Why Giving Up is a Good Thing

Society tells you quitting is bad. You’re not supposed to quit. It’s seen as a weakness. But is it?

Maybe there are some things you’d be better off giving up on.

Let’s discuss shall we?

A Change in Perspective

Sometimes it’s a hard concept to wrap your head around, this whole giving up thing.

Is it really okay to give up on something or someone? What if you’ve dedicated years of your life to it? If you’ve sacrificed, and others have sacrificed with you in support? But now you’re just going to quit?

Yeah. And it’s perfectly fine.

Just because you’ve dedicated years to something doesn’t mean you should continue to. What if you were wasting years on something? What if you’re meant to be doing something else and refuse to move forward because of the time you’ve dedicated on a different path?

Now, I don’t actually think anything is a waste of time. Every path teaches us things we need to know for the future. Each journey helps us evolve as humans. It is, however very possible that you cling to that path for too long.

Sometimes it’s time to move forward, to alter your course, to take you somewhere even better.

When things are meant for you, they have a way of working out. I know that sounds like some fortune cookie crap, but it’s true. When you’re on the right path you feel lit up. You have a sense of knowing about it. It’s energizing.

It might still be hard, but it’s beautiful too.

When the universe starts pressuring you to move in another direction, listen. Maybe it’s trying to push you to another level or another purpose.

That means not trying to force open the doors that are closing. Look for other open doors, for different ways forward.

When to Be a Quitter

How do any of us really know when it’s time for a change?

I think that answer will be different for everyone depending on your current path and how much attention you give to the “signs” the universe presents you with.

Maybe a gentle nudge is all it takes. You’re really tuned in and you hear that small voice within whisper to you that it’s time to try something else. You get a sense that you’re needed elsewhere, and you follow your bliss when some fun opportunity presents itself.

Or, maybe you have a harder time listening to those nudges. If so, the universe has to get louder. The path you’re on will get harder. Everything will start to fall apart. You’ll feel like nothing is working and you’ll desperately be clinging to all the straws falling from your basket.

But the straws will slip through your fingers despite your best efforts to contain them. That’s how you know it’s time for a change.

Instead of raging that the universe isn’t helping you hold onto the straw, look around and see what you might be being nudged to do differently. It would be a shame if you clung to dead straw when the universe was trying to give you gold instead.

When You Don’t REALLY Want it…

Maybe the path you chose seemed like a good idea at the time. Maybe it was the best choice for the person you were then. But now it just doesn’t feel the same, or it didn’t turn out like you thought it would.

There’s no shame in that. It’s just part of life’s education plan for you.

Think of it like getting a degree. You can’t just sign up, pay your money, and be handed the diploma. You have to take all kinds of classes. You need to learn a bunch of stuff before you’re ready.

That’s how life is. You have so many different things to learn along the way. You may not want to take that class on physics, but it’s required, and there’s probably a good reason. Even if you can’t see what that reason is.

Life is going to take you in all different directions. Sometimes it’s to learn a lesson, meet someone, or heal something. And it can seem like a really sucky class sometimes.

Only after you’ve passed the class and learned the lessons will you see why you needed it. No matter how long you invested in your current path, it was a lesson. And it’s going to help you get where you need to go. But only if you move on from it.

You don’t want to repeat the same class over and over. Take the class and keep going.

When It’s Sucking Out Your Soul

If you feel miserable and you’re still hanging on, ask yourself why.

Is this how you want to keep feeling? If it is, then there’s nothing left for me to say. Some of us want to stay in the misery because it’s familiar. And familiar feels safe.

But not me. It took me YEARS to alter my course, but I did it. I had to.

I was working in a hospital. I had a good job that I made good money at. But I felt miserable. I wasn’t using my God given gifts. I wasn’t feeling inspired or lit up. I felt grumpy going to work. The smallest thing would ruin my day. It was terrible.

I went on feeling that way, while simultaneously knowing I needed a change. I was scared. I was afraid to leave the safety of what I knew for what I didn’t.

I was drowning. Finally, the universe made me so miserable I had to listen. I had to wave the white flag and say “Fine! You win!”

I quit my job to become a writer. And writing turned into publishing books. And that turned into Public Speaking. And from there I started Coaching. And then I started a Podcast. I’m still not done. The path keeps evolving and changing and I’m just along for the ride. I’m going where I’m called, even if I’m not sure where the path is leading me.

And guess what? I’ve never been happier. Not ever. I may not have the big paychecks right now, and I may not know what tomorrow will bring, but I am the happiest I have ever been in my life.

I stopped ignoring who I was meant to be, and started to be her. And that feels so fucking good.

Life truly is too short to be miserable. If you’re miserable, please find a way to live your purpose. I understand that you have bills to pay. But I promise you, there’s a way to do both. Even if that means staying at your day job while working on your passions at night after the kids go to bed. Find time. Build your dream life. It’s worth all the work.

What Others Say About You is None of Your Business

People might call you crazy for chasing your dreams. Well, actually it’s not “might”, they will. Expect it.

You know what though? Most of the time it’s because it hurts them to see you chase your dreams when they aren’t. It’s a reminder of the ways they can change their own lives. But they aren’t ready or they don’t want to.

They want to keep you back there with them. That feels more comfortable. That’s why the people closest to you will sometimes be the ones that support you the least. Because the changes in you will affect them.

That’s not your problem. You owe it to yourself to do everything you were meant to do in this lifetime. To go all out and chase those dreams. They were given to you for a reason.

And nothing anyone says matters. Those are their fears, their limits. And it’s none of your business. So tune it out. They’ll see when you’re done. When you’ve made it down that road.

You don’t need anyone to believe in you but you. But even if you think you do, you’ll find people who support your dreams too, probably in unlikely places.

Think of it this way, who’s life is it? Who will have to deal with the consequences? Who will have regrets if you don’t try? You. You alone. You will carry that burden. Not anyone else. So no one else gets a vote.

Stop Ignoring Your Own Damn Opinion

Too much time is spent on the opinions of others. When was the last time you checked in with yourself to see what YOU want?

What’s important to you? What dream or skill do you have that you’ve been ignoring? What makes your days better and lights you up?

Quit living your life for others. Live your life for yourself! Give up on that fake person you’re trying to be for everyone else. and be who you were born to be. Step into the life you were meant to live.

It’s time to start listening to what’s inside of you. That thing that makes you so damn special. You are unique. You have a story, you were born into this specific life, to learn your specific lessons, and do something specific that only you can do.

So quit doing whatever it is that you’re no longer meant to do and go where you’re being called.

You only get this one life (as far as we know) so go out there and live it. Turn your magic all the way up and quit everything that’s no longer serving you on the path towards your dream life.

You got this.