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Blatantly Honest Responses to ‘Giving Up on Life’

A few months back I wrote a post titled Giving Up on Life as a response to a search string that someone had used to visit here: “when it’s time to give up on life”.

I’d like to share with you a reader’s response to that particular post.

From Tom:

Giving up seems to be by words for me and I have always rebounded, but the end is near and closing fast.

I got diagonosed with a cancerous tumor 12 years ago, did the chemo and radiation, and then the life changing therapy. So I survived my fit of depression then but still wear the bag to remind me. Then came a dying liver that I have been dealing with, done all the right things to stay on the transplant list. (Ha) sitting here with the letter of removing me from the list sitting next to the keyboard.

Why, not because I gave up, but rather now I have been diagnosed with cancer of the liver. So I spent my time again expanding my understanding of all the paticulars of the disease. What I got for all this is the biopsy which I am waiting to be scheduled for, three simple words. I give up. Tom

Wow, talk about a tough situation. (more…)

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Will your Quest for Success be your Downfall?

Thought: When you find what you are looking for in life, what’s next?

It’s funny how so many people are on a never ending quest to be better, richer, more successful. We want to be the best we can in life, and sometimes that quest seems to be never ending.

Isn’t that the point though? The journey is a continuum, and it’s the journey of life that makes it so much fun. Life experiences, emotional highs and lows, trials and successes, failure and joy.

It’s the highs and lows of life that make life so interesting!

I think if I ever reached a point where I was satisfied in every way, I would find myself… rather unsatisfied at the lack of challenge. What’s the point exactly? (more…)

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Giving up on life

credit: mkorchia

A search string that recently referred someone to this site was the phrase when it’s time to give up on life.

It struck a bit of a chord with me and got me thinking about the question it poses: what do we do if we hit a point so low we are found typing about giving up into a search engine? Maybe some people are not literally at a point of giving up but it’s more a cry of desperation or frustration, a kind of ‘what do I do now!’ situation. So many others however really are feeling like there is no point to life.

Even though I have so much to be thankful for in my own life, it’s certainly not always been completely trouble or pain free – the fact is, we all go through our share of ups and downs in life.

When is it time to give up on life? Is there ever a time? (more…)

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Hundreds walk past a collapsed teenager

credit: le vent le cri

When you read articles like this one about a collapsed teenager who received no help from hundreds of people who walked past, do you suppose this is an indication of today’s society in general? Or is there a reason people don’t like to help out?

This isn’t the first article I’ve read of this nature, but it’s always a little intriguing – what makes someone walk past another person without checking that they’re ok?

“The young university student, who did not want to be identified, collapsed to the pavement outside a crowded Perth department store as she was walking to the train station, but received no offers of help from the hundreds of people who walked past. ”

“The young woman was described by her family yesterday as slightly built, well-dressed and kind.”

(more…)

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The heart of life

credit: nattu

Is it just me or does the daily news seem to be grim these days? There are so many sad things that happen in the world. While I’ve never wanted my kids to be overly sheltered or have a false sense of security, lately I’ve found it’s increasingly difficult to even listen to the news in the car or on TV and be comfortable with my girls listening in. Horrible news.

I’m not talking here about an avalanche or flood (although that can also be horrible news), I’m talking about stalkers. Child molesters. People who commit malicious acts which are premeditated and calculated. The only way I can describe it is evil. What on earth drives a father to throw a child from a bridge?
(more…)

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One minute you’re sitting on a park bench…

credit: estmsk

It’s funny how the excitement of ’stuff’ diminishes with time. I’m reminded of the post Christmas period – so much excitement as toys and gifts are ripped open! Then a few weeks later, the same things are left lying around unused.

There are so many things in life that have amazing appeal and seem to be so inviting, particularly when they are things we don’t own or haven’t done before.

Maybe it’s new cars, boats, TV’s, clothes, a four month vacation exploring Europe, houses, holidays – even owning your own private island in the Bahamas! I’m sure that would be pretty exciting for most people! Big toys, little toys – after you’ve acquired said item, the excitement eventually starts to wear off.
(more…)

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Career paths vs happiness: which road are you on?

credit: awezmazs

If you’re like me and have done some soul searching regarding work, careers and general ambitions for life at any stage, I’m sure you would have come across the following questions: “What would you do if you weren’t worried about being paid?” or, “What do you really enjoy doing?”

It’s well known that we spend a massive portion of our lives working. It makes sense to be happy, it makes sense to spend all that time doing something we like rather than resent, yet many people continue to stay within their comfort zones rather than pursuing a career that would bring more enjoyment. There can be many reasons for this – sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what you want to do with your life. (more…)

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Giving and receiving: a new approach

If it’s by some obscure sequence of clicks that you’ve landed on this post, welcome! You’re in for a treat: to be challenged on the way we think about giving and receiving.

credit: echoesofstars

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably interested in making your life count for something. We may have different agendas, but hopefully share some common goals. One of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is the delicate balance that exists between self and others; that is, weighing up how much time we devote to improving our own lives and how much we devote to helping other people.

It’s an interesting challenge! Personal growth, self-improvement, satisfaction – many of these concepts revolve around our selves. “How can I make more money? How can I be happier? How can I improve myself?” These are questions I’m sure most of us have asked ourselves at some stage. The interesting paradox is that part of the answer lies in doing just the opposite: thinking about others more, being selfless. (more…)

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The fragility of life: a wake up call

credit: Lambholic ▲

Sometimes it takes a wake up call for us to recognise what our real values are in life: how much we appreciate our loved ones, our families. The wake up call can come in many forms such as a near miss, a close call or minor accident that could have been fatal. A family member getting sick that makes you more appreciative of your own health. A partner threatening to walk out and leave if you don’t get your act together. Even seeing major events on TV like a building that collapses, an earthquake or fire: these things serve as reminders that we are not invulnerable, life can come and go in the blink of an eye.

I’ve been fortunate in my own life to not have a great deal of sickness or death in my extended family, but I do come across a lot of hurt, death and dying through my work. Here’s a situation from the other night that served as a wake up call for me: (more…)

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What are you looking for in life?

Over the last year, my life has taken a bit of a turn. My perspective of things has changed, the way I think about life and living has shifted. I’m sure this is partly just because I’m getting older! But also it has to do with being more aware of what I want to get out of life.

credit: nd.strupler

Plenty of people reach a point in their lives where they just aren’t satisfied with where they are, or what they have. Midlife crisis is a great example of this – people start realizing that their life is going by very quickly, and think they’re running out of time to (more…)

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Panic Away - Break free from Panic or Anxiety in your life

Blatantly Honest Responses to ‘Giving Up on Life’

Will your Quest for Success be your Downfall?

Giving up on life

Hundreds walk past a collapsed teenager

The heart of life

One minute you’re sitting on a park bench…

Career paths vs happiness: which road are you on?

Giving and receiving: a new approach

The fragility of life: a wake up call

What are you looking for in life?

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