10 Ways to Stay Stuck Forever

Another year, another round of goals, resolutions, and—let’s face it—failures, disappointments, and bruised self-esteem. Ugh. Can we all just agree that personal growth sounds exhausting? It’s like trying to hike up a mountain wearing mismatched socks and lugging a backpack full of emotional baggage.

So how about this year, we skip the whole “goal-setting” thing and cozy up in the comforting blanket of staying stuck exactly where we are? Why deal with all the messy, uncomfortable, and downright awkward feelings that come with growth when you can just… not?

After all, being human is hard enough without adding “personal transformation” to your to-do list.

As someone who’s lingered a little too long in all kinds of so-called comfort zones, I feel uniquely qualified to share some expert advice on staying stuck.

If you’re ready to embrace the familiar rut of cozy stagnation (because let’s be honest, ruts have their perks), here’s your ultimate guide. Buckle up—it’s going to be a not-so-wild ride.

I present to you: 10 Ways to Stay Stuck Forever

1. Never Stop Complaining!

   
   

   Let's be clear—I’m not talking about a healthy vent session to process feelings, organize thoughts, or move through a challenge. That’s far too productive! No, I’m talking about the kind of complaining where you tell the same unfair story over and over (and over) without ever pausing to ask, “Hmm, is there a lesson here?”

Keep your audience hooked by endlessly detailing how much your boss sucks, how unreasonable your partner is, how lazy your coworkers are, and how frustrating everyone makes your life. Don’t hold back—find new ways to rehash the same complaints until even your cat starts avoiding you.

2. Overanalyse & Overthink Everything

   
   

Nothing guarantees stuck-ness quite like good old analysis paralysis. Overthink every step you’re taking, then overanalyze every possible option until you’re drowning in “what-ifs.” Should you take that job? What if it’s a mistake? What if your coworkers hate you? What if the office coffee is terrible?

Don’t stop there. Be sure to second-guess even the simplest decisions. Spend 45 minutes in the cereal aisle debating between bran flakes and granola because what if granola isn’t as healthy as you thought? Send a text and immediately reread it 17 times to spot imaginary typos. Then panic that it sounded too friendly—or not friendly enough.

The goal here is to think so much that you completely forget to actually do anything.

3.     Always Seek External Validation and Never Listen to Your Gut Feeling

Your intuition? Pfft, that’s for people who make decisions without checking Twitter first. Why on earth would you risk trusting yourself? You might make a mistake—then who are you going to blame?

Always look to others for approval: your well-meaning aunt, your coworker who treats life like a cautionary tale, or that self-help influencer who’s clearly never skipped a morning routine in their life.

What does your gut feeling know, anyway? Push it down—right alongside all those other pesky emotions—and focus on what really matters: making sure everyone else is happy with your choices. Keep playing this lifelong game of “please approve of me.” Sure, there’s no grand prize, but hey, at least you’ll fit in with everyone else doing the same thing.

4.     Completely Neglect Your Health, Fitness, and Peace of Mind

Who needs health or peace when you’ve got stress, junk food, and a well-worn couch? Ignore that annoying voice telling you to take a walk, eat a vegetable, or (heaven forbid) meditate.

Turn to your favorite distractions. Overwork yourself, binge-watch the latest series, or drown your feelings in your beverage of choice. Stay unhealthy, stay stuck, and never let the terrifying idea of self-esteem disrupt your familiar cycle of worthlessness.

5.     Compare Yourself to Others as Much as Possible

Why settle for self-acceptance and annoying, slow-but-steady progress when you can compare your life to everyone else’s highlight reel? Look at them—they’ve got it all: perfect jobs, perfect relationships, perfect abs. (Seriously, who even has time for abs?) Pat yourself on the back—you’ve successfully found evidence to confirm your unwavering belief that you’re not good enough. Bravo!

But don’t stop there. Take it to the next level and compare your first awkward attempt at a goal to someone else’s years of dedication and effort. Tried yoga once and nearly fell on your face? Compare that to the person doing handstands on Instagram. Sent a thoughtful text to your crush and got a polite “thanks”? Compare that to your friend’s picture-perfect engagement photos on a yacht. Now that’s advanced-level staying stuck, and you’re absolutely crushing it!

6.     Throw Self-Pity Parties Often

There’s no party like a self-pity party! But remember: the guest list is crucial. Don’t invite anyone who’s embraced the duality of life as both hard and worth living—they’ll just ruin the vibe with their “growth mindset” nonsense. Stick to the real MVPs: people who proudly wear their “poor me” badges and know how to wallow like pros.

Together, you can toast to all the things that have gone wrong, complain about life’s unfairness, and avoid responsibility like it’s an ex you just spotted across the room. Fun!

7. Allow others to walk all over you

   
   

Boundaries? Ha! Those are for people who want to live a life of peace, respect, and basic human dignity. You don’t need any of that. Just say “yes” to every request that comes your way, no matter how inconvenient or draining. Your peace of mind is totally overrated anyway. Let others dictate your schedule, your emotions, and even your values. Say goodbye to personal space—after all, who needs it when you can feel overwhelmed, resentful, and completely out of control?

Keep giving and giving, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll get some appreciation.

(Spoiler alert: you won’t.)

8. Hide safely behind perfectionism

   
   

Keep tweaking, adjusting, and second-guessing until you’re so deep in the details to remember why you started in the first place. It’s a great way to feel like you’re doing something without actually doing anything.

Why risk failure or judgment when you can comfortably hide behind ‘it’s just not perfect enough yet’? You don’t need to put yourself out there—just keep perfecting that spreadsheet, reworking that email, or re-editing that blog post for the 17th time. The world will patiently wait for your masterpiece… or not. Either way, at least you’re safe in your little bubble of anxiety. 

9. Let Fear Run the Show

Allow fear to take over—it’s an excellent leader! Listen to it. If something feels scary or uncertain, take it as a neon sign to run the other way.

Fear knows that it is smart to stay small and imagine the worst-case scenario in full cinematic detail. What if you fail? What if people laugh? What if you wave at someone who wasn’t waving at you?

Sure, the unknown might hold opportunities, but why risk it? Stick with fear; it’s safe, predictable, and guaranteed to keep you right where you are.

10. Never seek help

Whatever you do, don’t let anyone hold up that mirror for you! Imagine the horror of discovering your blind spots, outdated beliefs, or even—gasp—your potential to make powerful changes. Why risk that? Taking responsibility for your life might sound empowering, but let’s be honest—it pulls you right out of the cozy comfort of your “nothing ever happens for me” narrative.

Help? Who needs it? Coaches, therapists, mentors—they’re just people who rudely insist that you’re capable of growth. No thanks! Keep trudging along solo, because if no one challenges your excuses, you can keep them forever. After all, staying stuck is much easier when you convince yourself that no one else understands your struggle.

If this post made you laugh—good! Laughter is a sign you're still able to see the absurdity of staying stuck. And that’s a great place to start. Now, if you’re ready to trade self-pity parties for self-empowerment and complaining for some actual change, maybe it’s time to consider the next step.

You don’t have to throw all caution out the window and leap into the unknown, but maybe you can dip your toes in. If any of these points hit home, it might be time to ask yourself: 

What’s really keeping me stuck? And more importantly, what tiny step can I take today to start moving forward?

Because when you’re ready to break free from your comfy cycle of misery, you’ll discover that stepping outside your comfort zone isn’t nearly as scary as it seems—it’s actually pretty liberating.

So, if you’re tired of the same old routine, go ahead and shake things up a bit. After all, you’re not alone in this. Let’s face it: we’re all just figuring it out together, one awkward step at a time.

And if you’re not ready yet? That’s totally okay. Just keep reading posts like this and know that whenever you're ready to move forward, I’ve got your back. 😉

Hello there!

I'm Irena, your friendly holistic life coach and eternal seeker of growth and fulfilment.

My blog is a reflection of my passion for holistic well-being, self-awareness, and living authentically.

Join me as we explore the depths of self-discovery, embrace healing, and unlock the power within you to create a life that fills you with joy and purpose.