on the other side of not giving up

I saw an Instagram post the other day that said something along the lines of “where you are right now, is where a lot of people give up. Keep going”

And I’ve never felt so seen in two sentences.

Something about this post met me exactly where I was after having one of the fullest months I’ve ever experienced. As I mentioned in my last blog I was in the midst of building some necessary infrastructure in Late Breakfast, developing a new offer, balancing around 25 hours per week of freelance work and supporting my current clients. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t days I wanted to just lay facedown on the couch all day. Or that feeling was present through the whole month of May.

There are ways that I’ve found myself giving up in small ways. For me it’s a mindset thing. When I feel the thoughts of “I’m never going to get through all of this work,” or “I’m never going to get caught up” those are the moments of giving up in small ways that slow me down in big ways. This mindset doesn’t create progress, it builds inertia as the compounding feelings of not having enough time pile up. It’s understandable that when I try to hold too much for too long, eventually my body will want to give out. But when I can see things for what they are and not feel under the weight of it all, I can actually let myself feel caught up even when on paper, I’m technically far from it.

This morning I had a conversation with a coach I follow on Instagram and I said the phrase “it feels like I’m on the other side of not giving up. Like where I am right now is where you get spit out from the tornado of feeling like everything is too much and didn’t let that stop you” which opened up a beautiful conversation about how having the thought of giving up is a very natural feeling. It’s natural to question if you have the energy or dedication to keep going. It’s normal to doubt that you’ll ever get to a place where you feel ahead. It’s natural to fear if you’ll have enough energy to get caught up on everything. But it’s in exploring the doubt, fear and depth that you build the capacity to keep going. By exploring these questions instead of pushing them aside, you get to know yourself better than you did before. It’s in this place you get to stop and look back at how far you’ve gone up the mountain already. Even if it feels like you’re "behind” or not where you thought you would be, you’ve already come so, so far.

Although May was a month that tried to break me, I expanded my capacity to believe in myself to really hold more than I ever thought I could –– and do it in a way that still prioritized self-care. In the past I may have powered through by completely neglecting myself. Even though this month was full, it didn’t stop me from making time to regroup. And that’s progress.

This past week I’ve had things come through that I never dreamt of — a dream sound bath with a major sporting brand, feeling so seen in my mission and vision by my community, and getting so much clarity on how to make my business even more sustainable. And to think two weeks ago I sat down at my computer feeling buried underneath my to-do list. These are all a reminder of how quickly things can shift.

When you’re feeling like“what am I even doing” here are three ways to realign with your vision:

Make a list of all that you’re excited about

In the midst of admin work and staying on top of emails, it can be challenging to remember to connect with the things you enjoy in your business. Make a list of things you get excited to work on and block off time in your calendar to only focus on the things that light you up.

Reflect on the times you felt drained and how you moved forward

What brings you back to center? When I’m feeling like I’m at the end of my rope, it’s helps to have a list of practices I can return to. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, it can be as simple as romanticizing your work day by finding a cute coffee shop to work from or just taking a day to rest before you try to get things done. However you set yourself up for success gets to be just for you.

Get clear on where you’re going

It’s time to manifest. Nothing helps me continue holding the vision than reconnecting with where I’m headed. Reflecting on why I started my business in the first place reminds me to reconnect with my goals. Take a moment to write down where you see yourself in the future. You can include a timeline (i.e. in _____ months or years) or connect with a future version of yourself already living that reality. How will you spend you days? What do you wake up feeling? What are your habits and routines? Try to include a mix of things that will come with time and habits that you can start doing in the present. For example, when I connected with a future version of myself, she had a skincare routine that she looks forward to doing. As a result, I picked up a few skincare products to start living that aspect of my life in the current moment. These future habits don’t have to include a monetary investment, it can be “this future version of myself takes a neighborhood walk everyday” or “this future version of myself is hydrated.” Tap into how you can anchor this version of yourself in the present and start living from that place. Start small as to not overwhelm yourself, let your unfolding to move at a pace that works for you.

I see you, keep going, you can do this.

What are your reflections after reconnecting with your goals? I’d love to hear from you!