“Breakthroughs start with better questions.” –Daniel Pink

Recently, I caught myself feeling stuck. I’m super excited about the new program I’m launching very soon. I have received so much inspiration on my bike rides, and I have been fleshing out my plans and ideas in my journal and on my laptop in tiny, little chunks of time, like right now, while my grandson is napping next to me.

It’s very important to me to be present (my theme for 2025!) and available to help with my grandson and for the rest of my family as much as I can.

And it’s also important to me to bring to life my inspired ideas so that I can help others whom I feel called to help.

Sometimes the two can be a tough fit.

Plus, I’m feel some urgency for two reasons. First, I want to launch my program in time for group enrollment to open July 15, 2025. That’s less than a month away. Coming even more quickly than that though is a live interview that is scheduled for next Thursday, July 3. Another wellness professional asked to interview me for his Facebook group. I want to be prepared for this interview and to be able to share information about my new program, as well as to give useful information to listeners.

It takes time to prepare. It takes time and some level of quiet to do creative work.

Time and quiet have been hard to come by lately.

I was feeling stuck. “Maybe I won’t be able to launch this thing until January.” “Maybe I won’t be ready for the interview.” “Maybe I should cancel.”

Then, suddenly, I remembered that I am a coach and a problem solver—that I teach others how to prioritize what matters to them.

I asked myself a question. “How could I create the time I need to do this work and still be present for my family?”

It opened my mind to possibility. I realized that I had to decide if this was really important at this time. It is, so I thought about my schedule between now and July 3. Quickly, I realized that I could take my laptop to Wichita Public Library last Thursday, before an appointment. I could use a study room or find a quiet nook, and I could create some undisturbed time before my appointment. It wouldn’t be a long time, but it would be longer than the time I usually get at home, and it would be quiet.

I remembered that I suggested a similar solution to a coaching client a few years ago. She was working on a book and said that she always got distracted when she tried to work on it at home. In our conversation, I learned that she had access to a coworking space. We decided that she would plan to go there at least once a week at a particular time to work on her book.

I had a plan. I had a solution.

I made something that matters to me a priority.

It also helped me remember the importance of asking good questions, even—maybe especially—to ourselves.

Is there a situation or a decision that has you feeling stuck at the moment?

Try asking yourself these questions to open your mind to possibilities:

· How important is making this decision or solving this problem? Why? It’s important to be clear about whether or not you really care about solving the problem or if it will matter in the long run. If it’s not important, maybe there is nothing to solve.

· How could I look at this differently? Rather than viewing it as a problem, limit or barrier, what if you reframed it as an opportunity for creative thinking? What new ideas could you generate?

· What would I advise a friend, family member, student or client to do in this situation? Author of the book Chatter: The Voice in Our Head and University of Michigan psychology professor Ethan Kross actually recommends addressing ourselves in the third person in order to feel more like we are speaking to someone else. Even if this feels too weird, there can be value in thinking about ourselves in roles where we feel wise and competent and consider what advice we would give in those situations.

· What is preventing me from solving this problem or making this decision? Is this a true limit or one that is in my head? Sometimes we think there is something in the way, but it is really self-imposed guilt, a sense of obligation or a lack of a boundary where there should be one. There is nothing to be gained by being a martyr. That said, some limits are real. If this one is, what might be done to get around it in a way that allows us to act with integrity? If there is truly nothing, it may be time to accept the situation and move on.

· What solution best honors the values that are most important to me? This matters. Getting “unstuck” at the cost of our ethics or the values we hold dear is not worth it. So, think expansively while remaining within your personal guiderails.

Once you have come up with one or more possibilities, check how each one feels in your body and go with the one that feels most right. Tuning into our bodies’ wisdom is a meaningful strategy for determining a path forward in any situation. If you are not used to turning into your body to “listen” or feel for answers, let’s talk. There are many ways to build this intuitive sense.

Are there other questions that you find helpful when you are making important decisions or trying to get unstuck? Send me an email a sheri@penpedalpose.com to let me know what they are. I’m always interested in fresh perspectives.