If you're grappling with a situation, want a different perspective about a problem, know there must be a solution but can't seem to find it or just don't know what to do then in this post I'm inviting you to consider the idiom (saying) that best describes the situation and let's see how you can use those very words to help you easily bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

Here at Landscaping Your Life (LYL) I believe that the metaphors contained in your language when you're struggling are not simply descriptions for the current stuck situation but also offer potential solutions and perspectives currently hidden from view. Particularly when the metaphors you're using are nature based.

For example, for 25 years I've helped people to feel more resourceful when they

• Can't see the wood for the trees
• Are going round in circles
• Are stuck between a rock and a hard place
• Have been backed into a corner
• Are up a creek without a paddle
• Need to turn a corner
• Are at a crossroads
• and much more

You'll find out more about the origins of Landscaping Your Life process using nature as a metaphor for our lives in this post.

We've not helped them by asking them to talk more about the current dilemma - they already know about that (Here's why we think talking about the problem doesn't help). We've asked them to put that story to one side as they explore the metaphor (the landscape) that they've used to describe the situation. Which means real woods and trees become the inspiration when you can't see the wood for the trees - or corners and crossroads provide the insight when they're what you're headed towards.

Having developed many posts, poems, blogs, vlogs (Landscaping Your Life With Alison Smith) and podcast episodes (Landscaping Your Life With Alison Smith Apple and Spotify) covering a range of sayings used when we're stuck I thought it useful to provide an index of the idioms with links to find out more about what to do if that's precisely how you're feeling.

The solutions range from walking in nature, taking a Landscaping Your Life walk, using nature's patterns, drawing the landscape, reading a poem (from not knowing to knowing what to do), collages, and much more. My book, Can't See The Wood For The Trees - landscaping your life to get back on track, provides a comprehensive list of all the LYL tools and techniques as well as chapters on a number of the idioms below*.

• At a Crossroads - what to do when you're at a crossroads (vlog), What to do when you're at a crossroads in your life (Apple/Spotify)
• Backed Into a Corner - how to get out of the corner when you're backed into it (post), How to get out of a corner when you're backed into it (Apple/Spotify)
• Beating Yourself Up - insight when you're being too hard on yourself (vlog), part 2 and an update (vlog), What to do with the stick you're beating yourself up with (Apple/Spotify)
• Buzzing With Life - 7 keys to buzzing with life (post)
• Can't See The Wood For The Trees* - see the wood for the trees (pdf), How to see the wood for the trees (Apple/Spotify), stop planting more trees in your life (Apple/Spotify)
• Chasing The Tide - chasing the tide (poem)
• Come Out of the Shadows - how to come out of the shadows (post), how to come out of the shadows (Apple/Spotify)
• Coping, Not Flourishing? - a gentle guide to realigning your day (pdf)
• Deadend - what to do when you're at a deadend in your life (post), what to do when you’re at a deadend in your life (Apple/Spotify)
• Draw a Line in The Sand - drawing a line in the sand (post), drawing a line in the sand (Apple/Spotify)
• Feeling Like A Fish Out Of Water* - what to do if you feel like a fish out of water (post)
• Going Round in Circles* - stop going round in circles (pdf), how to stop circling (Apple/Spotify)
• Groundhog Day - how to stop every day feeling like groundhog day (post)
• Juggling Too Many Balls (or Spinning Plates) - juggling too many balls (post) and vlog
• Keeping Afloat - how to keep afloat (post)
• Light At The End of The Tunnel - see the light at the end of the tunnel (vlog), What to do when you want to see the light at the end of the tunnel (Apple/Spotify)
• Missed The Tide - What to do when you feel like you've missed the tide (Apple/Spotify)
• Off Track - off track - or just using the wrong word (post)
• Pulled Through a Hedge Backwards - What to do when you're feel like you've been pulled through a hedge backwards (Apple/Spotify)
• Pushing The Same Boulder Up The Same Hill - time for change when life is hard work (post) and vlog
• Put My Head Above The Parapet - How to put your head above the parapet (Apple/Spotify)
• Stuck In a Rut* - 9 poems to get you out of the rut (post), get out the rut (pdf)
• Stuck Between a Rock And a Hard Place - What to do when you're stuck between a rock and a hard place (Apple/Spotify)
• Talking To a Brick Wall - how to talk to a brick wall (misc), how to Influence others when it feels like you're talking to a brickwall (Apple/Spotify)
• Testing The Water - what not to do when testing the water (post), testing the water (Apple/Spotify)
• Treading on Thin Ice - do you feel like you're treading on ice (LI post), How to stop treading water in a situation in your life (Apple/Spotify)
• Treading Water - what to do if you feel like you're treading water (vlog)
• Turn a Corner - wanting to turn a corner (post), turn a corner (vlog), what to do when you want to turn a corner in your life (Apple/Spotify)
• Turn Over a New Leaf - turn over a new leaf (vlog)
• Up a Creek Without a Paddle - how to get out of the creek when you're up it without a paddle (post)
• Uphill Struggle - is life an uphill struggle (post), What to do when life feels like an uphill struggle (Apple/Spotify)
• Weather The Storm - 9 things to do to weather the storm (post)
• Work Life Balance - how to create work life balance (vlog)

And whilst you may not resonate with the following idioms they may have much to teach you too

• Head In the Sand - three hidden costs of ignoring the problem (post)
• Making Mountains Out of Molehills - are you making mountains out of molehills (post)

Do let me know if there's other idioms you'd like me to cover or what insight you got using the landscape in this way alison@alisonsmith.co (yes just .co)

My name is Alison Smith and for 25 years I’ve used nature and metaphor to help you see the wood for the trees, get out of the rut, stop going round in circles, turn a corner and shift from not knowing to knowing what to do and yes get back on track.

There’s posts, poems, blogs, Landscaping Your Life YouTube channel, Landscaping Your Life with Alison smith podcast episodes (my own and as a guest), a Landscaping Your Life newsletter, ezine, pdfs (there’s even one on helping you see the wood for the trees), two books (Can't see the wood for the trees - landscaping your life to get back on track and Your Prescription for Wellbeing Journal) all sharing insight to help you find clarity and focus when you’re overwhelmed, confused, stuck or lost.

Do get in touch if you'd like to understand how a coaching session would be of help for you alison@alisonsmith.co (yes just .co).