When you feel like quitting remember why you started!
Life can be really hard at times.
It doesn’t matter who you are, we all have situations that just seems impossible.
You have so many things going on that you feel like giving up. Whether it’s a health crisis, financial crisis, or if you are just overwhelmed with life’s daily demands.
There are times when we all want to throw in the towel.
Last year, was a tough year for me, I had a health scare with one of my kids. Plus my business wasn’t producing the income I needed. I also had several competing priorities that required a lot of my time, and I wasn’t accomplishing my goals.
At times, I would think why me and I would want to give up. Until I realized I have never been a quitter and giving up is not an option.
If you are feeling that way today, I want to share what you can do when you feel like quitting.
1. Pray about the situation
Because of my Christian faith, I always seek God for help.
I realized a long time ago; God is a lot smarter than I am.
In James 1:5 it says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” So that is exactly what I do, when I don’t know what to do, I ask God.
And he always answers me and gives me solutions I would have never thought of on my own.
Many times, we feel like giving up because we don’t know what to do during difficult times, and although you may not have the answers, remember God always does.
Also, you may not want to talk to anyone in that moment, you may feel they don’t understand. I have learned that in my own life, that you can’t always count on people, but you can always count on God.
2. Have an attitude of gratitude
Last year, our house flooded!
If you have ever had your house flood or any other home damage , you understand just how stressful that can be. Mostly everything in our home was destroyed, including pictures which is something you cannot replace.
Initially, you have a feeling of devastation. You may think, what am I going to do? Where am I going to go? Why did this happen NOW with everything else I have going on?
Yes, I had a few of those thoughts.
Thankfully, we had a bonus room above our garage that my 2 kids, husband, and I were able to live in while our home was being restored.
At one point during the restoration process, we lived in a hotel for a few weeks.
Instead of me saying ‘This is so unfair,’ I thanked God we had the money to pay for a hotel and make the repairs.
You see many people in our area were living in their garage because they didn’t have insurance on their home, or they had to live with difficult family members.
Since we were all used to separate spaces, it was not always pleasant being with 4 people in one room, or sleeping in a recliner chair every night. But instead of focusing on that, I decided to be thankful for what we did have.
It’s all about perspective.
Yes, we would have to replace everything in our main living area, but guess what we were all ALIVE and together… that my friends is priceless. Material things can be replaced, but my husband and kids cannot.
Also, every day when I passed by homeless people living on the streets or heard of someone I casually knew living in their car, I was reminded of how very blessed we were and would not allow myself to complain.
Choosing to be grateful and not complain is a great way to stay in a positive state. I highly recommend when going through tough times to make a list of all the things you are grateful for in a gratitude journal such as this one. It completely shifts your focus.
3. Talk to a trusted friend
When you feel like quitting, having great friends to talk to is invaluable.
I have a few friends I truly trust and reach out to for advice when I need it.
They are all so very different and all have different perspectives and outlooks on life. I don’t always talk to each one of them about a particular difficult time in my life, but I know they are all there for me when I need them.
When you feel like giving up, that good friend can give you the encouragement you need to keep going. Sometimes you just need someone to listen.
4. Exercise to relieve some stress
There are many benefits of exercising. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins that trigger a positive feeling in your body.
This can improve your mental health and mood….which in turn can change that ‘I want to give up’ feeling to ‘I can do anything.’
There are also many physical health benefits of exercising that help you stay in shape.
5. Go on a weekend getaway
Sometimes you need to get away from it all to think and take a break. With many of life’s demands, burn out is something that can happen to all of us. Going on a getaway and doing your favorite things may be just what you need to recharge.
6. Make a firm decision not to quit
Perseverance is a powerful thing. Making a quality decision that you will not quit no matter how hard it gets is the first step in developing that mental toughness you need to overcome any obstacle.
7. Remember your why
Why are you doing what you are doing?
Who are you doing this for?
If you quit who will be affected. Remember this when you feel like quitting.
In my case, with my son’s health scare, quitting would have had a long-term effect on the quality of his life. For seven months, I drove 3-4 hours a day for my son to receive the care he needed Monday-Friday.
Although, I was exhausted physically, emotionally and spiritually by everything else going on in my life ( I have another child and husband who needed me as well), remembering who I was doing this for kept me going.
Even though many times I felt like quitting, I did it anyway.
Why did I continue to do something that was so hard? It was because I love my son more than I love myself so I did what was best for him even if I didn’t always feel like it.
As a result of me persevering and trusting God to do the impossible, I received the miracle my husband and I were believing God for.
8. Think about what you are thinking about
The battle you ultimately face is the one in your mind.
Take daily inventory of your thoughts and think about what you are thinking about.
Are you thinking quitting thoughts?
Thoughts of defeat?
Thoughts you can’t do it?
Your thoughts can either help you or hurt you. Begin to say positive affirmations everyday and don’t ever say out of your mouth you are going to quit. You can change your thoughts with words, see what the word of God says about you, and think and speak on that, instead of the lies that are swarming around in your head.
What are some positive things you have done when you feel like quitting? Share in the comments below.