Failure, rejection, fear: these are paralyzing aspects of the human experience. They invoke that whisper deep within our spirit to feel defeated. The next whisper is even more intrusive: give up. Quit. I will encourage you to give up only one thing.  I am encouraging you to give up giving up. Let’s turn defeat on its ear and grow from it! We want to begin by redefining defeat and giving up as teachable moments. Let’s explore how to shift our perspective.

Pause 
Pause in these moments of failure, rejection, or fear. Take a deep breath. Collect your thoughts and begin gathering what is to be learned from these moments. Sometimes, the lesson is obvious. Other times, you will be evaluating the minutiae for an answer.  At times, you may never find that answer. Making these experiences teachable moments are the key. This pause is needed for you to healthily process the situation. Your pause will help you reflect and harvest the all that is needed for your growth while you journey on this earth.

Process
As you gain wisdom from the situations, you can begin to process the events and reset your goals. Start by pondering with questions. Your answers will appear as you meditate. How did this situation work? What was out of my control? Can I find a healthier way to use my energy in future situations? As you glean from these various situations, you will find ways to react with healthier patterns. 

Purpose 
In addition to pausing and taking the time to process the challenge, create a sense of purpose by journaling your reflections. In doing so, you can see how you have grown through inevitable life experiences. Refer to your journal as new challenges arise. It will take time to refrain from the knee-jerk reaction of quitting. Give yourself grace and kindness as you grow. You will create a purposeful path that will transform your reaction. 

Making these intentional changes will help you see that quitting is likewise an obstacle you can overcome.  Empower yourself to rise to the occasion, no matter how emotionally, physically, or mentally exhausting the circumstance seems. I encourage you to realize your inner strength. Take time to pause, process, and give yourself a sense of purpose in each situation.