Feeling stuck – we all experience that at one time or another. I felt stuck yesterday and know it is up to me to move through that space. The first helpful thing I did was to express how I felt, in writing. Admit it. Name it.

A second step I took yesterday was to clear my mind. I still remember Deepak Chopra, headlining a conference in Chicago in the 1990’s, say to the large audience that most of our thoughts are the same ones we had yesterday. And most of tomorrow’s thoughts will be the same one we have today. Guilty. I had been repeating the same thoughts about not moving fast enough, not making connections, doubt about being successful in this mind-boggling publishing world. I visualized Tai Chi movements, shifting my weight, balancing yin and yang, focusing my mind on the movements and nothing else. When I am not in a position to actually move my body through Tai Chi, visualizing them in my mind is the next best relaxer. It works. I went to see “How to Train your Dragon”, a delightful, colorful and action-packed movie that continued to shift my thoughts to a new place.

Today I feel open to new thoughts, because I cleaned out some of the continuing thoughts stuck in my closet. As I stood singing a rousing hymn this morning in the Fourth Presbyterian Church, it hit me, that I have friends and contacts here whom I can engage. I have friends in different circles whom I can reach out to and with that, I started to feel encouraged, excited about possibilities.

I am stirred, motivated to move forward with more specifics that I will plan this week. The key in starting for me, and maybe for all of us, is stop the current mantra, the thoughts that stagnate and hold us back. Quiet the mind through stillness and create room for new thoughts and new possibilities.