Have you ever started something you were super excited about? Maybe a new job, a new relationship, a new side hustle? You’re pumped, and you go all in. Then after awhile, you start feeling drained. Every time you think of the task list for this venture, you get anxious and frustrated. You start neglecting your duties, in all aspects of your life. I recently had this exact experience, and in today’s post I want to tell you my story and share with you that it’s OK to quit something if it is no longer serving a positive purpose in your life.
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That time I started a podcast…
Back in the spring of 2019, I was approached with the opportunity to partner with a startup company on a travel podcast. I was STOKED. They had found my blog on social media and thought I was cool enough to partner with. WOAH. I thought this would be a great opportunity to grow my business in a new way and maybe incorporate more travel into my blog, so I jumped on it.
Now I have nothing bad to say about the company, or partnership at all. I know you’re probably thinking “yeah right, she just can’t tell us!” But really, nothing negative to say. What I did experience though, is something internally that I was not expecting.
The first time I felt weird about starting a podcast, was in the days leading up to the first recording. I was anxious and jumpy feeling and I had this overwhelming desire to quit then and there. I chalked this up to my introverted and anti-social tendencies and basically made myself suck it up and do the damn thing (which I’m honestly glad I did because hello, conquering our fears is cool).
Long story short, time went on and I recorded a few more podcasts, but anxiety continued to grow until I reached a point where I was feeling depressed, low energy, and uninspired in all aspects of my creative life. I didn’t want to post on my blog, I didn’t want to share anything on Instagram… If I neglected everything, it meant I didn’t have to really delve deep and think about what was really causing me to feel this way. But I was constantly talking about how much I loathed having to find subjects to record, people to interview, and just the process in general.
Is it OK to quit something you hate?
I know, ‘hate’ is a strong word, I feel weird using it. But that’s what quitting comes down to, isn’t it? We start something, we hate it, we stop doing it. This type of thinking isn’t all-inclusive; I hate doing laundry but I also hate smelling bad, so I do it. I suffer through it. But when something you hate also makes you think about or treat yourself negatively, that’s when you know there’s a real problem and it’s time reevaluate.
When I started feeling angry and overwhelmed at the thought of doing anything related to the Podcast, I knew there was a problem. Then, when I started just wanting to lay in bed and neglect all my other duties, I knew it was time to make a change. I ended up letting my partners know that I could no longer continue because my heart just wasn’t in it, and felt almost instant relief. As soon as that e-mail sent I felt light, energized, and free. Quitting something that in and of itself wasn’t a bad venture, but didn’t make me feel like my best self, was the best decision I could have made, and I have zero regrets.
It Really is OK to Quit
After something in our life doesn’t work out, we move on and try and make the best of it. We go through periods where we feel like we’re constantly quitting, failing at everything, or just plain ol’ sucking at life. After I quit my podcast, I felt pretty good. But depression and anxiety happened again and I’ll admit, I almost quit my blog too (read about it here). Thankfully, I just ended up taking four months off from blogging at the start of this year. I needed some self-care and quality time with my fam, so I took a break. Those were my reasons, but there are SO many reasons why it’s OK to quit something that isn’t serving you.
- You know what you’re doing doesn’t align with your personal goals or values
- Your mental and/or physical health may be suffering
- You can no longer prioritize the things in your life that matter most
- It may be a financial burden
- Your heart isn’t in it anymore
- You start neglecting yourself or your responsibilities
The list goes on and on. Whatever the reason is, it’s deeply personal and valid, and it’s nobody else’s business. You don’t have to feel guilty (although that is a totally normal feeling), and you don’t have to justify your decision to ANYONE. Basically do you, boo. OK?
xo,
B
Thank you for this write-up. I am really struggling with staying somewhere and something that I don’t look forward to anymore. I can always do better when I love what I do and where I am. It has not been easy finding it. But I keep trying anyway. It’s not mentally healthy for me anymore. I don’t see any more growth.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment <3
I love this, we are told our whole lives never to quit and I think this leads to a lot of unhappy people. In writing, you learn that if a project isn’t working it is sometimes better to abandon it then trying to force it.
You’re right, I never thought of how we are constantly told to never give up, never quit, always keep going. It can be a toxic lesson.
I could not agree with this more! So many of us hold on to things that aren’t serving us just because we feel like we should. That takes up some serious energy, and when we finally do let go (and get past any guilt) we’re in a much better place to move on to what really does serve us. Thank you so much for sharing your story x
I couldn’t agree more! Thank you for taking the time to read!
I think if it’s the right thing for you then quitting shouldn’t be an issue. We worry too much about what others think and don’t always think about what’s best for us.
So so true, I’m definitely guilty of this!
This is so on point. I recently quit from my extra job. I felt that my heart is not there so it makes me think that it’s additional burden. Now, I’m happier having only one job that I love.
That is so great! Life is too short to spend it on things that aren’t feeding our souls <3
Quitting doesn’t mean losing. It also means a chance to welcome a much better opportunity that will give you more benefits, happiness and peace.
Love your take on it, thanks for sharing 🙂
I agree with you girl we can quit if we are not happy with something. Quitting is not given up or losing right.
100% agree 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting!
LOVE this post and the message within this. Yes it is ok to quit for sure…just do what makes you happy x
Thanks Melanie 🙂