By Stephanie Valentine | October 9, 2025 | 5-minute read

You know that feeling when everything looks fine on paper but something still feels off? Your job is decent, your routine works, your life is objectively okay. But there's this restless energy underneath it all that you can't quite shake.

I used to think that feeling meant something was wrong with me. Turns out, it might be one of the most useful signals your body can send you.

Why Feeling Stuck Isn't Actually a Problem

Here's what I've learned while launching my first course after years of keeping my knowledge to myself: that uncomfortable, restless feeling isn't a bug in your system. It's a feature.

Your body often knows you're ready for growth way before your logical mind catches up. That nagging sense of dissatisfaction? Sometimes it is telling you something is wrong. Sometimes it's pointing you toward something different. The key is learning to decipher what the message really is.

Listen to the cues instead of trying to fix them, ignore them, or talk yourself out of them. Journaling can help. So can posing a question to yourself before you go for a walk or hit the gym, then letting it simmer in the background while you move. The answers often show up when you're not forcing them.

What Your Body Is Actually Trying to Tell You

Restlessness shows up in sneaky ways. You might not wake up one morning with a clear billboard message saying "time for a change!" Instead, you'll notice smaller signals:

You feel energised by certain activities while your usual routine drains you. Maybe scrolling through design inspiration lights you up, but your actual design work feels flat. That's information.

Ideas keep coming back even when you dismiss them. That business concept, creative project, or career pivot that won't leave you alone? Your subconscious is trying to tell you something.

You're dissatisfied even though everything is "fine." When you can't point to anything specifically wrong but you're still not satisfied, that's your inner wisdom saying you've outgrown something in your current situation.

But here's the thing: it might not mean you need to change your job, your partner, or blow up your entire life. Sometimes it just means your creativity is yearning to be flexed. Or your body needs more movement. Or you're craving deeper conversations than the surface-level chats that fill your days.

The Breakdown That's Actually a Breakthrough

Sometimes feeling stuck escalates into feeling like everything is falling apart at once. Your motivation tanks, your usual coping strategies stop working, and you start questioning everything.

Plot twist: this might actually be everything falling into place. Just not in the way you expected.

Sometimes you need the complete breakdown of what isn't working to make space for what will work. You might not know what your solution is yet. That's okay. You'll figure it out if you stop fighting the discomfort and start listening to what it's trying to show you.

The fear will try to convince you otherwise. It'll create all sorts of reasons why you can't or shouldn't make a change. Why now isn't the right time. Why you're not ready. Fear is loud and persuasive, but it's often just trying to keep you safe in what's familiar, even when familiar has stopped serving you.

Why the Right Changes Energize You

One of the biggest myths about making changes is that they're supposed to be exhausting and depleting. That's not actually true.

Yes, change is scary. Yes, there's uncertainty and discomfort involved. But when something is right for you, there's an aliveness to it that playing it safe just can't offer. The right changes give you energy even though they're challenging.

The Eton Mess Lesson: Bringing Humour to New Territory

Last week I made Eton Mess for the holidays. It's a British dessert with whipped cream, meringue, and berries, and I'd never made meringue before.

That anticipation mixed with uncertainty echoed how I felt launching my course. Not knowing if it would work, wondering if people would like it, questioning if I could even pull it off.

But here's what I love about Eton Mess: you can't really fear failure when the dish is literally called a "mess." The imperfection is built right into the name.

The dessert turned out great, served in cute little dessert cups. More importantly, I learned something about approaching new challenges. When you bring a sense of humour to trying new things, the stakes feel lower and the experience becomes more enjoyable.

Simple Practices for Getting Unstuck

When you're in the thick of it and can't tell if you need change or you're just having a rough week, try getting the thoughts out of your head and onto paper.

 

The 5-Minute Clarity Practice

Set a timer for five minutes and write about what's been energising you lately. Don't overthink it. Just write whatever comes to mind.

Set another timer for five minutes and write about what feels stagnant or draining. No filtering. Just notice what's been sucking the life out of you.

Now look for patterns. The things that keep showing up in the "energising" column are usually pointing toward your next steps.

Questions to Ask When You're Stuck

What would I try if I wasn't worried about other people's opinions? Often the thing we're avoiding is exactly what we need to explore.

What knowledge or skills am I keeping to myself that could help others? Sometimes we're stuck because we're meant to share what we know, not hoard it.

What small step could I take toward the thing I keep thinking about? You don't need to see the whole staircase. You just need to take the next step toward what won't leave you alone.

The Small Step Rule

One of the reasons people stay stuck is because they think they need to have the whole plan figured out before they start. That's not how growth works.

You don't need to see the entire path. You just need to take the next small step toward the thing that keeps calling you. Maybe that's researching a course you want to take. Reaching out to someone whose work you admire. Trying a new recipe that intimidates you.

The small steps matter because they prove to yourself that you can handle uncertainty. They build the confidence you need to keep going when you can't see the outcome yet.

What If You're Not Broken After All?

If you feel restless, you're not broken. You might just be ready for growth.

That uncomfortable energy isn't a flaw in your personality or a sign that you're ungrateful for what you have. It's your inner wisdom saying it's time to trust yourself with something bigger.

Pay attention to what energises you versus what drains you. Notice the ideas that keep returning. Listen to what your body is trying to tell you before your mind has caught up.

And remember: anticipation is almost always scarier than reality. The thing you're afraid to try might be exactly what you need.

Ready to Stop Feeling Stuck?

If you're tired of being stuck in your energy patterns and ready to make a change, I'm opening up my 30-Day Energy Reset programme soon. Join the waitlist to get priority access and be the first to know when spots become available.

In the meantime, try that 5-minute clarity practice. Notice what lights you up. Take one small step toward something that won't leave you alone.

Your restless energy might just be the push you need to grow into the next version of yourself.

What signal have you been ignoring that might be trying to point you somewhere new?