For many of us, there are times that come along in our lives that push us to the brink of an all-out hair pulling, throw in the towel moment. It seems easier at the time to resist the challenge and take the fast escape out. As humans, we don’t do this because we lack desire — we do it because we feel stuck in something that isn’t moving the direction we were hoping it would. Or sometimes we care too damn much, and the luster that was once burning bright, has been exhausted to a faint, smoky fizzle. This can happen in relationships, in career paths, personal fitness goals, diets, you name it —as I’m sure you are all well aware.
There have been some moments in my personal journey where I have been limited by my body–and given no option but to remove myself from the situation. Growing up, I was an athlete and it was something that I always knew I had under my belt—or in this case, leotard. Gymnastics was something I felt prideful about and it was an ability that made me stand out from the average, non-back flipping kid on the block. Starting at 13, two blown out knees & a few surgeries later, this lifestyle of mine was ripped out from under me. Who was I now?
I would love to say that this is a success story and that I am currently the lead in Cirque du Soleil, but that would be purely fictional. I did let it take me back a few steps, a few pounds forward and years of feeling like I lost my connection to a club that I once belonged. I will be the first to admit that it made me feel well.. like shit & I did give up for a while.
But I will tell you that the only thing that feels worse than giving up, is making the conscious decision to stay defeated. It took a few years but I have finally found my footing again. I lost one skill, and that’s a fact—but what I acquired was so much more than that. I realized when I took my head out of my you know what, that I had ambition to reroute my workouts to fit my body’s abilities, a love for writing to make others happy and a will to add more bullet points in my hypothetical social resume.
We shouldn’t put so much emphasis on what we can’t do but rather think about all of the things that we already know how to do that may help us achieve it. Quitting never feels good, unless it’s a nasty habit that deserves to be booted out the door. If we can stop feeling sorry for ourselves in areas that make us vulnerable, we can clear our minds to accept the qualities that have got us to this point in life.
When you feel like you’re getting to that melting point in any aspect of your life, save your precious hair follicles & remember the motto “Work Hard, Be Nice.” It will be there for you. Not every day will give you a miraculous opening to take what you want from life, but those testing instances are when you need to throw yourself back at it. Even if you are going strong individually, utilize your strengths to fill the void in your community members. A small compliment, a gesture of support, or an inside joke are sometimes the little push that people who feel like giving up, may engulf and use to work a little harder.
Written By: Hayley Sutherland