Have You Become Thirsty?

There are times in our life when we have to make difficult choices and ask ourselves difficult questions. One of these is : have you become thirsty?

First, the fish needs to say, “Something ain’t right about this Camel ride – And I’m Feeling so damn Thirsty.”

– Hafiz

One simple line from Hafiz, but what imagery and such wisdom! How often we carry on doing something that just isn’t right or natural for us, pretending that we’re okay. We don’t have the courage to say ‘I’m feeling so damn thirsty’ and get off that stupid camel.

I know I’ve made this mistake often – stuck to a job or a relationship – not wanting to quit. The job or the relationship were not bad. They just didn’t work for me anymore. Deep within, I knew it was time to quit. My body would give me signals too – repeated illness and allergies, but I thought I had to stay on.

We’ve imbibed the notion that ‘winners never quit’ and stick on to ideas, plans, jobs, ventures, relationships that just don’t work for us.

Have You Become Thirsty?

Quitting sometimes requires a huge leap of faith—imagining an as-yet unrealized future—and a willingness to take on the possibility of failure, along with the emotional fallout that accompanies it. Since persistence and staying put are the default settings for human behavior, successful goal disengagement can stall on the affective, cognitive, motivational, and behavioral fronts. . . . Keep in mind that both letting go of a goal and setting a new one are essentially creative activities that demand that you be flexible in your approach. ~ Peg Streep and Alan Bernstein in Mastering the Art of Quitting: Why It Matters in Life, Love, and Work (affiliate link)

When we stay, we settle for less than we deserve. Surely we deserve to do the best for ourselves. Walking away from and quitting something, often requires more courage than staying.  We need to get off our butts, take the risk of quitting and find what works best for us.

Quitting something that isn’t working is a step towards authenticity and standing up for our truth.

Today, I’m reflecting on what isn’t working for me and what makes me so damn thirsty! Will you do the same for yourself?

In October, I started writing a series called 31 Days about Living A Principle Driven Life. Since I wasn’t able to complete it then, I’m doing so now. You can follow my posts here.