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.
@Heather225 My family
@Heather225
If you die, you will never be able to hug your best friend again.
Think about that.
@GildedGhost
I hadn't thought of that. That is a fantastic response and I will be thinking of that every time now!
Are the trees enough? They have lives so many lives longer than I have in my minuscule pathetic state. When I touch her rough bark and ask her, "What did you see? Did you see Native Peoples on their horses here, perhaps hunting? Did you see the First Girl who walked on this trail looking for berries?" The tree doesn't say anything. She just continues to pump out oxygen so I can breathe. Her rough bark tells of winds and storms, much snow. She continues to put those leaves into the air. I ask and I ask. I hug her every day on my walks. She is so quiet. She doesn't say anything but her calmness and her steadiness comfort me. Her roots are big and if I'm not careful I might trip over one of them. Every day I say goodbye. Every day I come back for more wisdom.
@Heather225 i still have not lived, i want to see the world and meet people, so that when i die, i can die in peace knowing that i tried, and have seen and experienced it all
@Heather225 What springs to mind for me- is gratitude- I feel lucky as so many people did not reach my age. This does put things into perspective for me in the bigger picture of life on this planet.
@Heather225 oh i actually dont really have much reason other than im afraid of whats after death
I needed this today and saw it at the perfect time ❤️
@Heather225 I needed this post today. Sometimes the details of life are not lining up for me and I feel lost. One thing that helps me to want to go on is that I've survived so many times in the past when the future was unknown. Being older now makes me think of my challenges differently and it doesn't seem as open ended and possible as when I was younger. What I am doing to changing my mindset each day and throughout the day using the serenity prayer. I have to accept the things I can not change and seek courage to change the things I can. I can't change time. I can't instantly change my physical circumstances. I can change my outlook. I can change my focus. I can do what I can each day to go on. Steps. And if time is running out ... you see I have to move out of my temp. housing in July... I can go on with my next best options. I have some money and if I keep my health there will be options that can lead to other options and some opportunitites that I may not be aware of right now.
@Heather225
#3 hit me so hard, and the others are great, alot of good reasons I didn't think of, thanks!
My son's love and the love for my son.
