The Wino and I Know

This little essay has nothing to do with the title above. It's the title of a Jimmy Buffett song I heard for the first time yesterday, and I couldn't resist borrowing it. I want to talk instead about how we can integrate the negative stuff that is in our lives, or meet the challenges that come our way—internally or externally—in such a way as to make us able to get past them and avoid letting them paralyze us. Whether it is internal or external, my reaction is my own, it's in me and I own it. The negative stuff is there, but how I react is here in me. So I think we can skip distinguishing between external and internal "stuff." The issue is how I'm reacting to it. I understand that how I'm reacting doesn't always seem to be controllable, but it is my creation.
Sometimes, I just get stuck. I have something getting in my way, or making me feel trapped in a box. Inside the box I can scarcely breathe, but it is still a box that I have convinced myself is inescapable. Knowing the box is one I devised for myself is a good first step. No matter what the box looks or feels like, if I look at it closely, I can find a time I forgot about the box and took a step of some kind that changed the situation. I may have jumped right back in the box, but that step's still out there. I did it, and a new chain of events can follow that step. If I can't see that, I may need someone close to me to point it out and challenge me to build on it, to foster some follow through on my part. Or that person only needs to point it out. Or just provide some positive feedback about it. Show me the way? In my life, taking some kind of action has kicked things off. Hard as it was, if I can just force that first step, I am good and we can build on it.
But what if that first step isn't possible? I just can't bring myself to do a thing, take a step, anything. Another possibility arises—you can tell someone (someone close that you trust, of course) about your fear or fears. If that person will listen and offer some empathy and encouragement, it might help you screw up the courage to take a step. How do you find the strength or courage to act or just to acknowledge your fear? Just remind yourself of this line-- "I'm just trying to get by being quiet and shy in a world full of pushin' and shovin'." You may be shy about tackling whatever is making you get stuck, but you can try. The world may seem to be pushing and shoving, but you can get by most things if you try (and only if you do).
Oh, and I lied about the title. The line I just quoted is from Jimmy's song, it just came out, I couldn't help it.