What to Do When You Feel Like Giving Up

When Life Feels Too Heavy

Some days hit harder than others. There’s a weight that comes with growing up in a world that doesn’t always seem fair. Maybe it feels like no one hears you. Maybe you walk into classrooms or homes where you're expected to survive, not succeed. When all that builds up, giving up starts to look like the easiest way out. I know what that pressure feels like. I didn’t grow up with silver spoons or guarantees. The hard truth is, life is not always fair, but your response can still lead to better outcomes than you think are possible right now.

If you’re a young girl trying to find your place while the world pushes against you, I want you to hear this: you are not invisible, and your life does matter. Every fight you face doesn’t have to be faced alone. I’ve lived enough life to tell you that the strongest people often come from the hardest places. But it’s not about pretending you're okay. It's about learning how to hold your ground when nothing seems to go right.

Hard Doesn’t Mean Giving Up

There’s this lie a lot of us hear growing up, especially when things around us are rough. The lie says, “If your life is hard now, it’ll always be that way.” That’s not true. Hard is real, but hard doesn’t mean you’re broken. It doesn’t mean your future has to look like your present. The pain you feel now doesn't decide who you’ll become.

I’ve sat in rooms where the only way out seemed like walking away. From military missions to business meetings and even at home raising kids, I’ve seen what it’s like when the pressure makes your chest feel heavy. But even then, there was always a small way forward. Even a tiny step is still a step, and I want you to know that being tired doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human.

Find Your Corner and Lean on It

Nobody makes it alone. Not in school, not in life, and not in faith. One of the smartest things you can do is find your corner. That might be a person, a group, or a space where you feel safe enough to breathe and be real. I found mine in mentors when I was young, and later through friends who stood with me in tough times.

Leaning on someone doesn’t make you needy. It makes you smart. It means you know the value of shared strength. If you can’t find your corner yet, keep looking. Ask someone you trust. Open up to someone who’s been consistent. Sometimes support doesn’t come from where you expect, but it shows up when you need it most.

Faith is a Real Anchor

I’ve lived through things that no plan or strength could fix on their own. I’ve seen failure, loss, and moments that made me question everything. What got me through wasn’t luck or just muscle. It was faith. Believing that God still had a plan for my life, even when I didn’t see it, kept me grounded.

You don’t need to have all the answers to pray. You don’t need to be perfect to read scripture or call on Jesus. You just need to be willing to trust something bigger than yourself. For me, that faith gave me peace in chaos and direction when I was lost. It’s the quiet strength that still guides me today.

Use What You Do Have

It’s easy to feel behind when you see what others have that you don’t. Maybe you don’t have a laptop, a parent at home, or access to extra classes. But let’s talk about what you do have. Maybe you’re curious. Maybe you listen better than most. Maybe you’re a natural leader, even if no one’s told you yet.

The world of tech, science, and leadership needs more voices like yours. Not just the loud ones. The smart ones, the kind ones, the steady ones. You don’t have to wait until life is perfect to get started. Use the parts of you that are already strong. Speak up. Ask questions. Let that hunger to learn lead you to places you never imagined were for you. Because they are.

Set One Small Win Every Day

Big dreams are good, but they can feel far away when life is hard. That’s why small wins matter. Pick one thing you can do today. Maybe it’s making your bed, showing up to class, writing down how you feel, or watching a video on something you want to learn. These may not feel like big moves, but they build the mindset you need to go further.

In my life, success didn’t happen all at once. It came from staying consistent in small things. Getting up early, doing the right thing when no one was watching, forgiving people who didn’t say sorry. That kind of quiet discipline opens doors. Not always fast, but always real.

You Are Not What You’ve Been Through

Too many young people wear their past like a name tag. They believe the worst things said about them, or the worst things done to them. But your story isn’t finished. Whatever your background, whatever mistakes you’ve made or pain you’ve lived through, that’s not the end of the road.

You are not your trauma. You are not your zip code. You are not what someone else failed to see in you. I wasn’t always the man I am now. I had to grow through some dark places, but I didn’t stay there. God had more for me, and He has more for you. The world will try to box you in, but your future is not limited by your past.

Stay in the Fight

You matter. Your voice matters. Your future is worth showing up for, even when it feels out of reach. I’ve lived long enough to see people make it through situations that should’ve crushed them. Not because they were perfect, but because they stayed in the fight. They didn’t quit.

You don’t need to have it all figured out right now. Just keep showing up. Keep praying. Keep pushing. Keep reaching out when you need help. One day, you’ll look back and realize that what felt like survival was actually strength in the making. This world needs what you carry. Stay in the fight.

Sources:

CDC on Youth Mental Health https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/data_publications/youth.htm

National Girls Collaborative Project on Women in STEM https://ngcproject.org/statistics 

American Psychological Association on Building Resilience https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience

Girls Who Code https://girlswhocode.com/ 

National Mentoring Resource Center https://nationalmentoringresourcecenter.org/