7 Easy Steps to Get Unstuck and Manifest What You Want

Last Updated on March 25, 2025 by Jess Brown

I know that feeling. Sitting alone on my couch, 100 pounds overweight, trapped in a cycle that felt impossible to break. No matter how many times I tried to get unstuck and manifest what I want, nothing seemed to change. The harder I pushed, the more stuck I felt.

Maybe you can relate? That exhausting cycle of trying, failing, and wondering what’s wrong with you. The constant internal battle between wanting something different and feeling like you’re fighting against an invisible force keeping you exactly where you are.

I remember the day it all shifted for me. Oddly enough, it wasn’t during a moment of success—it was after I injured myself badly enough that I couldn’t even walk. Sometimes life has to knock us down before we can finally see what’s keeping us stuck.

How to Get Unstuck and Manifest What You Want: A Complete Guide

Let me tell you something that might surprise you—being stuck isn’t a personal failure. It’s actually your brain doing exactly what it’s designed to do. But understanding this is the first step to changing it.

The Hidden Pattern That Keeps You Stuck

Think about a dandelion for a moment. If you just pull off the top, it looks like you’ve solved the problem. But we both know what happens—in a few days, it grows right back, sometimes with even more flowers than before. That’s exactly how most people approach getting unstuck. They focus on what they can see on the surface instead of addressing what’s happening below.

I learned this the hard way during my own journey. When I was struggling with binge eating, I kept trying to use willpower to stop myself. But willpower was like pulling off the dandelion flower—it looked good for a moment, but the pattern always came back stronger.

What I discovered changed everything: our brains create neural pathways that literally wire us to stay stuck. Each time we repeat a pattern — whether it’s negative self-talk, emotional eating, or doubting our ability to manifest — we strengthen these pathways. It’s like walking the same path through a field over and over until it becomes so well worn it feels impossible to walk anywhere else.

Breaking Free Starts With Understanding

Here’s something that most manifestation teachers won’t tell you: your feelings aren’t always telling you the truth. When I was at my lowest point, my feelings were screaming that I was helpless, that change was impossible, that I didn’t deserve better. But feelings are just energy in motion—they’re not facts.

I started having honest conversations with myself. When the urge to binge eat hit, instead of just reacting, I’d ask myself: “Will going through the McDonald’s drive-through and ordering enough food for six people bring me closer to or further from what I really want? What am I actually feeling right now that I’m trying to solve with food?”

These questions began shifting my energy from stuck to flowing. But here’s what made the real difference—I stopped trying to change everything at once. Instead of attempting another dramatic overhaul that would inevitably fail, I started with five minutes. Just five minutes of movement, of different choices, of new patterns.

The Science Behind Getting Unstuck

Your brain is actually a pattern-making machine. It’s constantly looking for ways to conserve energy by running on autopilot. This was great for our ancestors, who needed to remember where to find food and avoid danger. But today, it can keep us locked in patterns that no longer serve us.

When you feel stuck, it’s often because your nervous system is stuck in a protective pattern. It’s trying to keep you safe by keeping you in familiar territory—even if that territory is painful. The good news? We can work with this system instead of fighting against it.

The Energy Shift That Changes Everything

Remember my story about injuring myself? First a sprained ankle, then a torn MCL in my knee. At the time, these felt like the universe conspiring against me. But they taught me something important about getting unstuck—things in motion tend to stay in motion, and things at rest tend to stay at rest.

It hit me during my recovery – I needed to change my energy to get different results. Not next month, not when I felt ready, but right now. Even if “right now” meant just five minutes of gentle movement. Even if it meant feeling embarrassed and out of breath. Because here’s what I learned: the tiny choices we make every day create our reality.

What I was doing three or six months ago shaped exactly where I am today. Those everyday decisions that don’t seem significant in the moment? They’re actually writing the story of our future.

Why Traditional Manifestation Methods Often Fail

Let’s talk about something that might ruffle some feathers in the manifestation community. Vision boards and positive affirmations are nice, but they’re not enough on their own. I’ve worked with clients who had beautiful vision boards and still felt completely stuck.

The missing piece? Understanding that our thoughts and feelings aren’t always our own. Think about it – how many of your beliefs about what’s possible come from your parents, teachers, or society? I help my clients see beyond these inherited limitations. Just because everyone thinks a certain way doesn’t make it right or true for you.

The Power of Small Shifts

When I first started changing my patterns, I could barely walk for five minutes without getting winded. My lungs burned. I felt ashamed. But I kept showing up, not because I was brave, but because I finally understood something important: change happens in tiny increments.

I stopped expecting an overnight transformation and started celebrating small wins:

• Walking for five minutes without stopping
• Choosing water instead of soda once a day
• Taking three deep breaths before reacting to stress
• Writing down one thing I did well each day

These might sound too simple to matter, but here’s what I found – these small shifts create momentum. And momentum is everything when you’re trying to get unstuck.

Breaking the Emotional Decision Loop

One of the biggest revelations in my journey was understanding that emotional decisions rarely serve us. When I was caught in binge eating cycles, every decision came from emotion – usually fear, shame, guilt, or the need for control.

I started having a different kind of conversation with myself. Instead of letting emotions drive, I’d ask:

• Will this choice bring me closer to or further from what I want?
• What am I actually feeling right now?
• How will I feel tomorrow about the decision I make today?
• What would happen if I waited 10 minutes before acting?

This isn’t about ignoring your emotions – they’re important messengers. But they shouldn’t be in the driver’s seat of your life.

Creating New Neural Pathways

Remember how I mentioned our brains are pattern-making machines? Well, here’s the good news – we can create new patterns on purpose. But it takes understanding how your brain actually works.

Think of it like this: if your current situation is like being stuck in a deep rut in the road, trying to force your way out usually just digs you deeper. Instead, you need to gradually build a new path, one small step at a time.

Here’s what this looked like in practice for me:

• Starting with just five minutes of movement daily
• Adding one healthy meal without worrying about the others
• Taking a different route on my daily walk
• Changing one small habit in my morning routine

Each of these tiny changes helped create new neural pathways in my brain. They showed my nervous system that change was safe. And most importantly, they built momentum toward bigger transformations.

The 7 Steps to Transform Your Reality

Now that you understand why you’ve been feeling stuck, let’s dive into exactly how to shift your reality. These are the exact steps I used to lose 70 pounds, but they work for any area where you’re feeling stuck – relationships, career, money, or personal growth.

1. Start With an Energy Audit

The first step is understanding where your energy actually is right now. This isn’t about judging yourself – it’s about getting honest about your starting point.

Take a piece of paper and write down:

• What drains your energy each day
• What gives you energy
• Where you feel resistance
• What you’re avoiding

When I did this, I realized I was spending most of my energy worrying about what other people thought of me. That awareness alone started shifting things.

2. Challenge Your Stories

This is where we dig into those root causes I mentioned earlier. Like pulling a dandelion, we need to get to the root of what’s keeping you stuck.

Ask yourself:

• Where did this belief come from?
• Is this actually my truth, or someone else’s?
• What evidence do I have that this story is true?
• What if the opposite were true?

I remember realizing that my belief “I’ll always struggle with my weight” wasn’t actually mine – it came from years of hearing other people talk about their own struggles and that weight loss and keeping it off was really hard.

3. Create Momentum With Micro-Actions

This is my favorite step because it’s where real change begins. Instead of trying to overhaul your entire life, we start with actions so small they almost seem pointless.

For me, it started with five minutes of movement. Not an hour at the gym. Not a massive workout. Just five minutes.

Pick one tiny action that moves you toward your goal:

• Want to write a book? Write one sentence
• Want to get fit? Do one push-up
• Want to meditate? Take three conscious breaths
• Want to eat better? Add one vegetable to one meal

The key is making it so small you can’t talk yourself out of it.

4. Realign Your Environment

Your environment shapes your choices more than willpower ever will. I learned this when I finally stopped keeping trigger foods in my house. Yes, I could still go get them if I really wanted to, but removing that immediate temptation made a huge difference.

Look at your environment and ask:

• What in my space supports my old patterns?
• What could I add that would support my new choices?
• Who in my life lifts me up or pulls me down?
• What small changes would make better choices easier?

Sometimes this means rearranging your furniture. Sometimes it means changing who you spend time with. Always start with the easiest changes first.

5. Release Old Patterns

This step is about consciously letting go of what’s not serving you. But here’s what most people get wrong – you don’t have to understand everything about why you’re stuck before you can get unstuck.

Instead of analyzing everything, focus on:

• Noticing when old patterns show up
• Pausing before reacting
• Choosing one small different action
• Celebrating when you make a new choice

I spent years trying to understand why I binge ate. But what actually helped was simply pausing and asking, “What am I really hungry for right now?”

6. Build New Neural Pathways

Remember how we talked about your brain being a pattern-making machine? Now we’re going to use that to our advantage. The key is consistency over intensity.

Create simple daily practices like:

• Taking a different route to work
• Using your non-dominant hand for simple tasks
• Trying new foods
• Starting your day differently

These small changes tell your brain that change is safe and possible.

7. Maintain Your New Reality

This final step is about sustaining your changes without falling back into old patterns. The key? Progress isn’t perfect.

I still have days where I want to binge eat. The difference is now I know how to:

• Recognize the trigger
• Pause and check in with myself
• Choose a different response
• – Get back on track quickly if I slip

Powerful Journal Prompts for Transformation

Take some time with these questions. They’ll help you apply each step to your specific situation:

1. What patterns do I see repeating in my life?
2. Where am I giving my power away?
3. What’s the smallest step I could take today?
4. What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail?
5. How would my future self want me to act right now?

Signs You’re Breaking Free

You might not notice the big changes at first, but watch for these subtle shifts:

• You pause before reacting
• Small choices feel easier
• You bounce back faster from setbacks
• You think less about being stuck
• You feel more energy

Even More Reading On This Topic:

• Quotes for Difficult Times: Why Some Transform Us While Others Fall Flat
• 6 Steps to Manifesting During Tough Times
• How to Upgrade Your Life by Raising Your Personal Vibrational Frequency

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Path to Getting Unstuck and Manifesting What You Want

Remember, transformation isn’t about massive overhauls – it’s about small, consistent shifts in how you think, feel, and act. Each tiny choice is a step toward your new reality.

NOW OVER TO YOU: What small step will you take today to get unstuck and manifest what you want? Share in the comments below – I’d love to hear your approach.

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