WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF BATTLING WITH LIFE'S OBSTACLES, WHAT DO YOU DO
The struggle is real. And I don't just mean the fun, sarcastic struggle bus that we all seem to mention when we've experienced more than the usual ebb and flow of life—I mean thee struggle.
Like when you just don't want to get out of bed struggle or the zero-energy struggle because life sometimes knocks you down real good.
We've all been there and lets face it, we will probably be there again. Life doesn't just stop for us to catch our breath, so how do we keep going?
Being someone who is ambitious and who carries a lot on her shoulders, I really feel the struggle and find myself, as I am sure others do, suffering to stay afloat when it's literally pulling us down like an anchor.
Before we know it, we find ourselves questioning everything, faced with more challenges than we can handle and falling to pieces at random times of the day.
But giving up is no option, and pushing it aside does nothing but make you view your emotions as a soon-to-be erupting volcano. Giving yourself time to feel and breathe is valid and great, until you realize enough is enough and the pity party is over because you have to get your sh*t together in order to survive.
My grandpa has said the key to living a long life is not letting it catch you (whatever "it" is, is up to you, I suppose). Sometimes moving forward or just moving in general is the best thing we can do, whether we're ready or not, so it doesn't catch us and hold us hostage.
Photos by Lowell Wagner
Here are some thoughts on swimming through the struggle, rather than drowning:
Trust me, if you feel like you can't go any further, you can. Change your perspective, open a new window if a door is shut. I am sure before this point you thought you went as far as you could have gone, until you realized you needed to hold on and push more—you'll get there.
Don't silence yourself, be true to what you feel and what you need. Don't feel like you need to compromise who you are or toughen up or soften yourself in order to live a conflict-free life—be raw and be true, if people can't accept you, leave.
Know when you need to refocus. Encourage yourself to thoughtfully decide how to adapt or change so you aren't held down in one place for too long. Know how to be content, not complacent.
Redefine success, love and solitude—these bend and change so much. I feel like the world tells us so many different things about these that if they don't fit into that description that society has set for us, then we've got it all wrong. Change your outlook and find new meaning for these words and feelings.
Remember you're not the only in battle. So many people are struggling and fighting their own battles on a day-to-day basis. Stand together and raise each other up, rather than tearing each other down. "Dimming someone else's light, won't make yours shine brighter." Be sweet, not bitter.
Grow in a place that makes you feel safe so that you can create and thrive, not just survive. Whatever that means to you, whether it's in the back of a coffee shop or in your own bedroom, find it and preserve that sacred place.
Last, but not least, just don't stop. I am really writing this for myself—surprise readers, this one is for me. But really, don't stop fighting for life, fighting to be heard, fighting for success or love, or simply fighting to be the true you. The best thing you can do is move, keep going and embrace the struggle because there is hope—never giving up is the key to winning.
How do you overcome hardships in life? What makes you want to keep going?