Buddha once said that “Life is suffering”, most people would see that quote as really negative and quite depressing, however, it’s just that we are looking at it a little wrong.

What Buddha meant by “suffering” (or Dukkha as it appears in Buddhist teachings) was that because life is in a constant state of impermanence everything is always changing. Thus challenges will present themselves constantly, and we will be bombarded with misfortune, dissatisfaction and moments in life where we feel like giving up as a challenge seems like it is too hard to conquer. If we accept this truth then we can work to solve it, we can strive to conquer our fears, we can rise up in the face of adversity and overcome obstacles to fight against the uncertainty and trials of life.

MY CURRENT CHALLENGE

Currently I am in my second year of university (studying English Lit) and I also work 30 hours a week in retail. And if that wasn’t enough on my plate already I co-write this blog (although Charlotte where you at girl?), run a very small youtube channel and I am also learning French and Korean. I by all rights should be the queen of multitasking. I am not. I am currently out to sea in a massive storm. I am finding it so hard to juggle everything that I want to do and need to do (like lets face it nobody wants to go to work).

As a result sometimes I feel like I just want to give up. A massive essay needs to be written and I just can’t seem to find the words to convey what I want to say. Give Up. I still can’t speak French or Korean fluently. Oh I may as well Give Up. My youtube channel and blog get such low viewership and engagement. I’ll never get anywhere with this so I should Give Up 

NO! Giving Up is the failure.

If you really do Give Up then you are guaranteeing that you definitely wont succeed. While you chip away at something there is always the possibility that you might succeed.

For example if I don’t have the time to hit the language textbooks, I can still practise French or Korean listening by watching a drama or a movie – as a result I’ll pick up some phrases. And then when I do get a little time (5 or 10 mins a day) I can also access a language learning textbook or app (check out LingoDeer!! Honestly one of the best language apps I’ve ever used!!!), it may take a long time but I will become fluent one day. Language learning is all about exposure.

The secret is to proactively assess how you can achieve your goals and then go out and smash them! And to do this you also need to develop a Never Give Up State of Mind…

HOW TO GET A NEVER GIVE UP STATE OF MIND

♥ Persevere, you will get there in the end.

♥ Stay positive, half of the battle is in your mind, if you feel positive you will more than likely achieve what you set out to do.

♥ Take inspiration from the Japanese and their phrase 仕方が無い (shikata  ga  nai) or しょうがない (Shō ga nai) which means It can’t be helped. I have been using this as a mantra in situations where the outcomes are totally out of my control and I have found it to be quite useful in helping me to let go of blaming myself for mistakes and any shortcomings that I have.

♥ Get a motivational Playlist. Music can make or break my mood so when I’m feeling down or overwhelmed I like to blast some tracks to bring me back on track. Check out my playlist and make your own!