Perseverance 🌿💪
Perseverance is one skill from IDG that I didn’t fully understand until recently. I used to think it meant just pushing through everything and dealing with it no matter what.
Recently, I went through a difficult health situation in my family, which made me very stressed and worried. My thoughts became overwhelming, and all I could see were dark scenarios. I kept thinking about everything that could go wrong, including whether I would be able to manage my studies. The situation also made me worry that I might not be able to finish my studies at all, because of the stress and the possible responsibilities I might need to take on to support my family. This made everything feel even heavier, especially knowing how much my studies cost .
It was difficult to think differently at that time because I was extremely worried. I also realised that I always thought I should be able to deal with everything on my own, which made the pressure even worse.
After some time, I tried to apply what I learned from the course. I started to become more aware of my internal thought process and create some distance from my thoughts, with the goal of being less reactive. I also reminded myself that I don’t have to figure everything out at once, and that I can just focus on the next small thing I’m able to deal with.
In IDG, perseverance is about continuing even when things are uncertain or difficult. For me, it wasn’t about being strong all the time, but about not giving up, even when things felt messy 💪.
That small shift in thinking made me feel calmer and helped me understand that I am doing my best in a very difficult situation🌻.
This made me reflect on how others deal with similar situations, so I wanted to ask:
💬What helps you keep going when things feel overwhelming?💬Do you think perseverance is more about mindset or actions? Why?
@Ava47
For me perseverance combines mindset and actions.
It's a balance.
Sometimes persevering can change a situation.
But other times perseverance doesn't, so it's about acceptance.
What helps me is faith.
Honesty.
And knowing in every situation, I've given my best, and if so, this gives me peace 💙
@Amanda84 I really like how you described it as a balance, that makes a lot of sense to me. I also relate to what you said about knowing you’ve given your best, I’m still learning that part. Thanks for sharing 😊
@Ava47
An absolute pleasure 💙🤗
When things get overwhelming, I like to just take a break if I can. Take a step back and relax. Then get back into it afterwards
@Ava47
1. What helps me keep going when things feel overwhelming is accepting that it is okay to have ups and downs. Instead of always trying to be strong, I try to let myself feel my emotions honestly. I’ve realized that allowing myself to process pain can help me heal and move forward.
2. I think perseverance is about both mindset and actions because they influence each other. Positive actions can encourage a more positive mindset, while having a positive mindset can motivate someone to keep taking action even during difficult situations.
When things feel completely overwhelming for me, what helps me keep going is literally shrinking my horizon. If looking at the week or even the whole day ahead feels like too much, I will just focus on the next hour, or the very next small task in front of me. Unplugging for a few minutes to blast a favorite song or get a quick laugh also helps break the cycle of stress and resets my brain.
Thank you for sharing such a personal and honest reflection. I really appreciated your perspective that perseverance is not about being strong all the time, but about continuing forward even during uncertainty and emotional difficulty. Your shift from trying to control everything at once to focusing on one small step at a time was very meaningful.
I also think your reflection highlights how important self-awareness and self-compassion are during overwhelming situations. To me, perseverance is a combination of both mindset and actions. The mindset helps us believe we can continue, while small actions help us move forward even when motivation feels low. Your reflection was thoughtful and inspiring 🌻
