If you googled “I can’t do it” and landed here, we’ll assume you weren’t looking for teen pop song or album.
Instead, we’ll figure life served you rotten kale and you eyeballed comforting headlines. Or better, you just googled out of frustration and expected to belly-flop on the search-result nonsense.
Well, we’re here to tell you we’ll try, tenderly, to provide comfort and not bore you back to bitter pills. You deserve it. Maybe, on this page, we’ll even convince you that, in fact, you can do it.
Here we go - a pep talk article. Hurrah to the new things!
#1 We all say “I can’t do it”
Not all of us have written it, OK? You’re quite outstanding already. 😂
But we all hit the wall and said it at one point in our lives. A lot of people struggle with this internal clash of self-sabotage on a daily basis. It’s quite normal. They fight tooth and nail to keep this attitude at bay, and most of the time they’re winning. Just like you. You’re not typing “I can’t do it” every day, are you? Find strength in that - in still going forward.
Maybe others have it the same
Also, folks don’t just go about sharing their mental hurdles with every other person. When you rush to assume the grass is greener on the other side, ward yourself off from that story. People are probably as reserved in their own way as you are. If you don’t see or hear anything, it sure doesn’t mean it’s not there. Atoms are like that too, y’know - invisible, but still there…
Take solace in the fact that many people have experienced the hurdles you’re experiencing right now. You’re not alone and you’re not an alien. Everyone struggles. We know we hit the wall, from time to time.
#2 Breathe in, breathe out
It’s a quick fix that works every time! It will ease you off in under a minute.
When jumpy and jittery are words of the day, your pulse is higher than it should be. The other time when your pulse spikes up is when you breathe in. So, what do you think you should do to reverse-engineer the jumpy feeling - or to bring your pulse down?
Hold your breath? No. To avoid suffocating yourself into tranquility, simply breathe out longer than you inhale. It should do the trick.
Explore this simple technique
Breathe in 4 seconds and breathe out 8 seconds. Repeat 20-30 times. It will cool that uptight mind of yours instantly like nothing else.
#3 Above momentary hurdles - optimism
Optimism is given a bad rap. Its reputation is intertwined with that of charlatan terms self-proclaimed gurus use to hook you in life-makeover shenanigans.
Also, we humans have a tendency to place overly high hopes in non-Hogwarts concepts - like optimism or hope. These are notions, not potions brewed to guarantee a happy-ever-after future. The reality is these are overarching mindsets you can choose to hold onto along your bumpy journey. Mental attitudes you fall back to in order to balance life's challenges.
Another reason you might find it irritating to listen to an optimist pep talk is this.
We all seem to get served "stay optimistic" amidst our frustration. Having problems? - Focus on staying optimistic. Can't make it until the deadline? - Stay optimistic. Well, good luck with that! As I said - it's not that, well... narrow, for the lack of better word.
Joyce's take on optimism
The wise and lovely colleague of mine, Joyce Murphy, in one of her insightful pieces about optimism, said... well, I'll just quote her because it's near perfect...
"Optimism takes a broad view of what life can offer. It has a realist side that acknowledges, even embraces the fact, that life has its share of tough times and setbacks. Optimism comes from believing and anticipating that better days are ahead. In short, optimism isn’t just about seeing everything through rose-colored glasses or wearing a perpetual smile. It’s about responding resiliently with whatever comes your way."
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Try to embrace it.
#4 Talk to someone
You’re not alone. And you don’t just let hurts and hassles turn sour within. You let them out. You share your problems with others.
It’s ok to feel bad. It’s ok to seek out help. And it’s OK to tell others you’re in need of comfort and advice - contrary to what you might think, you'll discover people appreciate you asking them. Actually, people heal themselves when they offer to help others - we even have science to back it up.
If an act of sharing problems has a bad rap in your circles, that’s because it’s a hard-wired stigma. Share what’s in your heart and on your mind with people you love, and you’ll witness immediate and lasting relief.
#5 Shake off the slumpy feeling
What if your can’t-take-it anymore is just a result of a nervous build-up?
Well, if you’ve been nailed down to a chair for longer than 2 hours, that’s probably the story.
So, Chairpresser, get up and take a break
To make the effects feel more amazing, challenge yourself into a physical one. Your mind, body, and soul are probably movement depleted. Reenergize, rejuvenate, and spring back to life.
Dance. Move. Squat. Jog. Run. Anything… Repeat the practice every hour or so. You'll stand amazed as you feel the flush of happy hormones.
Can you do it?
We know you can! Let's lead you into these fun breaks!
Wakeout
