Don't Quit. Rest.
“If you get tired learn to rest, not quit” - Banksy
Quitting can take many forms. Sometimes it looks like a outright display of disregard, completely tossing commitments to the trash. When I imagine the concept of quitting, I often picture it in this form. I can hear its particular tone echo through my head as I defiantly declare, “I’m done. I quit!”. If you were to ask me about times I have “quit”, I would most likely reflect on these moments - leaving my competitive gymnastics team when I was 11, handing my boss a letter of resignation when I became pregnant, stepping away from relationships that were less than flourishing. Turns out, I am a pretty good quitter.
Other times quitting is more subtle, less of a show and more of an internal contract silently made beneath your breath. It manifests as a form of self-sabotage and canoodles with resistance in an intricate dance. Rejected by someone as you put forth your vulnerable self? Oh, this isn’t worth it. Recognized how much damn work it will take to bring an idea to fruition? Perhaps this isn’t the right path. Worried about whether you’re capable, good enough, smart enough, creative enough, strong enough to keep moving forward? I quit.
It wasn’t until recently that I realized just how often I employ this more subtle form of quitting. I have a tendency to pick up a million projects, dive head first into all of them, and then allow many to sift through and settle at the bottom of my idea jar. Turns out it’s quite muddled and murky down there. When exciting ideas transform to heaps of hard work or force me to be vulnerable and rely on other’s expertise, I begin a slow inward retreat. And then, I came across Banksy’s quote reminding us not to quit, but to rest.
Such a slight shift in perspective, yet a profound point to ponder. What if you let go of attachment to the outcomes and, instead, focused on the process itself? How much more fluid would your efforts feel if you paid attention to your feelings, slowed down to sink into areas of resistance, and create from a space of positive energy and excitement? What a beautiful world it would be if we all considered the energetic signature we inherently imprint on the work we create.
Is life meant to be easy? No. But who said life is meant to be hard? Somewhere along our lineage lines, someone decided that if it wasn’t hard work, it wasn’t worth doing. Someone dictated that if you don’t pour blood, sweat, tears, and pain into something then it isn’t growth. Someone told you that if you wanted to succeed, it needs to look a certain way, come with a particular price tag, involve a level of sacrifice - or it simply doesn’t count.
As a woman, as a mother, as a young entrepreneur, and as a human-freakin-being - I declare bullshit. As I take steps to define my own success, select endeavors that are in alignment with a true sense of self and personal strengths, and carefully craft positive energy around the creation process, I find that action comes from a place of ease. It is in this power that I am able to continuously create and pursue ideas that interest me without feeling the pressure to compete and ultimately, quit.
I found, if we want to thwart the subtle self-sabotage tricks that our mind loves to play, we must let go of outcomes and expectations to simply rest for a bit. Rest to explore the emotions that surface when we venture into vulnerable spaces. Rest to align our energy with the positivity and passion that hope to share through our creations. Rest to define what success feels like to you - not what it looks like to others.
Now, when I find myself teetering on the edge of an “I quit”, I take a few steps back, a deep breath, and a rest. I take note of my emotions that are guiding the process and define what I am willing to feel. I reprioritize actions to take and pay attention to whether they feel aligned with my intentions. I rest and reflect, and then I take one step forward again. Each time I pause, I am able to pivot and place one foot forward in the right direction. Yes, it takes action and perseverance and, of course, it requires effort and focus - but it does not need to feel hard and heavy. When you take time to truly rest, your path forward becomes paved, your gait becomes even, and you set the stage for a smooth journey ahead.
