When You Feel Like Giving Up (on healthy living)

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woman crying by the beach for post about giving up on healthy living

Have you ever been there?  Those times when you feel like giving up?

Totally overwhelmed by everything and feeling like you just. can’t. go on?

Like you are the ONLY one doing this healthy living thing and that you don’t have the energy to do it anymore?

Just this week, I got a comment on my blog from a reader who summed it all up.

She said that she just feels so overwhelmed with all of the things she is trying to do in order to live a healthier lifestyle, but that it’s hard to know WHAT to do — and that it’s hard to feel so alone in the struggle.  Like me, she finds it hard to find other women to share her concerns  — and it feels as though she’s alone in the battle.

Does this sound like you, too?

I struggle with this sometimes, and have over the years.

Maybe some of this sounds familiar to you……

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The Struggles of Trying to Live Healthy

– You have Health Issues (maybe multiple ones under one roof) that you need real answers for, but don’t know where to turn.
Friends wonder why you think you need to stick to a special diet (“come on, are you just trying to lost weight, or what? Is it really that big of a deal?!)
You’re tired of trying so hard to DIY things, or find clean alternatives, instead of just buying the toxic-laden stuff at the store.
Your Kids Challenge You about why they can’t eat all of the junk food that their friends are eating
Others Mock You for your healthy ways: “Oh yeah, so I’m going to get CANCER from eating this?!?!” or “Well, you eat healthy so why are you still not feeling well?!”
You wonder why, even though you’ve been making all of these healthy choices, that you are STILL dealing with health issues?
–  You need easier and more affordable ways to get healthy food on the table
You’re struggling to afford healthy living when it would be easier to eat the free food at the church dinner
You’re so tired. Of it all.

It’s a never-ending battle, isn’t it?

Truth is, we live in a world that isn’t always friendly to living a healthy life.

I’ve been there.
Many times.
And in fact, this past week, I’ve found myself there again.

You know – one of those days where you think “I’m just going to buy some Ben and Jerry’s and Snickers Bars and well, I’m just done with this healthy living stuff.”

Thankfully I didn’t. But it was tempting.  And there’s an uneaten Tootsie Roll (we got it at a church gathering — no I didn’t buy it) in the garbage to prove it.

I really want to encourage you – to NOT give up. And I’m offering some help.

woman crying by the beach

What to Do When You Feel Like Giving Up

Know That the Battle is Worth Fighting

It’s easy to think “Oh, it won’t matter if I eat this.  Who cares?!”

But really, it’s worth it.

Without good health, so much of life just doesn’t work.  Everything is harder.

And really, if you can change one person, you never know what the ripple effect will be.  We can, with our focus on living healthier, truly change the world.

Refocus

I need to get alone with God. To get my grounding again.  To remember what life is all about and why I am here.

If you’re not a praying person, then you can meditate or ground yourself somehow.

Part of why I fight the good fight is for my kids, but also for others I love and for those whom I haven’t even met.

I fight to be healthy so I can serve and I fight to share these things so that others can be released from their prisons of sickness, fatigue, and despair.

Reflect on your progress

Think back to where you have come from — you have come a long way.

When I start to get overwhelmed and don’t feel like I can keep working on getting our family healthier, it helps so much to look back and see how far we’ve come.

We’ve battled, and done quite well in dealing with:

eczema and food allergies
thyroid disease
adrenal issues
facial redness
candida

We still are working on things, but I was basically not functioning about 7 years ago.  And now I lead a pretty normal life with fairly normal amounts of energy. In all of the areas above, we have seen HUGE improvements.

Know that There. Is. Hope.

You CAN do this. I can do this. We can do this.

Yes, there are more toxins than ever before and yes, GMOs are everywhere.

But the natural-living movement is gaining ground.  As more and more people become aware of how our health is affected by toxins and more, they are turning to healthier ways.

And when you see how others have healed from many issues, you can see how there is hope for you too.

Connect with Others

Search out a local healthy living group or join a healthy living group on Facebook. Start your own group if there isn’t anything in your area, and don’t be shy about your healthy living journey.

I’m often tempted not to share things with others that I am doing for fear that I will be thought of as “the freak”.  And yes, that does happen sometimes (more often than I would like), but there are always times when I share regardless and someone “gets it.”  It might not be right then and there, but at some point someone tells me “if it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have known this and now I am so much better.  Thank you!”

When that happens – it’s pure joy.

Be Good to Yourself

Recently, I’ve been given the advice (and I’m trying to take it) to do something nice for myself every day.

It’s easy to get oh so busy with life’s responsibilities that I forget to sit down and enjoy something

It might be:

  • a cup of tea or healthy hot chocolate after dinner
  • a walk outside alone or with someone you love
  • time alone with God
  • a phone call to a loved one
  • a manicure or facial (I would highly recommend my favorite skincare products for this.  What a treat and you’ll look better too!)
  • trying out a new healthy recipe
  • playing a game with your family
  • renting a fun movie

Get Perspective on Setbacks

One thing that has really helped me over the years is to realize that setbacks aren’t always setbacks.

Sometimes they are the very thing you needed to catapult you towards healing, or something that leads you to discover something crucial about your own health, or the means to learning something that will help you to later help others.

Here’s an example from my own life.

Just recently I had constipation. And I had it bad. It was really frustrating to me–you know how it goes. Bloating, anxiety, feeling just totally “ick”. Well, I tried everything and nothing worked.  I kept wondering what was wrong and got scared thinking that I was hitting another wall in my healing, or possibly taking a major step back.

Finally, I asked for advice in a small group of bloggers / health practitioners that I belong to. Well, by opening up and asking there, I got 2 new remedies in my arsenal, Triphala and Smooth Move Tea, two things that I have never tried before. And yes, the Smooth Move Tea worked!

Do the Next Thing

When you feel like giving up, sometimes the best thing to do is to just do the next thing.

Some of you might be familiar with Elizabeth Elliot, but whether or not you are, or whether or not you are a fan, she said something very interesting.  After her missionary husband was gunned down by natives in Ecuador.

Her world had been shaken to pieces.  She had a young daughter, was living in Ecuador and the people whom she had come to serve had just butchered her husband.

In her despair, of course it was hard to know what to do, so often she had to remember to…..

Just do the next thing.

Whatever that is.  Clean the dishes, do the laundry, play, love your kids, cook dinner, or serve someone else.

Just do it.

How about you? 
What is something that has helped you to “keep on keeping on?”

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32 Comments

  1. I needed this. Badly. My health has been so bad for so long and I feel like simply giving up (which at this point in my health journey would quite literally kill me). So thank you. Much needed article.

    1. Hi Keesha. I’m so sorry you are having such a bad time. I don’t know if I can be of help but perhaps I can direct you somewhere. Glad this was an encouragement to you. Hugs and I will pray for you right now. I know how hard it can be.

  2. I just found this post through your Facebook and it is oh. so. timely for me. Because today, I feel like giving up. I struggle with depression & anxiety, hormonal stuff, adrenal fatigue, IBS, candida, liver & gallbladder problems, back & neck pain, probably more I’m not thinking of. I’m unemployed because of it all. I’m 29 and living with my parents. Those last two things make me even more depressed about everything. I am a Christian and although I don’t know what I would do without my relationship with God, sometimes I feel like that makes it even harder. Because, well basically I feel like a failure as a Christian. Especially when the depression gets the best of me. Like it did today, after I found out that you can’t trust the organic labels on food and that I cannot as a Christian do yoga (which is part of the plan that my nutritionist who I am now working with gave me). It’s just all so overwhelming, and I feel like saying “Forget the natural route. You don’t feel better. It’s too hard and it’s not worth it”. But I know better.

    Anyway, I felt like your post was straight from God today. I am really struggling but you encouraged me that I’m not alone and that I need to just do the next thing. Thank you?

    1. Hi Christina. So sorry for the delay in responding. I’ve had a lot of challenges here. I am so sorry you are dealing with all of these things. Hav eyou found any relief? I’m feeling so terrible for you. There are so many things that have helped me. Have you poked around here? What is your worst problem? There are some who do yoga as Christians – they just leave out the mediation part or pray instead to God. I think personally that the stretching can be very valuable.

      Please take care of yourself and stay in touch!!! Praying for you right now.

    2. You seriously need to start watching Dr Robert morse YouTube… It saved me from exactly what you are suffering with.. Been ill all my life.. It’s the only truth you will find.. You will soon see why you are suffering the way you are and how to fix it… If I can help just one person out of this never ending he’ll of strugling then that’s my job done…. Go find him asap…… much love…

  3. Your post made me cry! It’s so nice to know that someone out there understands…I really also admire those of you with families who deal with chronic health problems. I’m 29 and can’t even image taking care of someone else, because everyday is a hug struggle for me just to get out of bed. You are all inspirations and I hope someday I’m that strong 🙂

    1. I am so sorry – yes it is hard. What is going on with you? I hope you can find some help here…..

      1. Thank you! I have already found a lot of help from the blogging community (the info available online from bloggers like you has changed my life). Just struggling to maintain a healthy lifestyle while working two jobs to pay off all the debt from doctors that had gotten me nowhere prior to going gluten-free/paleo/holistic route.

        1. Great – look forward to seeing you around more! It can be tough, I know. It took us awhile to get in a better financial situation as well. Best wishes as you work on all of that!

  4. Thank you so much for this post I feel it was written for me, struggling with a candida, gluten free, dairy free diet, egg free diet. Thank you some of your recipes are amazing will be trying them out.

  5. I love your blog !
    {Wish my comments ‘here’ where a positive helpful hopeful post, but that is not home I am feeling – despite the wonderful blog post I just read above}.
    I am now more depressed/distressed then ever, that I will never be able to actually get healthy. (Some where between tears and laughing hysterically.)
    Last night I did the Whole Approach Questionnaire (the site is gone now—note added by blog owner) and came up with a score of well Over 200 ! Yes ! Over Two Hundred !
    I have come so far with so many health issues (too many to list) and despite being “still sick” I am Off All Medications (proscription & otc) and doing better then I have in years, but I am still actually “very sick”.
    Do not know where I am going with this post… (Sorry)… Anyway…
    Everything I have done for my health has been kind of, a one step at a time, do my best, take another step, just keep trying, and doing, and just keep going…
    But tonight getting where I need/want to be health wise seems like Climbing Mt Everest. 🙁

    1. Hello Chris – thank you for reading and for commenting. I totally understand where you are coming from. It’s terrible to be dealing with this. I am in so much better shape now but it wasn’t easy. I think my score was over 300 :(.

      I am not a physician and I can’t diagnose or medically advise but I can share what I have done. Liver work, AIP diet for a bit and getting off foods that were making me sick. Getting off of toxic products and having a good water filter and now taking some natural products and herbs that appear to be helping quite a bit. I don’t know if any of this helps – let me know if I can tell you any more about my experience.

  6. Thank you so much for sharing! This happens to me so often! Yesterday morning on the way to work, I broke down and took a dozen doughnuts to work (ate 4 of them myself). I was running late, tired & had a sinus infection … this didn’t help. It is real WORK to stay healthy in modern society, particularly when it comes to food, but it is so worth the effort. Thanks for this encouragement and for serving others. I’m praying for you & your family. By the way, I LOVE this: “I fight to be healthy so I can serve and I fight to share these things so that others can be released from their prisons of sickness, fatigue, and despair.”

  7. Spot on, timely article! You have a beautiful gift and we are blessed that you share it with us.
    Thank you!

  8. Yes, Adrienne,
    Remember, Your are a temple of the Holy Ghost. God is pleased with your work on keeping your body as healthy as possible. May he bless you – not only for doing it for yourself and your family – but also encouraging
    the rest of us to work toward health also.

  9. I needed to read this today,,, I seem to be in a constant struggle with myself not to mention my surroundings. Just when I think that I gotten it whipped it whips me… lol Thank you for the tips… And especially the reminder that I am not alone…

    1. I need it today too, Karen. Nice to “meet” you. Very interesting that you grow Moringa! I have some that I have been hoping to try. Do you like it?

      1. My husband uses Moringa every day… Moringa is known to lower blood sugar and is great for diabetics… For me when I use Moringa I must use too much, because it lowers my blood sugar so much that I don’t feel well… So I have not gotten used to eating it….But I continue to grow it… This year we grew more than we need…. Give it a try…. It seemed to give my 70plus year old husband energy….

        1. Oh really? It lowers blood sugar? What is your normal blood sugar? Are you close to being hypoglycemic?

          1. I am susceptible to anything that lowers blood sugar. Can’t take chromium makes me ill too. Not sure why, but last year I was diagnosed with diabetes,,, My numbers are not high but high enough. I have been hypoglycemic for most of my adult life…

        2. I just did some reading up on it. Seems some say it levels out blood sugar and some say it reduces blood sugar. But in one place I read it takes 50 g to reduce the increase by 21%? Then taking 2 capsules totaling 800 mg together shouldn’t have that much of an effect I would think?

  10. You are a GEM, Adrienne!! Thank you for all of your wonderful posts. You are an encouragement to so many!!