Angle & Perspective

| Endurance | Persistence | Belief | Goal-setting | Mindset | Mental Health | Healing | Never Give Up | Life Challenges | Keep Going | Keep Moving Forward | Strengths | Weaknesses | Limitations | Gifts | Talents | Offerings | Battles | Stuck | Unstuck | Faith | Freedom | Love | Compassion | Charity | Forgiveness | Help | Encouragement | Practice | Values | Cheer Leaders | Impossible Possibilities | Miracles |

Originally published 3.26.23

Photo: A bridge my son cheered me on to help me cross after I got stuck “You can do it, Mommy!”​

Dear readers,

I know the times we are living in are challenging on a number of levels, so I want to send this message out to you … DON’T QUIT. Don’t let things get the best of you. Don’t give up the life you’re fighting for.

I’m going to share some of the tips that I’ve learned when I’ve wanted to give up that still help me daily.

It’s that moment when you think you can’t go on and nothing will make things better…or you’re in the middle of something and you stop and just want to drop everything and shut down, wondering why you should keep going, what good it’s going to do, why anything matters or who’s it going to matter to.

Ignore that voice that says “It’s too hard. You can’t keep going.”

Believe.

Don’t stop. Keep going. Keep moving forward. Little by little, day by day.

A long time ago, a veteran friend of mine who’s been there for me time after time again in my worst moments gave me some advice that would help me for years to come. “Just take one step, then keep putting one foot in front of the other, you’ll get there.”

In my battle with CMT, these words have proved particularly valuable. CMT (Charcot Marie Tooth -and no it doesn’t have anything to do with teeth) is the most commonly inherited neuromuscular degenerative disease…that no ones ever heard of, including most of the doctors I’ve seen and it affects everyone who has it in different ways and severity, making it even more difficult to relate to and diagnose. Thankfully, I don’t have a severely advanced form of CMT yet, but it’s there…always reminding me it’s there… always knocking my confidence for a loop and telling me I can’t every time I drop something, every time my knees give way or almost give out, every time I have to sit on the sidelines because of the gnawing pain in my legs, every time I have difficulty breathing.

I’ve also battled depression off and on for years due to various events that have shaken the stability of my world, which contributes to making my symptoms worse.

There are plenty of times I’ve wanted to stop, and plenty of times I have stopped, but I’ve managed to keep going, even after stopping, replaying that phrase in my mind whenever things got too difficult. “Just take one more step…” and “breathe one more breath.” “Just get through the next minute, then the hour, the next night, the next day.”

One of the most embarrassing times was when I was in the grocery store and stuck frozen in the middle of the main aisle, unable to force myself to budge even just a little, the weight of my legs like they were made out of lead, afraid of who was about to come up while I was in the way and the awkward position it would have put me in to try and explain why I couldn’t move out of the middle of the aisle to let them by… even though I look perfectly normal and healthy. Luckily I was able to regain my composure and strength and move aside just before anyone came by and save my dignity.

Coming to terms with my weaknesses and limitations has not been easy, especially when they’re not always consistent, but the better you can get at knowing your weaknesses and limitations, the better you can manage your expectations and the expectations of others around you. Otherwise, use your voice. Know what you’re capable of. Know what your limitations are and live accordingly, always striving for and working toward improvement when possible.

Other times I’ve wanted to quit is when thoughts and feelings of overwhelm try & get the best of me. Anxiety, doubt, negative voices, ruminating, overthinking, overanalyzing, self-criticizing, and getting stuck in the belief that I’ll always be stuck with the person I currently am instead of allowing a growth and change mindset to happen by putting pride, shame and fear aside.

You want to know my real secret to getting on with life? I throw everything I know out the window and just allow myself to be…and live in the present 🙂

This might sound like bad advice…and it could turn into bad advice if not used in the right way, but it works for me and sometimes the best thing we can do is shut out all voices but our own gut intuition and instinct. Our spirit knows a lot more than our head does most of the time and even the best knowledge and advice can weigh us down if we become too worried about being perfect and never making mistakes or if we get too caught up in our own little world and forget life is still going on around us.

Still, get wisdom, get understanding, learn from life the lessons it’s been begging to teach you. Listen to that voice that tells you no when you know you shouldn’t. Do good; be good.

Everything gets better with practice.

Prioritize your values and live for them.

Make goals you know you can reach and go for them!

Find “cheer leaders” or become your own personal cheer leader!

Lastly, spend some time with yourself. Get to know yourself …not just your weaknesses and limitations but your strengths, talents, gifts, and offerings. If you don’t think you have any, start exploring until you find out.

Focus on what will happen if you don’t stop, if you don’t quit.

In closing…Whatever you do, DON’T QUIT.

And if you do quit, take a break or as much time as you need & then start right back up again.

The other day my son said he couldn’t do something, so I sang him a little ditty: “If you tell yourself you can’t, then you can’t… If you tell yourself you can, then you can… And if you CAN’T tell yourself that you CAN…you CAN!” (cuz I’m a cool Mom like that ;)) The power of belief is incredible…Again, balanced with a spoonful of reality but hope for the impossible to be possible!

I’m not an expert on these things and maybe one day I’ll make another article with better bulleted and outlined pointers, but I hope this will be encouraging and helpful for others. I’m sure there’s plenty I left out that you can chime in on the comments below and share what helps you -it might help someone else too!

My faith has played a key role in helping me get through the most difficult times so I can’t end this without giving credit and glory to the Eternal One, God our Father & Christ His Son, who are blessed forever. Here lately, when I’m in that down mode I start singing this song from my son’s audio Bible Songs CD, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Please feel free to message me any time you feel like you want to quit or need a word of encouragement.

Be generous with love, compassion, charity, forgiveness, and hope…for yourself and those around you.

May your paths lead to peace and may your ways be blessed.

Sincerely,

iam:ForeverBlessed