I was in my English class. I was doing my work and it was to hard. So I gave up and said I'm not doing no work today. So I put my head down and went to sleep but I tried to do some more work but it was too frustrated. And another thing is when I have to write a lot I get real frustrated so I shut down. And it is frustrated to learn how to play golf. This is why I get frustrated a lot.
Hi Sammey,
I truly understand your frustration with writing. It is not easy and sometimes, if you have this voice inside you saying, "It’s too hard" or "You aren’t doing well", it is really easy to shut down. I have to tell the voice inside me that I am working hard and I am improving so I am going to keep going because "shutting down" is quitting and giving in. Many times it is tough, but we all need to stick with it and follow it through to the end.
I wonder if you can trick yourself into not quitting. A 3-hour marathon may be nearly impossible to run, but 10 runs of 18 minutes each is more reasonable. Break things into small, achievable goals. Then, when you're in the heat of a project and feel yourself coming undone, just tell yourself, "Another 5 minutes, and then I'll quit!" When the 5 minutes are up, you can bargain for another 5. Frustration is much easier to bear in small doses. I do this sometimes when I can’t do what I want on my computer.
When you first rode a bicycle, you probably feared you'd fall off and break your head! But you looked around and saw the other kids staying balanced. Seeing others succeed gave you the confidence to plunge in. (And if you'd never seen anyone ride a unicycle, you'd think that was totally impossible!) Get rid of the attitude of "It can't be done." Next time you get stuck, look around at all the others who've succeeded. You know if they can do it, so can you. And believing you can get there is half the battle. I believe in you!!! What about you?
Best,
Lani
Posted by: Lani | October 22, 2005 at 11:23 AM