The High Cost of Giving Up

An account of struggle and persistence

The Luxury of Giving Up

I’ve felt like giving up. I’ve thought about it. Life seems like a constant battle that I’m tired of fighting. I’m so tired. There have been times when it all just seems too much to handle, and I wish I could just throw in the towel. As I sit here feeling discouraged, exhausted and defeated, I can’t help it. I feel like giving up.

“Don’t give up,” I hear you saying.

When you talk to people about these things, the first thing they will tell you is to not give up. Don’t give up is a phrase that has been thrown around so much that it’s almost lost its meaning. “Just keep swimming,” they say, but what other choice do I have than to keep swimming? If I stop swimming, I drown!

I can’t give up. I can only give up if I can afford it, but giving up is too expensive. It’s not an option. I’ve tried it and it didn’t work out very well.

Giving up is a luxury I cannot afford.

Don’t give up is a phrase that has been thrown around so much that it’s almost lost its meaning.

The Cost of Giving Up

Giving up is a luxury that not everyone can afford. I can’t afford to. I have responsibilities and obligations that I can’t simply walk away from. It is my responsibility to wake up every day, write, take care of my home, and cook for my child. For me, giving up means not doing any of those things.

A person who gives up stays in bed and refuses to get up in the morning. With all these responsibilities, how long can I stay in bed?

A writer’s life would be meaningless if they gave up writing. Writing is a part of who I am. It’s my dream. It’s the work I’ve been assigned. How can I give that up?

You give up on yourself when you give up on your dreams. You give up on the person you could have been, the life you could have lived. You give up on your own future.

I can’t give up on myself.

Giving up means staying in bed all day and not working. Then I couldn’t pay the bills. I will become homeless, lose my car, and starve to death. My kid would go hungry. That is a very high cost.

I can’t afford it.

Giving up means accepting defeat. It means that I’m willing to settle for much less. I’m willing to let my problems win. That’s not an option for me. There’s got to be other options that I can afford.

You give up on yourself when you give up on your dreams. You give up on the person you could have been, the life you could have lived. You give up on your own future.

Other Affordable Options

I won’t pretend that it’s easy. It’s not. The truth is, life is hard. It’s a constant battle, and sometimes it feels like I’m fighting a losing war and what I can do is hope that things will soon get better.

But sometimes, it’s hard to hold on to that hope. There are times the pain and anguish feel too much to bear.

When you’re in the midst of a struggle and you’ve been swimming for miles and miles, it’s easy to feel like you’re drowning. The weight of your problems can feel like an anchor, dragging you down deeper and deeper into the abyss.

It’s a constant struggle to keep going, especially when it feels like we’re falling short in every area. But giving up is still not the answer.

I owe it to myself to keep swimming. I owe it to myself to keep fighting. I may be too tired to keep going, but faith keeps me going even in the darkest moments.

I keep pushing forward, even when it feels like I’m at the end of my rope. I refuse to give up because I know there’s a purpose for my struggles.

That I am sure of.

This story would not exist if I hadn’t felt like giving up. I would have no message to share with those who feel like giving up. That is the purpose of the struggle.

Out of the struggles comes a story.

I keep pushing forward even when it feels like I’m at the end of my rope. I refuse to give up because I know there’s a purpose for my struggles.

Hope is Affordable

In those moments when it’s hard to hold on to hope, I remind myself of the purpose. By going through these things, others won’t have to. Through my story, others can find hope.

Whenever I feel alone in my struggles, I remind myself that I am not alone. I care about me. There are people who care about me. I’m everything to my daughter and that’s motivation to keep swimming.

When it’s too hard to bear, I reach out to trusted mentors for encouragement and guidance. I trust that I will be guided even through even the darkest moments.

I prioritize self-care. I can’t take care of my kid if I’m not taking care of myself. It’s important to take care of ourselves, both physically and emotionally. I make time for prayer, meditation, exercise, and other activities that bring me joy.

I spend more time with my kid to learn from her how to reawaken my inner child so that I can find my joy again.

And above all else, I give myself grace when I fall short. When I’m too tired to keep going, I take a break to rest. When I struggle to get out of bed in the morning, I remind myself that I’m only human and so it’s okay. I sleep just a little longer. Then I pray for strength.

I ask for strength to keep swimming because when I stop swimming; I start to drown. I keep moving forward, one step at a time and hope that things will soon get better.

In those moments when it’s hard to hold on to hope, I remind myself of the purpose. By going through these things, others won’t have to. Through the story that comes out of my struggles, others can find hope.

Just Keep Swimming

You’ve heard it over and over again, but don’t give up. Just keep swimming.

If you feel like you’re failing at everything, you’re not alone. I feel it with you. It’s okay to feel that way, but giving up is not the only option. It may feel like it’s the only way out, but there is always another way.

Hope is a much more affordable option and you might have to keep swimming miles and miles to find it.

In this hope, I am saved.

When you get tired of swimming, don't give up. Find a rock and hold on to it. For me, God is a rock. When I hold on, I can find rest and I’m not shaken when the sea rages.

You can do the same.

Find a rock that is never shaken and hold on to it. Submit to a higher power and pray for help. Reach out to someone you trust and take care of yourself. You are stronger than you realize, and you have the resilience to keep going, even in the toughest, most darkest moments.

When you keep swimming and you finally reach dry ground, you will be inspired to tell your story and your story will be a source of inspiration for so many people.

That will be the purpose.

So keep fighting, and never give up on yourself. Just keep swimming and you will not drown. You will find hope and you will be saved.

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