…Stand Up Eight

A few days ago, I wrote about five ways to survive depression.  The fifth suggestion was Refuse to Quit.

Because here’s the thing.  We all have bad days.  We all make mistakes.  We all are wounded by people we trusted at some point in time.  We all get discouraged.  And we all have moments where we wonder if it’s worth trying again, or if we should simply lay down, wave the white flag, admit defeat.

But the difference between people who survive depression and people who don’t, the difference between people who conquer their fear and those who don’t, the difference between people who accomplished a goal after years of failed attempts and the people who never do —

                                       is that the people who succeed were willing to try one more time.  

When I get really discouraged, I come back to this Japanese proverb:  “Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight.”

Today, if you’ve fallen down for the seventh time, if  life feels impossible, if it’s hard to see a glimmer of hope through the dense emotional fog that’s weighing on your heart, if you wonder if it’s even worth trying again…

                         take heart, take hope, take courage, my friend.

And stand up one.

more.

time.

Even if you can’t see hope for yourself, surround yourself with people who will believe for you, who will walk with you, who will whisper “you can do this!”,  who will help you anticipate the joy that’s waiting for you on the other side of this struggle — the joy you’ll find if you have the courage to try just one more time.