What to Do When You’re On the Verge of Quitting (+ a book giveaway!)
The winners of the giveaway are….
Nicki Kennington!
Erika!
Diane Sanchez!
Send me a message via my contact page with your mailing address, please! Thanks everyone for entering. I loved reading your comments!
It’s been one of those months where I’ve wanted to quit all the things. Have you been there? Big stuff is brewing in your life, hard stuff. It’s heavy and all over you, to the point that the tiniest thing will set you off.
If one more person cuts me off in traffic, I am going to absolutely lose it.
For me, work and writing have been the hard stuff. Writing is usually hard, but it feels particularly hard right now, and I’ve wanted to quit. Because this is what I do when things feel hard. I want to quit them, and then I decide I need to quit everything else too. Work…people…America. It’s a quick spiral.
Tell me you’ve been there. Tell me I am not crazy in my occasional bouts of quitting-it-all.
I recently started reading Annie Downs’ new book Looking for Lovely. In it, she talks about her struggles with being a quitter. She writes, “I’ve never been good at looking past my current pain or suffering and trusting that it will pay off in the future. I think the road has always seemed too long. So when a situation feels painful or scary or hard, I want out.”
Me too, Annie, me too.
I hate feeling uncomfortable, so my default is to try to escape what’s making me uncomfortable. Over the past two years, though, God has been gently teaching me what it looks like to “sit in the tension.” Instead of running away, sit still and wait. Keep moving forward. Try not to freak out, and trust.
Good things happen in the tension.
I was sharing some of my tension and desire to quit with a friend the other day. She said something very simple that I really needed to hear: “The moment you start feeling like you’re going to quit, don’t.”
Just don’t. Back away from the quitting ledge and keep walking, however slowly, however slumped over, just keep going.
That’s what I’ve decided to do in this season of quitting-it-all. You’ll see me beside the road. I’ll be the one walking a little slowly, my shoulders might be a little slumped over, but I’ll be going in the right direction. And trust me, that’s better than running in the wrong one.
To celebrate not quitting, I’m doing a giveaway of Annie’s book! You know the drill…
Write a comment below to have your name entered in the drawing ONCE.
Write a comment and subscribe to my blog (enter email in box to the right) to have your name entered TWICE.
Write a comment below, subscribe to my blog, AND post on social media about the giveaway mentioning my name so I see it (Twitter: @AndreaLucado, Instagram: @AndreaLucado, Facebook: Andrea Lucado) to have your name entered THREE TIMES.
You have until this Saturday, April 16 to enter. Good luck!
A very timely read. I was in a meeting that left me feeling disappointed – which felt like the last straw to what has been happening in my life for the past year. Just one of those moments when I just wanted to quit from everything. Just wanted to let you know that I love reading your blog. It seemed like some of your stories spoke to my core. Thank you for inspiring people with your blog.
You are not alone. I feel like quitting too. Quitting everything. It’s a hard feeling to come back from.
You are a very Special Person ! You have a great gift and you touch more than you know.
Love and God bless, Patty
Well said. You can put words to how my heart is feeling. You are real. Blessings to you. May the Lord continue to stir hearts to seek Him.
I am so guilty of quitting!! I love what your friend told you though the moment you feel like you’re going to quit, don’t! That’s such a great reminder! I will have to tell myself that next time I am about to quit! Thanks for the encouragement! Love your blog!
Do I get the lovely purse too? 🙂 Yesterday was one of those quit days, but harder on my sister who the problem was happening to. Sad she feels so responsible for something beyond her control….
Quitting a topic all us women can relate to. Thank God for his Grace that meets us @ that place of giving up.
This is so exciting!! I would LOVE this book. Also got to explore your blog yesterday for a while and I am so impressed! Incredible things are in store!
This sounds like a great book. Maybe even a study group? Thanks for the recommendation!
This book sounds amazing! Sounds like I probably need to win a copy 😉 Thanks for your thoughts, Dre!
“Sit in the tension”…exactly what I needed to hear. So. Much. Going. On. Thank you for your insights!
Life can be so hard. Ugh. Loved this post. Also thankful you’re not quitting… He has big plans to use your writing & your testimony, this is just part of that bigger story. XO
At my age, almost 60. I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. Yet I’ve had 2 marriages, 3 daughters, and 3 careers. Almost daily I think to myself, I want to quit.
Wow…I need this book in my life right now. My twins started college this year and now we have an empty house…I am so lost and just want to quit…it feels like it all passed too fast and I’m not ready for this. Your dad’s Fearless book was life changing for me…this book calls my name now. Thanks for the giveaway and for not quitting! Lisa in Texas
I subscribed to your blog. Lisa in Texas
I shared on IG. Lisa in Texas
You’re so right, I can totally relate to this.
Thank you for sharing!
Very good post. I feel like quitting the whole “eat healthy and exercise” routine. I feel so defeated with my weight. This post encouraged me today to keep going, even if it’s slow and steady steps.
Rest in the tension… Great words. Thank you for sharing.
Andrea, I love this post and I can so relate! I’m in a season where I’m trying to practice contentment in the “now”. I often look for changes down the road, but I know I’m being called to be more present in where God currently has me.
Just subscribed to your blog by email 🙂
Wow I love this Andrea!!! Always love reading your blogs!
On my way to make an instagram post about this great giveaway!
Really excited to read Annie Down’s new book! Sounds like it would really help me where I am in life now! Would love to win!
I subscribed too to your blog by email!!
I just subscribed to your blog. 🙂
Although I’m not currently feeling like quitting, I’ve been there, oh so many times. I think the enemy likes to wait until something good is about to happen, we’re exhausted from the fight, our bodies are weak…then all of a sudden, we just feel like there’s no use anymore. Perhaps that’s why Paul wrote for us to “not grow weary in well-doing.” Thanks for the opportunity to enter this drawing!
Shared this on Twitter. Twitter handle is @stephaniedawner and trying how to figure out how to subscribe from the mobile site. 🙂
I would love to read this book because my husband and I are launching into a new adventure. We are starting a personal fitness business……….so I don’t want to quit because the task is so large and looming. Thanks for the entry!!
My “quitting” often masks itself as “hiding!” So often I want to hide my head under the covers and not “do life”… And Not “adult” for the day. I hide (or at the very least, not offer my best or full presence) because I am tired, overwhelmed or just Spiritually zapped. When I am in need of a “pause button” in life that does not exist… I have a hard time being my best self and i even find myself “hiding” from Jesus instead of running to Him.
Absolutely love this post!
Also is your giveaway international?
I wish I could quit quitting, but quitting won’t quit me. Thankfully niether will Jesus!
Please don’t ever quit writing Andrea! I love to read your stuff and look forward to reading this book too.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
I want to quit.
I badly want to quit.
All of it.
This is very timely for me also. I’ll be the one on the other side of the road… crawling. There IS comfort in knowing you are not the only one.
Thank you for not quitting writing. I needed this.
Thank you for your real-ness Andrea… I’m so encouraged!
I didn’t realize that others struggled with quitting! Thank you for your transparency! Thank you for giving me hope today!
This book sounds like it is what I need right now. I have such a bad habit of quitting things. I always have the best intentions but then I allow life and other things to get in my way. Looking forward to reading this book!
You are definitely not alone with that feeling!
I’ve been wanting the read that book! I’m already subscribed. 🙂
Wow! Quitting has been popping up all over the place for me lately. Or rather not quitting. Thank you so much for this.
Just got this book last night and am starting it tonight! Come wait!
I am a recovering quitter and would love to read this book!
Love Annie! She’s such an inspration! I met her at Christian Publishers Outlet in Murfreesboro, TN and what a blessing it was to have her talk to me about Lets All Be Brave! Excited to read this new book, so sad I couldn’t presale it. She’s helped me get through tough times. I’m so grateful!
This sounds so beautiful & inspiring! I’d love it so much! Thank you for the opportunity.
Not only have I felt like quitting but selling my house and moving away so I can start over, start from scratch!
Thank you for sharing Andrea. This really hit home today. Lately I’ve been buying into the lies that I’m a failure and therefore not trying hardly at all in anything. Today, it’s a fresh start, and I’m choosing to not give up! Thanks for your Godly wisdom 🙂
Hi Andrea,
I stumbled across your blog about a month ago and it has been a blessing to me to read your posts, both new and old. During the past few months, God has asked me to do plenty of waiting and I can honestly say that I balked at first. But it is in the times when I feel most impatient and choose not to be that I really learn patience. I think it is the same for trust. So keep putting one foot in front of the other! This is all part of the journey.
Well said! Loving the Lovely!
-Marj Wollman
Oh my gosh, Andrea! I have quit so many times! Good work, bad work, good people, bad people, marathon training…doesn’t matter! I just got tired and frazzled and overwhelmed with life, so I quit. That’s my struggle. I pray daily to stay in the moment and to persevere when I want to throw the covers over my head 🙂 But I always give myself some grace about my quitting habit because God loves me just the way I am ❤️ And then I climb out of my hidey hole and start anew. You are not alone!
Andrea I love to read your writings. They are so true to life.
Sometimes trusting in God’s goodness is a place I want to quit but of course I can’t. How foolish that would be.
Well, this is timely. I’m an artist and was having this conversation with myself just yesterday (the fact that it’s tax season doesn’t help, I must say)… Thank you for using your work to remind us of what is true and good.
I needed this. Thank you. One of my dreams is to write a book, maybe multiple. I’ve wanted to be a stay at home mom since I can remember. My daughter is now 16, and my son about to be 11. It seems pointless now, but my desire is for my family and my home. It’s where my heart is. But for now, I continue in my 9-5 Admin job. I’m blessed here, so I praise Him and trust He knows best. His timing is perfect. I look forward to subscribing to your blog. Bless you?
For His glory!
I’m in a quitting mood right now. Thanks for accepting my friend request on FB. 🙂 Something tells me I’m going to love your blog.