Continuing – Part Of The Great Human Spirit

Continuing is not an option, it is an obligation. We have all experienced it. We have all been overwhelmed at a crucial time in our lives. And when this happens, our whole universe is distorted, we find ourselves turned down and out of sync, trapped in a strange, suffocating dimension. And we all know very well that everything that does not move, or clings to something, eventually disappears. Like stagnant water, everything starts to go bad.

When we go through difficult and unfavorable times, it is a part of our brain that encourages us to move on. It is the voice of logic, and it agrees with what our loved ones tell us. They are concerned about us and try to support us with words of encouragement. But there is another part of our brain that resists change and is completely linked to painful events that have robbed us of our peace. This part of our brain also wants to rob us of the sense of security we enjoyed not so long ago.

To let go

Letting go of something or someone, giving up the things that gave us identity, such as a job or a friendship, causes our whole being to enter a more alarmed state. A complex situation follows, and this is one that we need to deal with properly, carefully and wisely.

We want to get as far away from all the accumulation of negative emotions that grips us as possible. And yet, it is actually very beneficial to face the emotional knot directly to understand and be able to uncover it. A complex set of circumstances, which, if we control and decipher them, will give us the necessary impetus to continue.

Sometimes we underestimate the wonderful capacity for resistance and self-improvement that each of us has inside us, right in our heart. It is truly an indestructible rough diamond that is able to illuminate our paths. To consider this idea further, it is worth telling a little story that will undoubtedly convince us to reflect and come to more than one conclusion.

The story of a message that was lost in an old library

We have all seen the famous poster with the phrase “Keep Calm and Carry On”. Staying calm and continuing is possibly one of the best-selling messages in personal growth. But the origin is very interesting. To discover it, we must travel to World War II and to London in 1940.

The government knew that the situation in Britain could not be more complicated. The war was at its worst and bombs from the German army regularly hit the big cities. They needed a means of defense, and apart from the military side of things, they needed to increase the morale of the population. They needed to feel the typical British steadfastness so that their psyche would not wear out in such terrible conditions.

For this reason, to encourage the population to continue, the government designed posters to hang in the streets. Several suggestions were made, such as “Your courage, Your cheerfulness, Your decision will give us victory” and “Keep calm and continue”. It was the latter that was chosen to be the saying that the British people needed, and over two million copies were printed. A good percentage of the budget was used for this project.

To draw strength from adversity

Now the question is,  did the striking and well-meaning poster help? The answer is simple – it was not necessary. The posters never appeared on the streets. Winston Churchill decided they were not appropriate, as he felt that the British did not need condescending messages. People already knew very well that the only possible alternative was to move forward, fight and trust their country. Humans already have their own mechanism for drawing strength from adversity and resistance. Continuing is an innate part of us.

Hanging these messages in the streets was little more than a joke. For that reason, the government hid and destroyed a good deal of them, so that no one would discover that they had invested a lot of money in something that was simply not necessary.

It was not until the year 2000 that any of them were accidentally found in an old bookstore. The discovery was so surprising, and it was not long before an expression created decades earlier spread and became incredibly popular.

Deep down, we may know that humans are made of unbreakable material, and that it is in our genes to resist and persevere. But what can we do when we have lost our enthusiasm ? How should we react when our feet are caught, our hearts are cold and our mind is dominated by negative thoughts?

Keys to continuing without losing hearts

• Feel your emotions. We pointed this out at the beginning. We must be able to understand our emotional labyrinth, be aware of negative emotions, make them ours and channel them so that they lose their intensity, little by little.
• What do you deserve? Think about it, delve into the question and make a list of what you deserve. To be happy, to have another opportunity, to have more freedom. Taking responsibility for yourself, loving and being loved, achieving success, and having hope again.
• See how your feet touch the ground. It may seem silly, but something as simple as feeling our feet touch the ground gives us a sense of security and mobility. We do not cling to the ground, we have the ability to move on and act.

• Practice deep breathing and meditation. Having a connection with ourselves and with everything that surrounds us is fundamental. These methods will help us focus, channel emotions, clear our minds and become aware of other perspectives.
• Create a group of rewarding people. Among your friends and family, there are people who have gone through terrible times, and who have undoubtedly come out fighting. Let yourself learn from them.
• Make a mantra. Create an expression that will serve as an encouragement and a motivation in your daily life. Here are some examples: “I deserve”, “I am brave”, “Incredible things are waiting for me, I am ready to go for them”.

Finally, we have the most important step – grab the momentum. Continuing forward is a leap of faith, confidence in oneself and one’s own resources. This is something we can all do to achieve a fuller and more satisfying reality. The reality we deserve.