I don’t know about you, but I don’t think much about perseverance until I’m living a moment when I have to embody it. Pushing the last half mile of that walk/run or going up that mountain of a hill. Picking myself up after a set back at work or in personal relationships. Having faith in doctors and treatments during that health scare. 

For some of us, parenting is one of the hardest challenges we face. We think we won’t survive the toddler tantrum phase or the moody tween phase, but we do and so do our children. Because it is after all, just a phase. And the even better news is that we are often better for having made it to the other side of that phase!   

As summer break draws to a close, kids return to school and work projects and pace pick up. It’s easy to run out of steam quickly. But just like a long distance runner, we have to pace ourselves. Having a vision for our life including our career and related SMART goals helps us to stay focused, pace ourselves, and tap into our ability to persevere in the face of a challenging moment or phase. Having an accountability partner for support, whether a relative, a dear friend, or a coach, is helpful too. I shudder to think of the state of my psyche if I didn’t have family, friends, and a good coach to support me through life’s struggles.

Challenging moments can seem like a lifetime in duration. When you find yourself there, remember that it is just a moment or phase that will eventually pass. You WILL make it! Even when you don’t know what to do, Get Up. Again.