Are the words, “I’m throwing in the towel” on the tip of your tongue? Keep reading, please.
There is power in not giving up. There is true, significant power in being brave, bold and finding the courage you have inside of you. You may not feel courageous or brave, but I am here to tell you these qualities are inside of you. It is you who has to do the digging and find them .
Whatever you do, do not give up. There is a loophole and a clause in this statement that I need to make before continuing.
Ladies, even gents if you’re reading, you know your worth as a person. Giving up on a relationship in any capacity that may be tumultuous or no longer serving you is sometimes the BEST option. When you continue to give in to someone who no longer serves you, you give up on on the person who matters most, YOU!
As I was growing up, learning much of what I share with all of you, there is one phrase that we lived by in our household, “Sometimes we have to do things that are hard.” I heard this phrase over and over, but it’s true and it has come in clutch for me over the years. Many times, I would get angry with my parents when they used this statement, now I thank them from the bottom of my heart for instilling this in me.
There is much to be learned from doing things that are hard. What my little teenage self did not know was how vital this would be for my future and my family as I grew older.
I told my cousin a couple of weeks ago that my twenties have been hard. She sounded surprised when I told her this because many, many wonderful things took place in the last seven years of my twenties. If I am being honest, I think my twenties thus far has been one big, fat life lesson! If there were an action to compare my twenties to, I would say it was like running through quicksand. I felt like I have been constantly running against the odds for much of my adult life, but I wouldn’t change it if I had the option.
I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had moments where I wanted to throw in the towel and give up, but I knew giving up wouldn’t get me anywhere other than more lost and confused. Every time I was faced with the option to give up, something inside of me would resist and keep going.
Stamina, I would say this word all the time. Many day I would tell myself, “Jessica, you have stamina. You are not a quitter! You are a fighter in every capacity and giving up has never been an option for you! You can call it quits, but what will that do? Who will this serve because it will most certainly not serve you!”
You want to gain strength and courage? Keep going.
You want to learn what it is like to become brave? Face your fears straight on.
You want to learn what courage is? Conquer your fears by going up against them and fighting for yourself.
I look at giving up as the easy way out. It’s the option of fast food over a home-cooked meal. Think about that dream you may have put on the back burner or gave up on. Think about a talent you may have suppressed and didn’t pursue or a dream job you didn’t go after. When you are thinking about these things, how do you feel?
Let’s change up the wording a little bit.
Now, think about that dream you made a reality. How about a talent you pursued that has brought meaning to your life or a dream job where you are currently working. Now tell me this, how do you feel when you are thinking about these things?
You see when we change the verbs in these sentences, our feelings change with it.
When we change what we DO, we will often find ourselves in a different place. If you aren’t where you want to be or may be feeling lost, I’m here to tell you to keep going, fighting and dreaming.
There is power in not giving up.