Feeling discouraged is one of the most difficult things to get through. You are depressed, heavy-hearted, stuck. You don’t have faith in a better turn of circumstances. This impacts you so heavily that it can border on feeling disheartened. Then, it becomes easy to find more discouraging things in your situation. Sometimes, you don’t have the power to carry on. What we have is the so-called negativity bias, which makes a person more vulnerable to negative things when they are feeling down. Unknowingly, you accumulate past stories and experiences when you felt discouraged, exacerbating your circumstances.
Here’s something positive: We’ve compiled a list of great “discouraged” quotes to help you get through. Have a read and share your favorite with your family and other important people in your life.
Quotes to Fight Discouragement
1. It doesn’t matter if it’s a relationship, a lifestyle or a job. If it doesn’t make you happy, let it go.
It can be hard, but it’s possible. You have the power to let go of things you don’t love, things that don’t make you happy. The first step is understanding what they are. Then, move to eliminate them. The final and most important step is finding motivation to fill the void they have left in your life.
2. We’re so busy watching out for what’s just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are. – Calvin & Hobbes
We feel discouraged when we don’t see the positive things in our present. It could be those who love us. It could be small, fleeting moments of joy. It could be a small success. Always remind yourself of the good in your life. Things can always be worse.
3. It is possible to become discouraged about the injustice we see everywhere. But God did not promise us that the world would be humane and just. He gives us the gift of life and allows us to choose the way we will use our limited time on earth. It is an awesome opportunity. – Cesar Chavez
Not everyone is religious or spiritually inclined, but it’s an interesting idea and notion to subscribe to: What does God say about discouragement? Whether it’s God or another higher power you believe in, believe you choose how to live your life and what steps to take.
Live the Life you Have
4. Stop wishing your life was different and live the one you have, because it’s the only one you have got.
And if you can’t, make changes. This brings us to our next quote.
5. Go 24 hours without complaining. Not even once…then watch how your life starts changing.
Check if you’ve tried to change anything in your situation. Don’t feel bad automatically, keep making an effort.
6. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. – Albert Einstein
The great Albert Einstein said many wise things. He also said stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting something different to happen.
Embrace the Unknown
7. Don’t be in such a rush to figure everything out. Embrace the unknown and let your life surprise you.
Not even the greatest men and women had everything figured out. Give yourself time.
8. The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need tomorrow. – Robert Tew
“What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger”? This is a take on that, but said much more beautifully. Also, the morning is always wiser.
9. Ships don’t sink because of the water around them; ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don’t let what’s happening around you get inside you and weigh you down.
It’s easy to feel discouraged when you’re surrounded by negativity. Do away with naggers, complainers, just negative people in general – that’s the first step. Start with the worst offender in your life. Don’t let anything remind you of them, even their email address.
10. Do not judge my story by the chapter you walked in on.
Feel you know everything about someone?
11. Be patient. Some things take time.
There’s no disputing this. We feel discouraged when things don’t work out for us right away. We are wrong to do so.
12. Remember the time you thought you could never survive? You did, and you can do it again.
You’re alive, aren’t you? That means you survived. Check your pulse.
What is the difference between disappointment and discouragement?
Disappointment is when you have tried, but failed. One is not necessarily the same as the other. We learn from our mistakes, find inspiration, and get started on the road to prosperity. The trick is to keep trying. There is no reason not to.
How do you stop being discouraged when starting a business?
It’s difficult to start a business, especially in certain sectors. Focus on your purpose, get your questions answered by experts in your field, and invest all your energy in the business. Every day you do this is helpful in creating value and living a better life.
How can I stop being discouraged so easily?
Even if it’s bad, let yourself feel what and how you feel. Put what you feel in writing or just repeat it to yourself. A recent scientific article stated that we get through difficult feelings faster when we acknowledge them. We also don’t experience them as intensely.
The second part of accepting your feelings is seeing how things really are blowing them out of proportion or altering them with your judgement. Let’s say you’re trying to get your business up and running, which we just mentioned. Acceptance means saying something along the lines of, “I may not be where I want to be, it’s been rough finding investments” rather than “This will never work. I should have been turning a profit by now. This always happens. I suck at entrepreneurship. I don’t think there is any point to continue. It makes no sense. I have no control.”
Final Thoughts
When you can see a situation the way it really is, you are reconciling your heart with your mind. You’re giving yourself a chance to choose about how to move forward. Defeat is the opposite of acceptance. The latter is an active decision to have the courage to hope even in tough times. Sharing with your loved ones can help you accept your limitations, but keep trying at the same time.
Being grateful can help too. It’s not something we tend to be when we feel down or discouraged, but research has shown it’s actually a great way to help yourself feel better. Find one thing to be grateful for daily, no matter how small. When you do, your brain releases dopamine and serotonin, which make us feel better and more excited about the good things in our lives. We become less anxious and more productive and see all the possibilities before us. If it’s hard, here’s the step to take: get a piece of paper and write down a few things you’re happy you have that you associate with what is discouraging you. It’s not about trying to ignore negative ideas or difficult things. Just focus on the good within the bad.
