We all have moments when we feel weak and small, when we feel like we cannot take any more. We feel dangerously close to simply giving up, letting go and allowing the deep dark abyss that can be life swallow us whole without a fight. We get exhausted and overwhelmed. There seems to be no resolution in sight, no place to rest or retreat, only more of the same struggle and obstacles as far as the eye can see.
It’s in these moments, when we need to pause. Take a moment to take a long look backwards. Look at the amazing progress that we’ve made. There were moments before now when you thought you couldn’t take another step. Remember those? You did take another step though and then you took another and another after that. That rocky shear-faced mountain that you stood at the bottom of years ago with tears in your eyes wondering how in the world you were going to make it over, is now barely visible on the horizon behind you. You did that! That time when it seemed the entire population of the world was against you, tearing at you, pushing and pulling, trying to draw you down, to stop your forward progress, telling you that you would fail or that you were a bad person. Remember that? You made it through that too! That time when you knelt on the floor of your bedroom, sobbing uncontrollably, looking at pieces of your heart shattered into a million pieces by someone who promised that they would never hurt you. Maybe they were a family member, a friend, or a love interest to whom you gave your love whole-heartedly and trusted them to protect your heart. Instead they snatched it out of your chest, crumpled it in their hand and tossed it at your feet without a care. You thought you’d never recover from that, remember? That was years ago and your heart has continued to beat every day since.
Things we go through in life leave us bruised and scarred. There’s no doubt about that. Some things can even leave irreparable damage but please never forget that the fact that you can run the fingers of your mind over those bumps and bruises, feel the scars, remember those moments, is proof in itself that you are stronger than all of the things that tried to destroy you and that implies that you are stronger than whatever is trying to do the same to you now. This world and the people in it have been trying to keep you from whatever is ahead of you every single day of all of the years of your life and not a single one has ever been able to do it!!
So take your moment. Cry. Scream. Weep. Rest. But know and understand this: You’re still here!!! The only thing powerful enough to stop you, is YOU! You have to choose to allow the world to swallow you up because ANY level of resistance, even the slightest thought, is too much for the world to overcome. Read that again. You have to choose otherwise it does not have enough strength to take you down!! All the obstacles and struggles you’ve gotten through up to this point may have slowed you down and yes, BELIEVE ME I know, it’s exhausting, but nothing outside of you can ever stop you.
Be proud of yourself for all that you have endured! Recognize the power you have, the bad ass that you are and focus on that next step. When it seems overwhelming, like it’s too much, don’t look forward toward the horizon. Look directly in front of you. Focus only on the next step along the path, the next hand placement on your climb, the next task to be completed to get to where you’re headed. You can do this!! We can do this!! How do I know? Cause WE’RE STILL HERE!
I’d love to know what you think about this post. Comment below and share your thoughts and experiences!
