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If You’ve Felt Stuck Lately, Read This
Chris Thompson
March 24, 2026
In partnership with
LET’S GROW
Yesterday I was thinking about all the change going on in my life and how I plan to navigate it.
This is a really exciting thing! It’s also completely overwhelming at times.
I have made lists, done research, and am getting clearer on what I want to do next. Then I do absolutely nothing.
The spiral I had from thinking about all the things I wanted to do caused me to freak out and do nothing. After researching this, I found that this has a name: Task Paralysis.
What is Task Paralysis?
Task paralysis is what happens when your brain perceives something as “too much”.
Too big.
Too unclear.
Too important.
Too emotionally charged.
So instead of taking action, your nervous system hits the brakes. Most people think of stress as “fight or flight,” but there’s a third response that doesn’t get talked about enough:
freeze.
Your brain is trying to protect you from something it thinks is overwhelming or risky… even if logically you know it’s not.
Where do we see task paralysis?
When we get big/vague goals
“Get my life together.” “Figure out money.” “Start something new.”
Ok cool… what now? Conceptually I get what it means, but it’s not an actionable plan.
When something is a big deal to us
Career moves. Health. Relationships. Finances. These are concepts that are tied to identity, which creates more weight, and thus we hesitate.
Too Many Options
I am not sure if any of you have ever been to a Cheesecake Factory and tried to read the menu. So much is happening there, how do you ever choose?
I think this is also an issue with dating. We weren’t meant to have this much access to people. So we choose no one.
Low Energy / Burnout
Sometimes the problem isn’t the task. It’s that you don’t currently have the energy to handle it.
And instead of adjusting expectations, you try to push through… which makes your system shut down even more.
You think the solution is to “figure it out.”
But more thinking = more overwhelm.
How to Get Out of Task Paralysis
Make the First Step Almost Laughably Small
Not “work out.” —--- > Put on your shoes.
Not “fix your business.” —--- > Open a note and write one sentence.
A way I like to visualize it is: no matter how big the mountain you are attempting to climb, the most important thing to focus on is always the step right in front of you.
Don’t focus on finishing, focus on starting
If your goal is “finish this,” your brain will resist. If your goal is “work for 10 minutes,” your brain relaxes.
Did you know that you don’t have to feel exhausted after working on something? Pace yourself.
Calm Your Body Before You Try to Be Productive
If you’re stressed, your brain is not in “action mode.” It’s in “survival mode.”
Try this before anything else:
Slow your breathing down
Step outside for a minute
Move your body a little
You’re not wasting time. You’re changing states.
Give yourself the evidence instead of waiting
You don’t need to feel ready. Proof comes from small, repeatable actions. All of those anxious feelings are from fear of the unknown, so go make it known.
You are able to do these things—just show yourself by doing it.
Just make it exist now… you can make it perfect later.
I ended up going for a walk and taking a nap, and now I am here writing to you.
You are not lazy.
You are not broken.
You are just stressed.
Give yourself a moment to breathe and center yourself. You will be amazed at how quickly you can unfreeze.
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Affirmations
❓
I don’t need to do everything—I just need to start something
Starting small is still moving forward
I am allowed to take messy, imperfect action
My worth is not measured by my productivity
I can feel overwhelmed and still take one small step
Action creates clarity—I don’t need clarity first
I trust myself to figure things out as I go
I am building momentum, even if it’s slow
It’s safe for me to begin
I don’t need motivation—I just need to start
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