Feeling Trapped

One of the worst things in the world is to feel trapped by your situation, to feel as if you have no control and no say in the outcome. People can become trapped by all sorts of things - their career, for instance, or a relationship that goes wrong, or their financial situation, or perhaps serious illness or injury.

Whatever your particular situation, feeling powerless runs counter to our fundamental human need for a sense of control. You have other needs (beyond the physical), of course. You need security, for example, and a sense of connection, and a way to make your life meaningful. However, it's easier to cope with shortfall in these areas than it is to cope with powerlessness.

Powerlessness really gets us where it hurts.

What to do when trapped in a situation which cannot be changed

Advocates of positive thinking will advise you to just look on the bright side and things will turn out all right. Such an attitude is helpful, up to a point. It is true that encouraging yourself to be optimistic is better than sinking into depression. However, it is not helpful to cling on to unrealistic expectations that some 'miracle' will happen and fix things for you. That is a recipe for disappointment and despair.

Check the outside and the inside to identify the real trap

When the going gets really tough, and the walls of the trap feel like they're closing in, it helps to be really clear how much of the problem lies outside you and how much lies inside you. Getting clear about this can be tricky in the pressures of the situation. Stop feeling trapped can help you achieve a level of inner calm which will allow you to look more objectively at what is going on.

The wisdom to know the difference

You may know of the famous Serenity Prayer of German pastor Reinhold Niebuhr, in which he asks for the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, the courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

When you are deeply relaxed and calm, you can begin to tell whether the aspects of your own situation which 'should be changed' lie inside you (your own attitudes and emotions) or outside you (your actions and interactions). You will begin to see what must be accepted.

Finding the courage to deal with your personal trap

The next step is to summon up the courage and determination you need to respond appropriately. Stop feeling trapped will help you tap into deep inner resources of optimism and determination. Regular listening will help you build up and strengthen these qualities, so that you can call on them at will. You will find yourself enjoying a new lease of creativity and patience in dealing with your situation.

Whatever the outcome, you will stop feeling trapped.

Download Stop feeling trapped and experience a new freedom.