In my latest blog post, I offered a little tough love and shared a harsh truth. You can’t say you’ve “tried everything and are still stuck”– when you haven’t tried everything!

I get how it feels to want change but lack the belief and the drive to actually follow through. I lived there for years. But once I finally stepped into change, the truth started to unfold. And every other dentist I know who has created change, sees it too. They all felt stuck, refusing to take action, and once they let go of dentistry, they joined me. Suddenly full of wisdom about how great it is on the other side, they knew you should do it too– right now!

That’s the secret that you can’t see in the moment. Life gets so much better when you follow your heart. There’s no reason to waste another minute suffering your way through life.

It’s so easy to stay stuck, believing you have no way out.

That’s where this photo comes in. I shared that blog and this photo it in a Facebook post, and many were curious about the story behind it.

That’s when I realized that this photo and the story behind it represent the true keys to change.

It’s been a year since our amazing Safari N Side Gigs Retreat with my friend and founder of Safari N Smiles, Morris Mugo.

This was our first day in Kenya, and Morris had a full day planned for us with back-to-back events.

Because Kenya had endured record rainfalls and catastrophic flooding that only ended weeks prior, the ground was a little wetter than usual. As we began the day in Nairobi National Park, all was well. But right at the end, we hit some mud. It turned out to be more than we bargained for. You can see that the tire trenches were several feet deep.

And that’s when it happened. Our lead van got stuck.

What do you think we did? Do you think we stayed stuck?

Do you think we said, “Oh, we can’t fix this because what if we get attacked by a lion if we get out and try to push the van?” Do you think we said, “This van is too heavy, so it will be impossible to push our way out?”

No. Morris and team did everything they could to get us out of the mud while keeping us safe. And when the job became tougher than expected, they pivoted and still kept trying.

We had a strict reservation at the Sheldrick Trust that we couldn’t change, and it became clear we weren’t getting out in time. No one panicked, no one gave up. We changed course and all piled into one van, made a u-turn, and beelined (the long and only other way) to the elephant orphanage.

We made it just in time to catch our reservation and see the presentation.

And to our surprise, the other van arrived at the same time we did because when it found freedom, it took the fast track.

It all worked out.

I often talk about being stuck figuratively, but that day we were literally stuck. Whether literal or figurative, the principles are the same.

When our van was stuck in the mud, we tried. When our hard work didn’t pay off, we didn’t give up. We stayed open-minded and adaptable, adjusting our plan as needed. We didn’t let our fears of unknown dangers paralyze us, but instead we worked together, using teamwork and community to get results.

It’s the same with your life.

When you get stuck in the mud of your life, remember our van in the middle of Nairobi National Park. Remember the universal rule that when amongst lions, you stay in your vehicle to avoid becoming lunch. But also remember this: if you let that rule keep you stuck in your car, there’s no one coming to push you out.

Just like we did, you can take small, strategic steps to dig your way out while maintaining as much safety as possible in your life.

Change comes when you get flexible, when you’re willing to make an imperfect move instead of waiting for the perfect one that never arrives.

Patience helps you manage realistic expectations about how change really happens. So when things don’t go exactly as planned, your self-compassion will help you keep moving forward.

Do the inner work first. When you work on yourself from the inside out, it’s like the van taking the shortcut: things start moving faster in ways you didn’t expect.

And most importantly, having your community and a guide will be the key to getting out of the mud and into the life you want.

So in the end… don’t be a stick in the mud. There is nothing worse than staying stuck, and you deserve so much more.