Reasons Not to Give Up!! List Yours
(Heads up that this could be a bit of a heavy topic, but it’s a positive one, so please do read on!)
Let’s be real - life’s hard! One second you’ll be coasting, and then suddenly you’re dropping through a trap door you didn’t even know was there. Circumstances come up beyond our control and sometimes you just feel hopeless.
A lovely member here asked me for a list of my reasons to keep going when things get really hard and you just wanna give up, so here’s what soothes, motivates, and inspires me:
- Remembering where I’ve been. I reflect on the things I have survived. I’ve reminded myself, “you’ve been through worse. You have. And you are here. You can do this, too.”
- The things I haven’t done yet. What do I still wish to do? To see? To learn? My story isn’t over, and I know there are still things out there, somewhere, that is worth waiting for.
- My purpose. We all have one. You do too. You may not have found it yet, but it’s on your path. Just keep walking. And if it helps you feel any better about the wait, I didn’t trip over mine until I hit my 30s.
And the fun stuff!
- My bird - I have to be here for him, after all, and my pets have always grounded me when I felt like I could just let everything else go. If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for your pet!
- Food! Comfort food! The joy of trying new food!
- Your favorite show! You’ve got to be here to see if it gets a reboot, of if your favorite movie gets a sequel.
- The smell of freshly cut grass
- Cozy nights sleeping to the sound of rain
- Staycations
- Rainbows
- Crisp weather, turning leaves, big sweaters, and warm drinks
- Stargazing, beach days, and sitting by the fire
- Finding people with who you can share life’s journey with
- Random acts of kindness
- …and so much more
I’ve seen countless ups and downs in my own life, and every challenge and every pitfall has ultimately shaped me into who I am today. If you’re reading this in the midst of a struggle of your own, please have heart and know that you couldn’t be in a better place than here on 7 Cups. You’re never alone.
What’s your list look like? If you don’t have one, why not start by thinking up one thing that makes you want to keep trying and share it here in the replies.
my cat<3
@Heather225 same as yours + slowly learning to put my needs as a priority + doing the stuff only I know how to do.
@Heather225 my girlfriend and her cat. Her apartment that I share with her now. My brothers and my mom and dad and grandma.
@Heather225
I agree with many of the things on people's lists as great reasons to be alive and things that also inspire me. I particularly like "things I haven't yet done". But, when I think of the last time when I felt despair and hopelessness, I don't think it was these things that pulled me out. I find it quite hard to capture what it was that pulled me out, despite the fact it wasn't so long ago. But this is what I came up with:
I deserve better. I deserve as much as anyone else. So I do deserve better and I will continue to fight for what I deserve. If I give up, I will never get what I deserve.
Finding the smallest achievement. Eg. I said something. I might not have said the right thing, but I said something. Or. I did something. It might not have been the thing I feel I should have done, but I did something. Something is better than nothing. If I can do something, maybe next time I can do something better.
The actions of random strangers. More than once, in desperation I have reached out to a random person. Sometimes on the Internet. Sometimes a helpline. Once, a random neighbour. And their freely given help has inspired me not to give up. I can make time for me if other people make time for me.
I am unique and therefore important.
And here's some thoughts for a more conventional list of reasons not to give up:
The wildflower in a hidden unfrequented corner of nature. Who will appreciate it if I don't?
Sunshine!
A cat running across an open field to greet me.
Eating something I have grown.
Accelerating on a clear stretch of road.
Achieving a new low on fuel consumption in the car.
The glowing embers of a log fire.
A spring bulb peeking through snow.
A view from the top of a hill.
@Heather225
1. Love
2. Truth
@Heather225
my main reason to not ever give up are the people in my life that i love and care for...
@Heather225
I have had very bad depressive episodes in the past, where I sincerely did not feel any joy for anything, it was hard to even remember what positive feelings felt like. Things I usually cared about had no appeal, everything, including fun activities felt like a heavy burden on me. Music just becomes noise. Food becomes a chore.
I felt so ungrateful for being so miserable when so many people have much worse circumstances than me. I thought to myself "How could I complain when I am able-bodied, have a roof over my head and food to eat?" I only felt worse that I wasn't able to sincerely appreciate all I had. I tried doing things like gratitude journals and daily affirmations, but I only felt like I was lying to myself.
I wished to be able to give my life to someone who really wants it, to the prematurely dead and dying who wanted nothing more than to be alive. "Why must I be here, and not the children with cancer? Or my uncle who got into an accident. Or the brother I never got to meet who was born with a hole in his heart? If only we could switch places."
We cannot switch bodies, they are stuck in theirs and I am stuck in mine.
Something I can do however, is devote my time and energy to help people. Giving my life to others in a less literal sense. Volunteering, inspiring others. I something were to happen to me it's not just me that is effected and I wouldn't just quietly go without anyone noticing. I'm not just living for myself, but I am living for others.
So essentially, my reasons to not give up:
To be a daughter to my parents, to be a sister to my brothers and a friend to those who need it.
To spread love and make things better for people.
@ArianKae
Friend - I bless you in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
@ArianKae
Wow you said just how I felt many times. Both when I was still able-bodied and most especially now that I am not very able-bodied. Thank you for being here and helping me.
@adaptableOcean4193
You are not alone. ❤️
@Heather225
My husband
@Heather225
My 3 granddaughters!
What if none of this matters to the person?
