Know your limits. Know when to give, know when to demand, know when to say no, know when enough is enough.”
~ Unknown
There’s a soundtrack on repeat in my head that has the “be all you can be” Army recruitment jingle, coupled with Jane Fonda saying “go for the burn” circa 1982, along with some church sermon “all things are possible” sound bites from the ‘90s. Thanks to that background music from my childhood and young adult years, I’m generally cheering the “get out of your comfort zone,” “push yourself beyond your limits,” and “all things are possible” motivational guru-speak.
In most cases, the “you can do anything you set your mind to” ethos is good. It propels us to strive for excellence, to be better and stronger and braver than we think we are, and to accomplish things we would otherwise be inclined to avoid. That mindset helps us do hard things, and we need to hear those words of encouragement far more than we need to hear the negative voices that are often very loud.
But there’s another aspect of that ultra-motivational outlook that’s rarely heard. Being willing to recognize your limits, honor your own boundaries, and concede defeat when you’ve given your all can be perceived as weakness and failure, but sometimes “tapping out” is the strongest, bravest, smartest thing we can do. Sometimes the hardest person to be honest with is ourselves, particularly when it comes to admitting our own limits. Saying “no” can be just as vital to our growth and development as challenging ourselves to go the extra mile.
Preserving our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual integrity may require us to step away from a situation, even when that “you can (with a heavily-implied should) do all things” soundtrack is screaming at us in the background.
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By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com
