By Tammy Kleinman
Though the Oxford English Dictionary officially declared “vax’ as the word of the year for 2021, “languishing” was certainly last year’s dominant emotion for many of us, as Adam Grant famously described in his New York Times article. The emotion, in fact, has languished its way right into 2022.
Languishing is defined as not quite depression, but a sense of “stagnation and emptiness.” It threatens our mental health and creates a persistent drain on our personal productivity. Many people, especially moms, are feeling as if they are looking through their lives “through a foggy windshield” and are desperate to get motivated again. They are trying to recreate a sense of joy and optimism, find or create new careers, undo the poor health habits formed during the pandemic, or just clear the dining room table. More than anything, many moms are still battling persistent feelings of loneliness and helplessness. They feel stuck.
But there’s hope: Clutter Kicker has paired up with Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Cindy Schrank Kane of Maven of Moderation, and together, they are helping women get “Unstuck” through small-group education and support sessions. The sessions are aimed at helping women take stock of where they are, set goals, and create sustainable changes. Sessions consist of group discussions over Zoom and include individual exercises, tips that are easy to implement, and ideas to motivate participants. Each week participants create ON YOU’s (which stands for On Your Own Unstuck). ON YOU’s are like individualized homework, and participants report back to the group on their progress. The supportive group environment – women literally clap for each other’s progress – is particularly effective, and the program is now celebrating a year of helping women restart their lives.
“When people realize they’re not the only ones struggling, they can finally begin to set goals and move forward,” says Cindy.
One participant described the sessions this way: “Unstuck is a tool, a community, a kick in the butt and a hug all at once. The support, tips, advice and atmosphere allow everyone to be honest and benefit from the advice being given.”
To make participants feel accountable for the sessions and their progress, Unstuck charges a small fee (currently $55), and proceeds are donated to charity. “We started this group because we saw a real need to help women who were feeling stuck. Over the past almost two years, many people have created new habits around their homes and their health that they now want to undo, and they don’t know where to begin. We help women set small, achievable goals, take accountability, and find a sense of control, one step at a time,” says Lauren Hass, owner of Clutter Kicker and co-facilitator of the group.
Another participant in the group said, “This was a great mini-course for anyone interested in hitting the reset button -- in your home space and your headspace."
The sessions have become so popular that Unstuck has expanded. Unstuck Mini’s are one-time sessions sponsored by local libraries and community groups, which pack a power punch of tips and support during a single, 1½ hour session.
The next cohort of Unstuck begins on February 4. But you don’t need to wait for the next Unstuck session to begin making changes. Here are a few practical tips that you can implement right now:
Tips for getting unstuck in your mind
Make time to connect with nature. Take a break each day to breathe some fresh air.
Find gratitude in everyday life. Make it a habit of jotting down one to three positive thoughts when you wake up or just before you go to bed.
Get in touch with an old friend. Skip the text and pick up the phone.
Tips for getting unstuck in your body
Get moving. Find a form of exercise that you love so you’ll stick with it.
Cook a great meal with nourishing ingredients.
Take care of your skin. Exfoliate and moisturize with all-natural products – and don’t forget the sunscreen.
Tips for getting unstuck in your home
Only keep items if you can answer yes to one of these questions: “Do I use this? Do I love this? Do I need this?”
You can either have stuff or space, but not both. If you want space, you’ll need to purge some stuff.
Be sure that everything in your home has a “home” and ideally that home is labeled. This way everyone knows where to find the item, and, importantly, everyone knows where to put it away.
To learn more about how you can get Unstuck, or to sign up for the next cohort that starts on February 4, click here.
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About Tammy Kleinman
Tammy Kleinman is a writer and editor with 20 years' experience helping clients tell great stories. She’s worked with leaders of Fortune 100 companies, academics, small business owners and aspiring novelists, among others, to help them connect with their audience and turn complex concepts into crisp, clear messages that stick. Writing this blog post inspired her to get “unstuck” too.
To learn more about Tammy and her work, go to tammykleinman.com or LinkedIn.