideas that might just change the world or at least a small piece of it. My name is Brielle Goheen and I am a clutter coach for creatives. I help people declutter their minds, declutter their physical and digital spaces, and hack their habits so that the most important things become the easiest to do. I believe that creativity will change the world, so I want to equip you to release your creativity with power in a way that is effortless and sustainable. One of the small, simple ways that I do this is through my weekly newsletter - Unstoppable Bit by Bit. If you’d like to receive encouragement, inspiration, and an inside look into my life, head over to briellegoheen.com to sign up. Without further ado, let’s get started with today’s episode.

I’m really excited to share today’s episode - and a little bit nervous, too. I’m doing something a little different this week than I had expected to do 5 days ago. I had another podcast episode recorded and scheduled to release to you this week. (A little behind the scenes tidbit - I record everything in batches so that I am guaranteed to have a podcast go out to you every Monday, no matter if the week before was really busy or not. So I’m always recording my podcasts 5-8 weeks ahead of their release.) But this week, I just needed to interrupt my scheduled episodes with one that I’m recording right now. I’m recording this the day before it’s released to you.

I’m excited because I’m really passionate about the content. But I’m a little bit nervous because I want to be really candid and honest. I had a tough couple of weeks. I didn’t feel very Unstoppable. I had a lot of travelling to do for work, a lot of late-night gigs and early morning rehearsals - and after 2 years of covid scarcity, I was so thankful to be performing in front of real crowds of people again. But that also meant a lot of not seeing my girls. A lot of nights where I couldn’t tuck them in. A lot of mornings where I wasn’t able to make them breakfast. A lot of coming home just to sleep and start over again the next day. A lot of spending non-gigging nights getting projects finished for the next thing on the docket. A lot of neglecting sleep, neglecting exercise. My morning routine is something that I have come to cherish so much and it just went out the window in the last couple of weeks. And then everyone in the family got sick. So there was the low energy slog of trying to do daily tasks while all your body wants to do is just rest. You might even be able to hear it in my voice that I’m still a tiny bit stuffed up.

So, in the last two weeks, my precious systems - the well-oiled machine that I have carefully cultivated over the last few years - it felt like it just went up in flames. Systems that I prided myself on. I was so proud of figuring out how to structure my life so that it could run smoothly and efficiently. I methodically maximized my productivity and minimized the stressors in my life. And I was always aligning my time with the things I value the most. And in the past few weeks, the processes that I set up to do that, they just weren’t working the way that they usually do.

And so I started feeling like a hypocrite. Because, my podcast episodes were recorded before these two weeks, and here I am talking about being “A Little Bit Unstoppable” when I feel like my progress on my most important projects is really slowing down. When I feel like I am not able to make time for the things and the people that matter most to me. Some people call this feeling Impostor Syndrome. I don’t really love that phrase, personally - I like the word hypocrite better. And, when I think about it, it’s actually not for a good reason. It’s because the word “hypocrite” is more judgemental, and I default toward being very judgemental of myself when I’m feeling low. But whatever you call it, hypocrite or impostor syndrome, it gets at the thoughts that were starting to go through my head. Like, “Who am I to talk about this stuff when I’m not perfect?” “Who am I to talk about this stuff when I am not feeling in the flow of clarity and calm.”

But this is just the thing. I don’t know if you caught it - you may have - but a few minutes ago I said, “I didn’t feel very Unstoppable.” But this podcast isn’t called “Unstoppable.” It’s called “A Little Bit Unstoppable.” This podcast is not coming to you from a winner who is sharing the secrets to winning. This podcast is coming to you from someone who needs the message as much as you do. Someone who struggles and keeps trying. Someone who keeps getting things wrong and learning just a little bit more each day. I want you to know that struggling is completely normal. And not only is it normal, it’s just part of the package of life. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.

So this is the reason that I wanted to share today from a really current place instead of waiting until a few weeks from now when I’m sharing from a place of this feeling being “in the past.” Because, I do know that if I wait a few weeks until my next batch of recordings, I’d be able to be sunny and cheery and talk about how I came through the tough weeks stronger and better than ever. But that’s not going to help you. If you’re in a rut right now - if you’re clawing your way toward what you know is possible - if you’re feeling discouraged by your own flaws and the things that you can’t control - then I want you to know that all it takes is the tiniest piece of you to keep on going in order to be A Little Bit Unstoppable. Sometimes you can really feel that badass feeling of being “Unstoppable” and sometimes you are just clinging to the phrase “A Little Bit.” “A Little Bit.” They’re both equal parts of the story. And, when you think of it, the power really isn’t in the “unstoppable.” The power is in “a little bit.” Unstoppable is just the natural result when there’s a tiny piece of you that keeps on going toward your vision.

So today, I want to share with you a few things that I have learned about falling or failing and getting back up to try again. I have done this hundreds of times already, and I’m gunning for the number to be in the thousands by the time I’m through.

When life takes you a little off track, or things are a little harder for a season, the first thing I want you to remember is that it is completely 100% normal. Everyone has tough days. There’s no reason to think that you have any business being the one exception. Brad always does a fantastic job of reminding me of this. Whenever I start saying things like, “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just….” and getting down on myself for not always moving full speed ahead, he’ll make fun of me a little bit. And, for those of you who don’t know Brad, he has a great sense of humour and he uses it more often than not to kind of help people take themselves not quite so seriously. So he’ll remind me that I don’t have any business being the one exception. And he’ll say something like, “Do you think you’re the only person in the world who shouldn’t get tired?” or “Why do you think that everyone else should be able to rest, but you don’t get to?” Or he’ll list all the things that I’ve been dealing with - difficult situations, or the rapid pace of activity, or different things related to overall health - and just say, “I don’t understand how you could be feeling any differently than you do! Now do you know why you need to sleep?” If you’re anything like me, it might be hard to admit it, but you are human. You are just human. You can handle a human amount of things before you need a human amount of rest and recovery. So the first take away is that going through dips in energy or motivation is completely normal, and the best response is to treat yourself like the human you are and giving yourself some time to rest.

After you’ve rested, there are two things you can do that will help get you going again. You have to do both of these things for it to work, so it’s not a one-or-the-other type of solution. And, don’t do these things until after you’ve rested because they’ll give you a wonderful jump start. And if you jump start a car with no fuel, it’ll sputter out again really shortly. You can’t run on fumes. So rest is always going to be the first step.

The two things that you need to do require a bit of explanation first. I have found that there is an unshakable source of creative energy to be found in the fusion - the powerful fusion - of Passionate Purpose and Organization. If you’re feeling low and want to tap into this energy source, then you need to do two things: one thing that reminds you of your Passionate Purpose, and one thing that helps re-organize some aspect of your life. This is essentially the premise behind my Become Unstoppable course that I teach. So you can flesh these two things out in some really broad and all-encompassing ways so that your Passionate Purpose is completely defined and your organizational systems touch every aspect of your life.

But to give yourself a boost to get going again, you only need to do something small. One small thing that reminds you of your Passionate Purpose and one small thing that Organizes your life just a little bit better. And, believe me - it really really works! In the past, when I felt in need of a boost, I usually went to Organization, since that was the most obvious “flaw’ in my life. I’d organize a drawer or rotate the seasonal clothes in my kids dressers or do a deep clean of the bathroom cabinet. And it did help a bit. It calmed down my mind and slowed down any negative thoughts I was having. And I had a feeling of accomplishment from doing those tasks. But the problem with doing an Organization activity alone without reminding you of your Passionate Purpose is that Organization alone can’t get you going again. It can help you feel a bit more positive, balanced, light, stable, accomplished. But it can’t remind you of why you are doing all these things in the first place. Why is it important that your kids clothes aren’t overstuffed in drawers? Why is it important that you can find a sharp pencil really easily and quickly? Why is it important that your meals have been planned for the week? Why is it important that the Inbox on your desk is cleared of all its stuff once a week? Why are you making organizational strides to make the daily stuff of life as stress-free as possible? What is the bigger picture? What are you working toward? What change do you seek to make in your family? In your friend group? In your community or your city? With your work and with the way you choose to show up and live your life? It’s like getting an oil change in your car. You’re all ready to go, but you don’t have a destination. You don’t remember where you’re going and what you’re going there for.

Let’s take the opposite scenario, then - imagine that you needed a bit of a boost, you’re feeling low and you do something to remind yourself of your Passionate Purpose without doing something small to help organize your life a bit better. Well, in that case, you’d end up with the feeling of energy and clarity for where you want to be but without systems to make moving forward actually possible. You’d essentially be all fueled up, but using a car that is really overdue for an oil change.  So if you do manage to move forward, the engine is going to seize up and cause more damage. If you act from this place, you’ll end up burning hot and you’ll burn out before you see the change that you seek to make actually come about, actually happen.

I’m a little afraid that I’m being too abstract here. So let me give you a few examples of how to give yourself the boost you need to get going again when you’re feeling like you’re stuck or in a rut by combining an exercise in Passionate Purpose and an exercise in Organization

So here’s one possible scenario: you could journal a page or two about what kind of coworker or colleague you want to be in your work environment - how you seek to change that space with what you uniquely have to offer. This would be an exercise in tapping into your Passionate Purpose. And then you could take your work bag, dump everything onto a table, get rid of the trash that has accumulated in the bag, and restock it with all the things you’ll need at work this week sharp pencils - I seem to have a real thing for sharp pencils! So sharp pencils - you need those in your work bag! Inspiring pens, and add your journal page in there so that you see it each day when you use the bag. That would, obviously, be the exercise to organize or re-organize something just a little better. So that’s one combination you could choose.

Or you could take 10-20 minutes just to meditate. Ask yourself - what obstacles do you see in front of you? What do you feel like these obstacles are blocking you from? That will give you a glimpse into what you’re working toward - if you don’t yet know what your Passionate Purpose is, then use the things that come to mind as clues to help you decipher it, to help you figure it out. Looking at the obstacles from this space of meditation, are they as big as they seem when you’re trying to avoid thinking about them, or is there a way up/over/or around them? This would be an exercise in tapping into your Passionate Purpose. Then you could look at your workspace and ask yourself - is the way this space is set up and the things that are in it, is it reflective of the things that are truly important to me? Get rid of the things that no longer serve you and do your best to create space for the things that are most closely aligned with who you are, who you want to be, and what is important to you.

I rearranged my office space in this way a few months ago - I moved my desk so it was facing the window instead of the wall, so that the sunshine is coming down on my face and I don’t get too tempted to work without moving and without going outside for a few minutes. I moved my piano to the wall opposite the door so that it’s the first thing I see when I walk into the room. So, when I come into the room now, the first thing I want to do is sit down at the piano for a few minutes and just play. I also created a dedicated “Meditation Zone” so that there would always be a peaceful space set aside to beckon me to prioritize those moments of quiet each day.

Here’s another combination of Passionate Purpose and Organization exercises. You could simply organize a shelf of your go-to art supplies (or if you’re a baker, organize a space in your kitchen - or if you’re a musician, organize your sheet music) - get rid of old, unusable, or tired products, donate things that you no longer find inspiring, and organize what’s left - the things you need and the things you love - in a way that looks inviting and enticing and makes you just want to create something beautiful! This would be the Organization exercise. And then you could use the newly opened up space to make something that inspires you - that reminds you of who you are, who you want to be, and how you want to show up each day to live out your unique Passionate Purpose.

When you combine Passionate Purpose and Organization you will find your unshakable energy source - and the result is that you will give yourself another vote for the fact that you are at least A Little Bit Unstoppable. There are hundreds of combinations of things you could choose to do to give yourself a boost when life is tough and you’re feeling low. But I’ve created a pdf guide for you. It’s called 100 ways to Get Unstuck and you can find it at briellegoheen.com/getunstuck

They say that people teach what they most needed or most need to learn. And that’s definitely true for me. This week, I needed to be reminded of this tried and true process for how to get out of a slump. And, honestly, I wouldn’t have gotten around to the place of recording this special interruption of the regularly scheduled episodes if the practices I talked about in this episode didn’t work. I already am feeling the fog beginning to lift, and I know from the past that if I keep at these practices really intentionally over the next week, I’ll be up and running smoothly again.

So, head over to briellegoheen.com/getunstuck - I created this guide as my gift to anyone who is struggling. There’s a video training where I go into even more detail about this magical fusion of Passionate Purpose and Organizational Systems and, as I said before, there is also a printable cheat sheet or guide called 100 Ways to Get Unstuck. If you know anyone who might benefit from this, please share this episode with them, or pass the link along to them. If you didn’t catch the link when I said it, you can also find it in the show notes.

I also want to say thank you - even though these past two weeks haven’t exactly been the easiest in my world, your texts and DMs and comments and emails - every piece of encouragement have meant so much to me. Any time you send me a note or a picture of how you’re applying something I’ve talked about in the podcast, I just - I can’t tell you how much it makes my heart just sing. This is why I do what I do. I might talk about this in more detail in a future episode (and let me know if you’re interested in hearing about it, because if you are, I definitely will do that) but, part of my own “why” statement for my life is “to dance in the bright light of freedom so that others are freed to do the same.” And that’s what my desire is from this podcast. To show up here on this mic, dancing in the bright light of freedom so that you when you finish listening, you feel free - freer than before - to do the same in whatever form it takes in your own life and in your own work.

I’m going to leave you today with a song I wrote. It’s a song from Calcedon - which, for those of you who don’t know, is the name of my creative storytelling project. It’s a song of hope. It’s a song that acknowledges the cycle of expectation and discouragement. I wrote the song to encourage myself, and now to encourage you, to just keep on going because there is a light at the end of every tunnel. It’s pretty bass heavy, so get ready for that!

It takes bravery and it takes courage to walk the artistic path, and we need to support and encourage each other as much as possible. If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review in your favourite podcast listening app. And don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already so that you’ll be notified each time a new episode is up!

Remember: the worlds we imagine are the worlds we build. So, ambitious creators, imagine something beautiful and take the next step - no matter how small - toward building it.

To the Light - Calcedon

Here’s the cycle:
shatter - hold on
Hold on to me
Hold on - rebuild again

I’ve forgotten 
how to live in repetition
Hold on to me
Hold on - rebuild again

Would you do it for me? 
Hope for me?
Would you do it for me?
Hope for me, hope for me?

To the light, to the light
Don’t give up the fight
To the light, to the light
Hold on

To the light, to the light
As long as it’s in sight
To the light, to the light
Hold on

Name three things
Use five senses
Breathe. Be.

Name three things
Use five senses
Breathe. Be.

Would you do it for me? 
Hope for me?
Would you do it for me?
Hope for me, hope for me?

To the light, to the light
Don’t give up the fight
To the light, to the light
Hold on

To the light, to the light
As long as it’s in sight
To the light, to the light
Hold on