Blogger: Julie Slater – “The Lotus Flower”

Be careful out there, guys. There seems to be a virus going around. I’ve been talking with friends and family, and I’m guessing it’s contagious cuz it’s widespread. From what I hear, it’s plagued people here on the West Coast, East Coast, down South, and even as far away as the Congo. It can cause anxiety, sweating, insomnia, depression, binge eating, irritability, and sometimes a rash. It’s called:

Acute Stuckametriosis (ə-ˈkyüt ˈstək-ah-mē-trē-ˈō-səs)

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It’s defined as: “a constant sensation of feeling STUCK in a particular place in life without any sign of getting out.” I did some WebMD-ing at 4am last night (ALWAYS a great idea), and it’s worse than I thought. If left untreated, acute stuckametriosis can last weeks, months, years, or even decades! It can travel deep inside your brain, too – leading you to believe that whatever is happening to you, right now, will never change and you will be left to deal with this whatever for the rest of your life. They call this thinking: “Delusional Stuckamediocrity” (di-​ˈlüzh-​nəl ˈstək-ah-mē-dē-ˈä-krə-tē).  And no part of your life is safe. It can strike your career, love life, finances, family, creative endeavors, or (gasp!) all of these things.  It can be debilitating.

But there’s hope. Doctors have been working on a cure and they’ve seen some amazing progress with this simple prescription:

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Some preliminary studies have shown, patients who “Keep Moving” every day, not only can get out of being stuck, they can possibly avoid the virus and its complications in the future.  😉

You’re asking yourself, “Is it really that easy? Just ‘Keep Moving?’ Come on!” Well, my Feelers, it is that easy. But you must believe it. You have to tell yourself that you CAN get your feet out of that hardened cement. Or out of bed, for that matter. Even if it’s the tiniest movement each day.

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In marathon training, they don’t tell you to focus on 26.2 miles. They simply say, “Put one foot in front of the other.” And in each moment of that race, it is literally about that next step. Nothing else. You just need to make it to the next step. And then repeat. And repeat. Because focusing on the big picture can overwhelm you and bring on the big freeze – or a real heavy muscle spasm.

Trust me, I’ve been hit with acute stuckametriosis time and time again. I’m sitting here right now feeling a little itch with my career. I’ve been a radio DJ my entire life and I’ve been pursuing a career outside of that immediate realm and it hasn’t been easy. It’s been really, really hard. Some interesting things have developed (which I’m grateful for) and some other things have fallen flat on their face (splat!). But I do know that every single day – I’m moving. Some days I get two steps ahead. Some days – it’s a half step back. But I’m moving. And with constant movement comes impermanence (things can no longer stay stuck).  I definitely get a sense that I’m getting closer to what I want. Each opportunity I’m coming across is better than the last. And when I do hit that beautiful YES I’m looking for, it’s going to make all of these ugly NOs worth it.

It takes courage and stamina to keep moving. But it’s also the only way to grow. When a tornado comes, you CAN sit in it for a minute – that’s actually encouraged. But then you have to get up and move with it. Be the river, not the rock. The only way out is through.

I’ve also found wine helps.

Namaste.


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Julie Slater, aka THE LOTUS FLOWER, looooves music. Besides being a rabid fan and musician, you may recognize her voice. She’s a voiceover artist and audiobook narrator (www.julieslater.com). She’s DJ’d on top stations: 88.5 FM and 100.3 the Sound in LA and 92.3 K-Rock in NYC following Howard Stern.

When she’s not at concerts, you can usually find her meditating or in the kitchen. She has a slight obsession with deep, dark cabernets & small batch whiskey. Namaste!

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