Life goes on

Life goes on. Pretty common saying. Seemingly self explanatory meaning. Yet, has had and continues to have such a powerful impact on my life. So powerful that I decided to get these words tattooed on my body. Below is the Instagram caption I wrote when I got the tattoo. I’ve been wanting to elaborate for some time.

“Finally got my 1st tattoo. I've wanted this tattoo since the beginning of high school. These three, simple words have helped to get me through all that life has thrown my way. I continue to remind myself everyday that no matter how horrible a situation may appear, how impossible a task may feel or how unattainable a goal may seem, I will make it to the other side and life will indeed go on. The world is not ending because life goes differently than planned or because things get difficult. I've gotten this far and I don't plan on letting anyone or anything stop me or bring me down.”

Every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every month, every year; life goes on. It goes on whether you believe it will or not. Terrible news. A horrible experience. A seemingly impossible obstacle. These all can make you feel like your life is ending, that you will not overcome. Dramatic? Looking back, yes. Valid? At the time, yes.

I have felt this way numerous times in my life for various reasons. My understanding that life goes on though, is largely attributed to a particular time in my life. A dark time in my life. A time where I truly thought the world was ending, at least my world. The details aren’t important but that way I felt is. I was angry. I was sad. I was overwhelming negative and pessimistic. I was hurting. I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. Fast forward to today, I bask in the light. Life went on (as it always does). Time heals. You change your perspective. Life pulls through. You figure things out. Things come together.

Some would say this is all obvious but it really isn’t when it’s you are going through it yourself. Since I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel, I made life that much harder for myself. Today, I tell myself life goes on on the daily. Is it easy to let go, breathe and accept that you will overcome? No, I don’t think so. Will it make life easier though? Yes, definitely. 

I still struggle to not let life’s obstacles get me down and keep me down. I then remember all the times I did not think I would make it and I did. All the times I did not think things would work out and they did. All the days and things that tried to defeat me and I ultimately won. I now don’t get too hung up on the bad or the challenging. I recognize that I will soon get to the other side. That I will soon look back and laugh. That life can only go forward. That I must allow it to. 

Affirm yourself of this. Speak it into existence.

Life will go on.

Things will get better.

I will get better.

I will figure things out.

Things will come together.

I will accomplish x, y and z.

This in front of me is so small.

I am bigger than this.

My future is bright.

I have done it before, I will do it again.

The worry and the stress will not help me.

As I conclude this post, I wonder if I was truly able to articulate my interpretation of life goes on. I am hoping what I wrote makes sense. I hope others can relate. I hope others can adopt this mindset. Whatever you are going through. Whatever wall is ahead. YOU WILL OVERCOME. YOU WILL PERSEVERE. Just like you have in the past. Just like you will continue to do. Believe it. Know it. Speak it. Live it.