The world we live in is often overwhelming. From our jobs, our families, the political climate, our relationships, all of these pieces of our lives create pressure. Sometimes that pressure is too much for our bodies to digest and we freeze, we get stuck. 

These are normal responses. They take care of something in this world. It may feel weird to think about, but what might be smart about feeling stuck or frozen? What don’t you have to deal with if you’re stuck or frozen? What gets to be true? Answering these questions is one of the first ways we can begin to actually be present with our stuckness, to really work with it, instead of against it. 

Remembering that this response is hardwired into our nervous systems, that it’s literally a part of our psychobiology can support us in reminding ourselves that everyone gets stuck from time to time. It’s a part of life, and being alive. 

How will you meet yourself inside the stuckness rather than try to override or fix it? 

Check out these practices that might support you to meet the intelligence of your stuckness and your freeze.

• Move your body
  • Go for a walk or stretch. Sometimes just moving your body can take you out of a freeze response. Walking through our neighborhoods puts us in touch with our community, the lived environment. It can make us feel like we have a sense of purpose and are part of something bigger
• Make sure you are hydrated and well fed. 
  • Our bodies will feel stuck if they aren’t nourished. Check in with yourself. Are you thirsty? If thirst is hard for you, when was the last time you took a drink of water? Drink a glass and see how you feel. Same with food: when was the last time you ate? Was it what you actually wanted to eat? Have a snack or a meal that feels satisfying to you. You would be surprised how much a difference a snack or water can make.
• Practice resilience 
  • Remember a time you felt really alive. What sensations do you feel in your body? Stay with those sensations or keep coming back to them. Even better: go do the activity that makes you feel alive. Examples: being in nature, spending time with a pet, being a part of community or movements for social change
• Talk to someone you know has your back
  • Connection is everything. Studies have shown that as long as we have positive connection to at least one other person, we are very likely to make it through almost anything. Who has your back in your life? Who do you trust? Find them and practice vulnerability by letting them know you’re feeling stuck. 
• Get out into nature. 
  • Nature connects us to what is bigger than ourselves. It is a myth of racial capitalism that we are separate from nature. When we get out into nature we can feel the interconnectedness that ties us all together. Bonus: put your feet in the dirt
• Offer support to someone else
  • Sometimes offering support to someone else can get us out of our own heads and help us to feel connected where we once felt lost or alone. This is a good option if you can authentically give the support from a place of a real yes. This support could be contributing to your local mutual aid group, helping a friend with their garden or with their kids, or offering to listen to a friend in need.