The Art of Never Giving Up
“There are days when you want to give up on life. Give up on yourself. Give up on everything that you believe in. It’s those days that will catapult your life onto the path that will make it worth living. To move through those days with awareness you must first ask the right questions. Once you find your answers you will also find your path.”
Kali
Who hasn’t experienced a string of adversity over a period of time and thought “what’s the point”? When life gives us lemons, we’re not always able to make lemonade and instead choose to indulge in negative thoughts (which only fuel that adversity). Rather than slowing down and embarking on a meditative journey to re-centre and re-align, we might think that it’s better to just throw in the towel and give up.
Giving up can certainly be the right way forward sometimes, though we prefer to categorise this as letting something go. E.g., letting go of a situation which doesn’t serve you or a relationship that has run its course. But that’s not the same as “giving up”. If you have a dream, a vision that’s so clear in your mind you’re almost able to taste it, that you’ve been working hard for, why would you give up just because things have become difficult? Instead, see this challenge as a way to pivot and re-think your strategy. Have you ever stopped to think that perhaps there’s a reason why this particular door closed? Maybe it closed so that another could open, a door that’s more in line with your highest good than the first one ever was. Everything happens for a reason and while it may feel absolutely impossible when you’re in the thick of it, if you truly surrender yourself to the universe and ask why this is happening you will start to receive answers.
To tune into the infinite cosmos, begin by choosing a meditative practice that feels comfortable for you whether that is sound healing, guided meditation, yoga or Tai Chi. Set an intention around the questions you have, we recommend writing it down on a piece of paper or in a notepad, and begin to breathe into it. Allow your mind, body and spirit to slow down and embrace any potential discomfort, don’t shy away from it. Instead, ask why this is happening and what you’re meant to learn from it. Observe your thoughts but don’t focus on a particular one for too long – imagine that they’re like busses which pass by a bus stop if that helps. Once your meditative practice has finished, journal your thoughts immediately afterwards. Do continue to journal as things may pop up later that day or even that week. Wait a few days and read what you wrote, let it sink in and reflect on how you now feel about the situation – what questions have been resolved and what conclusions you have drawn. Essentially, what is your gut telling you (always listen to your gut, your gut is your soul)?
Hope is an important component in the art of never giving up. Even though it might be frail at times, as long as there’s a tiny ember of hope – letting go/giving up will not be what you want to do at that point in time. Should this be false hope however, rest assured that the cosmos has got your back: what’s meant for you will always come to fruition.