As a kid, I was an avid reader. Anything that had words on it was in danger of being read by me.
That is, anything except cursive handwriting.
Being OCD and accustomed to the typography and fonts in books and newspapers, cursive writing just confused me. A “T” was straight and tall, not loopy. A “G” didn’t have a big point on the top. And when you factored in all of the various handwriting styles, it was totally like trying to break a code. My grandfather wrote big and all over the place. My mom made succinct letters. My grandma’s writing looked like chicken scratch. My dad’s letters were chunky.
It was so hard trying to read what they wrote. The only thing I could decipher was their signature, and that was only because I saw them write it so many times.
Reading cursive was just too hard.
I gave up trying.
I couldn’t do it.
When I finally made it to third grade and started learning how to write in cursive, my struggles were over. It had been a long wait just to finally be able to read my mom’s grocery list! (And I thought I was missing something. 😉 )
One of the biggest stressors in your life happens when things get hard. It’s so tempting to give up and to walk away. It’s so easy to throw your hands up and to say, “It can’t be done.”
“I can’t get through to him, no matter what I say.”
“I don’t know how to get my kids to listen to me.”
“I can’t say no to someone. They’ll think I’m just terrible.”
“I can never get through my to-do list. There’s just too much that has to be done.”
“We’ll never have the money to pay off that bill.”
“It’s too hard. I just can’t do it.”
But it’s stressful to quit. The problem is still there. It doesn’t go away just because you decide to stop trying.
So just what can you do when you are ready to quit?
1. Ask for help. It always amazes me how many people fail to do this for one reason or another. It’s embarrassing. You don’t know who to ask. It may be expensive. The cost of not asking for help is far greater than any embarrassment or check you may have to write.
2. Keep trying. If J.K. Rowling had given up after the first few publishers had turned her down, there would be no Harry Potter. If Howard Schultz had given up after being turned down by the banks and investors 217 times, there would be no Starbucks. If Thomas Edison had given up at the age of 67 after a substantial portion of his lab space was consumed by fire, we wouldn’t have portable searchlights to help us find those we love. If your parents had given up on potty training with you, well, then… 🙂 LOL.
3. Be committed. When your level of commitment to a goal wavers, it’s easy to get sidetracked and to accept defeat. But when you know there is no other option that you will accept, you will be surprised at how many opportunities come your way. But you have to be committed to notice them, and to be willing to give them a try.
When you are ready to get rid of the stress in your life, you may experience a few more extra obstacles. You may question your sanity and if it’s even possible. But with help, effort, and commitment, you can be successful, and you can create the happy relationships, kids, and life you’ve always wanted.