The week that I spent in Port Colborne after my partner’s mother died gave me time to think. In part because, unlike Toronto, the city is ‘quiet.’ I wasn’t caught up in the hustle and bustle that holds me hostage in Toronto. My routine was upended—as I wasn’t in my own home—so I had ‘less’ to do. What surprised me, too, was how my sleep dramatically improved; I averaged seven hours of sleep each night. And as I thought about work, life, fulfillment, and purpose, I realized [again] this: perseverance is key.
Don’t Give Up
When someone I know dies, it always turns into another opportunity to take stalk of life—where I’ve been, where I am, and where I still want to go. As a writer with a day job, it’s a reminder to focus on what I can control. Outside of my work shift, I can still write daily. That will allow me to make progress. Even if I’m tired, I can get out for a run. No one said it had to be a 20K run or longer. Just run. Just move. Keep active. During my commute to and from work, I can read books that help me grow and become who I dare to be.
It’s not all or nothing. Every day, there are small actions that I can take to move me and my dreams forward. Because it is those small actions, each and every day, that move the needle. That is why you cannot give up. No matter how you feel, no matter what other people say, no matter how many setbacks you face…you must keep going. That is perseverance.
Perseverance is Key
Yesterday didn’t go as planned? Get up today and try again. Did your last project (book, song, exhibition, etc.) not hit its mark? Sit down at your desk or go to your studio today and try again. Have you not attained the level of success that you envision for yourself? Get up today and—you guessed it—try again. Because perseverance is the key to success when you face defeats and setbacks. Don’t give up. Don’t let the naysayers hold you back. You, and only you, must believe in yourself and your vision.
I just finished reading Eric Thomas’s You Owe You, and what stood out for me is this: “[…] you have to have your own values, your own principles, your own non-negotiables. You owe it to yourself to create your own blueprint.”1 So, create your blueprint for your life and work on it. Persevere. Every day.
I just want to remind you today, if no one else has, that you are loved, you are worthy, and you matter. And, best of all, you do not need anyone’s permission to be—unapologetically—who you are.
- Thomas, E. (2022). You Owe You: Ignite Your Power, Your Purpose, and Your Why, New York, Rodale Books, p. 258. [↩]
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