No one ever said life would be easy.
So why do we get upset when things don’t go the way we plan and we struggle?
For years, I thought something was wrong with me if I couldn’t stay “happy” all the time.
The older I get, the more I realize how idealistic that is. No one can be happy constantly. There is an ebb and flow to life. There are ups and downs. There is joy and sadness.
I’m getting more comfortable with that wavering rhythm of life.
I was reassured when I listened to an episode of Hal Elrod’s podcast this week. He talked about feeling overwhelmed and frustrated for a couple of hours one day because of all the things he had to do. He admitted that he made absolutely no progress on any of the things on his to-do list during those hours. When he finally realized what was happening, he was able to take some steps to get back to being productive. (I’ll let you listen to the podcast if you want to know what he did.)
If a famous, successful, highly productive person can have a setback every once in a while, then I shouldn’t be alarmed or ashamed when it happens to me.
The key is to not stay in that state for too long.
Recognize that you’re struggling, acknowledge the situation, take a break if you have to, and then press on.
We can’t accomplish everything on our list in one day, but if we keep pressing on, we’ll see results and be able to achieve many of our goals. Press on, my friends!
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14 NIV)
Do you get overwhelmed and frustrated easily? How can focusing on God help you to take a deep breath and press on through the struggle?
Hey Robyn, I could really relate to this, feeling like something is wrong with me if I get discouraged or stuck. Thanks for the encouragement to press on.
Hi Sue! Sorry I didn’t respond right away, I missed your comment until today. I’m glad this encouraged you…all of us will feel discouraged or stuck at times. I’m realizing more and more that that’s normal. We just have to press on and those feelings will change as we see some progress (even if it’s just a tiny bit!). Thanks for commenting! ~Robyn
Robyn, this is such a good reminder to press on instead of giving up. Taking a break from something that’s frustrating me always helps. If I walk away from it, I usually calm down and then return with a fresher attitude toward the task. Like you said, it’s nice to know that even a highly productive person may struggle with this. Take care, Friend!
I’m glad you could relate, Susan! I agree about taking a break when frustrated. We can get things done in little bursts of activity in between times of frustration, right? Keep pressing on! ~Robyn