7 roadblocks to making positive changes & how to overcome them

Maggie Morrow Award Winning Therapist
Author: Maggie Morrow, Award Winning Psychotherapist, Counsellor & Life Coach
Last updated: 16th March 2023

Red arrows with a road barrier

At KlearMinds, our team of highly experienced life coaches are professionally trained, sensitive and approachable, and work in total confidence. We are able to help with a wide range of issues to help you grow and make positive changes in your life, both personally and professionally.

While everyone’s situation is different, we all experience ‘roadblocks’ to success from time to time. Here, we’ve put together seven common obstacles to change – whether you’re seeking a better work-life balance or growing a business, seeking a new relationship or career.

1 – Lack of self-reflection

If you are unhappy and frustrated with your life, busy with the everyday demands at work and at home, you need to find time to stop and find out what would bring more meaning to your life. Set aside some time for reflection and discovery, and tune in to your innermost needs, hopes and dreams. What are your values and priorities? What do you really want to do? There are many life coaching exercises that can help you identify what is really important in your life.

2 – Fear of the unknown

All the exploration and self-discovery exercises in the world won’t help you change if you don’t put them into action. If you are afraid of change – and many people are – perhaps this needs exploring further. Have there been other occasions or periods in your life when you transitioned into something new? What resources and strategies were most helpful to you then? Reframing uncertainty as a new experiencing is part of growing, and can help to take you to the next stage in your journey.

3 – Lack of confidence

Are you overly critical with yourself or pessimistic about making a change? Do you have an inner voice that keeps telling you not to bother? Having a positive sense of self and belief in your own abilities is necessary in order to succeed. What are you really good at, what makes you unique? Remember a time when you accomplished a goal and what made you achieve success. Life coaching can be very effective in helping you break through an obstacle.

4 – Self-esteem issues

Do you feel insecure about the way you look, about your age, what you can bring to the table and how you are perceived by others? While everyone has some insecurities, they shouldn’t stop you from doing what you really want to do. Instead of being overly critical of your personality or appearance, focus on your strengths and on what you have to offer. Work with a good counsellor to help you gain more confidence.

5 – No support network

No (wo)man is an island, said John Donne. Feeling connected to other people is always better than trying to work things out on your own. Professional contacts are necessary to keep up to date with industry trends, information and job opportunities. Personal friends and like-minded peers, mentors and coaches also make up your support network. How can you assemble your support network to help build a sense of resilience?

6 – Fear of failure

Are you afraid to get out of your comfort zone and take risks? Is your need for certainty stopping you from growing? Perhaps past negative experiences or setbacks have made you more risk averse? It is important to have a healthy tolerance of ups and downs, of challenges and mistakes, so if you have any limiting beliefs and self-defeating thoughts that prevent you from making the changes you need to make, a life coach can help you to shift your thinking.

7 – Outside pressures and expectations

There is no right or wrong way to live or work, but many people feel they have to conform to society’s expectations, their family’s beliefs or someone else’s idea of what they should or shouldn’t be doing. What are your values? Rather than being in danger of living someone else’s life, choose your path based on your own compass. Cultivate a mindful attitude to increase your self-awareness and recognise the blocks to living your ideal life. Be open to new possibilities and a brighter future.

Helpful Guides About Therapy

Woman Hugging a Pillow Cropped

How Can Bereavement Counselling Help with Loss?

6th June 2023

Adjusting to life after a loss - whether a family member, friend, partner, pet, object or a significant event –…

Counselling Session

What Is Integrative Counselling?

26th May 2023

Research in counselling is increasingly indicating that a broad toolkit of therapeutic skills drawn from a range of therapy approaches…

CBT Diagram

How can CBT therapy help with unhealthy eating patterns?

23rd March 2023

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that has been shown to be effective in dealing with a broad…

New year goals

Mental Health Goals to Focus on for 2023

2nd February 2023

The world has been a difficult place to live in these past few years as we appear to stumble from…

How Do I Choose the Right Therapist?

28th September 2022

If you are struggling with an emotional issue or problematic situation that is affecting your everyday life, speaking to a…

Career Development

A Guide to Life Coaching

25th March 2022

This quick go to reference guide aims to introduce all individuals to the concept of life coaching and what is…

Maggie Award Winning Therapist

Not Sure Which Therapist Or Type Of Therapy You Need?

Get in touch with Maggie Morrow, Award Winning Therapist & KlearMinds Director. Maggie can help match you with the right therapist based on your needs.

Get in Touch Today
Private Therapy Rooms in London
Online Counselling Available.