From Stuck to Strong: How I Took Back My Life

There was a time not too long ago when life felt like an endless cycle I couldn’t escape.

Wake up exhausted. Rush through work. Pay the bills. Crash. Repeat.

I wasn’t being irresponsible. I wasn’t ungrateful. I was stuck — just surviving.

Living in survival mode means doing the bare minimum to get through each day. You meet your obligations and put on a brave face, but deep inside, you’re exhausted. There’s no mental space for dreaming, no energy left to plan, and certainly no sense of direction. You’re not falling apart — but you’re not truly living either.

And the scariest part? This version of “normal” can last for years if you’re not careful. Over time, it robs you of your passion, your peace, and your power to create a better future.

Thankfully, something shifted in me. Not overnight. Not dramatically. But gradually — and intentionally. I began to step out of survival mode and into something deeper: purpose mode. That is, a life led by intention, clarity, and meaningful direction.

Here’s how I started the transition — and how you can, too.

As with most transformations, the first step was honesty. Brutal honesty.

For a long time, I blamed everything else on it. My demanding job. The bills are piling up. The exhaustion of parenting. It was easy to point fingers outward. But one quiet morning, I had a rare moment of stillness, and I said to myself:

“I’m tired of this life. Something has to change.”

That moment of raw truth cracked open the door to something new. I didn’t have all the answers, but I finally had awareness. And awareness is always the beginning of change.

When you’re stuck in survival mode, your life revolves around doing tasks and to-do lists. There’s no time or energy to think about your core values. But when I slowed down, I started asking more profound questions:

• What kind of father do I want to be?
• What legacy do I want my children to witness?
• What fills my soul, beyond the routine?

Answering these questions led me back to the things I had been neglecting: faith, family, learning, creativity, and community. Not the kind of success measured in titles or money, but the type measured in purpose and presence.

Let’s be honest. How often do we delay our dreams with the word “someday”?

I used to say:

“Someday, I’ll write again.”

“Someday, I’ll start a side hustle.”

“Someday, I’ll take control of our finances.”

But here’s the truth: “Someday” is a thief. Unless you put it on the calendar, it’ll never happen.

So, I decided to start small:

• 20 minutes a day to learn something new
• One evening a week is dedicated to writing for my blog
• Small, trackable financial goals for our family

At first, the progress felt slow. But for the first time in years, it felt like progress.

When you’re maxed out in every direction, the idea of “creating space” feels unrealistic. However, without margin—space in your schedule, budget, and mind, there’s no room for growth.

So, I looked for tiny windows of breathing room:

• I woke up 30 minutes earlier for quiet reflection and prayer
• I unfollowed noisy accounts on social media that drained my energy
• I started saying “no” to non-essential commitments
• I trimmed unnecessary expenses to give us financial breathing room

This tip wasn’t about becoming more productive. It was about becoming more intentional.

Some of the most significant changes started when I stopped avoiding the things that made me uncomfortable.

• I shared my thoughts online.
• I started learning about money.
• I discussed struggles that I usually kept to myself.
• I tried small side hustles that felt meaningful.

None of it was easy — I was nervous every time. But I learned the following.

Fear doesn’t always mean stop. Sometimes, it means you’re growing.

Sometimes, it means to go.

With every small step outside my comfort zone, I rediscovered a piece of the person I was created to be.

Shifting from survival to purpose mode wasn’t just about doing more; it was about doing things differently. It was about becoming more.

I stopped chasing the idea of doing more and started thinking differently.

Instead of asking, “How do I grind harder?” I asked:

“How do I show up fully?”

“How can I make a real difference — even in small ways?”

“What would a more meaningful life actually look like?”

That shift changed how I saw everything. Life became less about crossing things off a list and more about becoming the person I intentionally wanted to be.

If you’re stuck in survival mode right now, I want you to hear this:

You’re not failing. You’re not weak. And you’re certainly not alone.

But you do deserve more than just making it to the weekend.

The good news? You don’t need a dramatic overhaul to begin. All you need is a single, intentional step. Then another. And another.

You have permission to:

Dream again

Rest without guilt

Build a better life

Move at your own pace

Even if it’s slow, it’s messy, and no one else understands just yet.

I’m still on this journey, too. There’s no finish line — only progress. But every day, I choose purpose mode over survival mode; I feel more alive, more aligned, and more available for the life I want to live.

And maybe reading this is your first step, too.

Let’s Talk:

Have you been living in a state of constant survival lately? What’s one small, intentional change you can make this week to start moving toward purpose mode?

Also Read:

10 Simple Life Changes That Can Save You Hundreds Each Month

10 Bad Money Habits That Keep You Broke — How to Break Them

6 Daily Habits to Build Wealth and Save More Money

8 Wake-Up Calls We All Need to Get in Life Before it’s Too Late – Marc & Angel Hack Life