Discouragement=Perseverance

I don't imagine there is anyone fully alive who has not felt discouraged. The word discourage is defined as to deprive of courage, hope or confidence. Phrases such as, "it's not worth it," I can't", "I give up," I've failed," are standard. None of us is a complete stranger to feelings of hopelessness. It is ussually because we feel disappointed or trapped or have lost our sense of direction and hope for the future.

Discouragement is a very human attribute. We need not censure ourselves for feeling it. But it is important to know that no matter what the circunstances that have brought us to this point, they are not insurmountable. The world is full of possibilities, there is hope. Even the most successful and happiest people can tell you about having spent time questioning themselves, their values and their abilities. But they have never lost the capacity to hope.

There is a man whom we all know. His history goes as follows: twice he failed in business. He run for the state legislature and for congress twice and failed. He was defeated twice in Senate races. He worked hard to become Vice President of the United States with no success. The woman he loved died when she was very young. Eventually he suffered a nervous breakdown. Through all of this he has the self-knowledge and strength to overcome adversity, continue with life and become president. His name, of course, is Abraham Lincoln.

We are inspired by such a message. Bur we are not all Lincolns. Still, there is much to be learned by his example and the examples of other survivors. Because something goes wrong does not mean that it's the end of the world. In fact, it may be the challenge we need to awaken us to our strengths. The real dilema is feeling that there is no way to turn, no place to go, no one to help us. What is important to remember is that thare are many solutions to every problem. we are not perfect and may make mistakes but all things come to an end. Armed with this knowledge we are half way to a solution.

There were many times in my life that could have been devastating for me and my entire family. Times when i lost my job, when there was no money even for bare necessities, when things truly looked hopeless. In soite of, or perhaps especialy because of, those times, never allowed myself  and my family to lose our sense of humor, sense of self, or the assurance that we'd find a way. Somehow we always did.

I was fortunate to have learned this early in life. I know after experiencing discouragement, the first thing I try to do is keep in mind that nothing last forever, that only I can decide what I can do to make things batter. With this  hope and faith in the future I'm off and running, again seeking new solutions.

I believe that the truly healthy person is the one who has the greatest number of alternatives for any behavior. We are limited only by our willingness to discover those alternatives. Let's say that we find ourselves in tears. There is nothing wrong with tears. They often sharpen our ability to see. We then need to ask ourselves is crying forever is what we want to do. If not, we must consider what else we can possibly do to help ourselves and solve our problem.

We can consider possible alternatives. It may be helpful to find what others have done in similar situations. with a list of alternatives in hand, we will feel less trapped and more in a position to decide what is best for us.

Finaly comes the greatest step: We must do something. In action comes true knowledge and a wonderful sense of freedom. We are never really trapped. Discouragement at times seems inescapable. But, to remain in this state is a waste of time, energy and life. We can learn to put discouragement aside. When we do, we can get on with life.