10 Reasons You Gave Up On Yourself (And Why You Shouldn’t Have)
Embarking on a journey of self-improvement is not without its challenges. I’ve been tempted to throw in the towel in my own journey dozens of times - but I didn’t. Here are nine common reasons why we tend to give up on ourselves and why we shouldn't. Remember: Continuing to invest in yourself is always worth it. Don't give up – the rewards of self-improvement are well worth the effort and discomfort!
1. You didn't see results right away.
It will take time, and that’s okay. What would happen if you kept going now, instead of waiting weeks or months for the “perfect time”? Honour the body you have now, and trust that results will come when they are meant to.
2. You got on the scale.
Guess what? Scales can't measure endurance. Scales can’t measure happiness. Enjoy the body you have, not the body you hope to have in 2 months. There’s no such thing as a summer body, a running body, or the perfect body. It's just a body, and it’s the only one you have.
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3. You weren't consistent.
Inconsistency will kill any good intention. Consistency will look different for everyone and that's ok. Bottom line is, show up for yourself as best you can.
4. You thought it would happen overnight.
You already know that’s not how this works. It took me 1 year to form a habit, 2 years to accept that I'm worthy, and 3 years to finally feel like this is a lifestyle.
5. Other people discouraged the changes you wanted to make.
The truth is, others will only try to stop you out of fear and jealousy. Stop giving your f*cks away. Save them for more important things… other people's judgement of you is not one of them. Or as I like to say: Don’t let couch surfers tell you how fast to go!
6. You didn't treat it like a lifestyle.
Life isn’t perfect, and you can’t be perfect either. You have no control over what will happen, but you also never know what some situations will do FOR you or TO you. Accept that this is a lifestyle first, and the impact of the habit will follow.
7. It was hard.
It’s going to be hard! There will be ups and downs. But you know how to do this. You have permission to be honest with yourself. You have permission to feel the lows AND enjoy the highs. Keep going.
8. It wasn't fun.
Change isn’t always meant to be fun, but there will be fun along the way. Life is what we make of it. Not every day is awesome. Some days you’ll question everything. But keep going. Keep seeking joy. I promise it’s out there.
9. It hurt too much to change.
Hurt is inevitable, and is part of the process. There is healing in rest, and rest looks different for everyone. But don’t let one painful experience - physical, mental or otherwise - make you go backwards. Accept it, deal with it, and move forward accordingly.
10. You messed up.
So what? Don't look back. Forgive yourself and keep moving forward. You can’t fix the past. All you can do is create your future with the best intentions.
Don't give up! I promise you it's worth the pain, change, discomfort and loss of people who don't serve your growth.
