That Stuck Feeling Before Something New

Have you heard of Insight Timer? I'm a big fan.

I've been guiding people through imagery and visualisation for over twenty years, whether through therapy, coaching or my own healing journey. It is not just a professional tool; it has been a lifeline. I truly believe guided imagery played a central role in my early Multiple Sclerosis healing journey. Even now, I turn to meditation the moment I sense symptoms or simply feel out of sync. It has become a sacred tool in my wellbeing practice.

Finding what meets you where you are

For years, I tried many of the well-known meditation apps. I bought the yearly subscriptions, listened for a while, and then stopped. They never quite clicked. They felt rigid — curated for someone else's journey, not mine.

Insight Timer feels different. Its beauty lies in its variety: contributions from meditation teachers, yogis, therapists and spiritual leaders, from ancient mantras to modern mindfulness. Rather than forcing one path, it leaves room for us to find what we need when we need it.

Earlier this summer, I found myself in a familiar place: feeling stuck.

It was the end of July, and I began to recognise a pattern. Every year around this time — right before my birthday — I slow down. I stall. I start doubting things. At first I thought it was just summer, perhaps a mid-year slump. But I began to wonder whether it was something deeper.

A pause before the leap

I went searching for meditations on feeling stuck. One, by guided-imagery teacher David Ji, offered a reframing that landed deeply: being stuck can be a pause. A moment of quiet, gathering and necessary stillness before the next chapter begins.

That hit me like a wave.

What if the time I label as stuck is actually my body and spirit preparing? Nesting. Organising. Gathering strength. Bringing things into alignment before I leap into something new.

After listening, I suddenly felt more grounded, more open and more ready. And just like that, the pause started to feel like momentum.

So if you're feeling stuck — perhaps in mid-summer, or before a meaningful life moment — know this: it might not be stuckness at all. It may be the space before the spark, the pause before the leap, the breath your soul takes before its next becoming.

You're not stuck. You're simply getting ready.