A Short Guide to Dealing with Discouragement

By Leo Babauta

One of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of our personal progress is discouragement. Whether you’re trying to form a new habit (reading, meditation, exercise, waking early) or taking on a meaningful project, or just getting your life in order … discouragement is one of the biggest reasons you’ll get stopped.

Here’s the “bad” news: discouragement is unavoidable. You will encounter it on your path, if you’re taking on anything challenging or meaningful. It’s a part of the meaningful path. I actually don’t think it’s really bad news, it’s just how the path looks.

And here’s the good news: discouragement isn’t a problem. It’s a property of learning, of growth, of trying. Just like heat is a property of the sun or fire.

Discouragement is a property of caring and having hope.

So with that in mind, how do we deal with it when we encounter discouragement on our path?

Some people will just crush hope, and try not to care or get optimistic. If we don’t hope, we can’t get let down right? But that just means our hearts are shut down. Similarly, they might not even try … because if you try, you might fail, right? But that just means we can’t create any new possibilities that we care about.

The way to deal with discouragement isn’t to shut down our hearts to trying or caring or hoping … it’s to take it as part of the package. Just like a hurt heart is a part of loving, or soreness is a part of exercising. When we care, and hope, and try … we will get discouragement.

Then when it comes, just let yourself feel it. Take care of it — do you need a hot cup of tea, a talk with a friend or a therapist, some love? Let discouragement be an opportunity to practice loving yourself and taking care of yourself.

Then care and try again. Get your heart back to hope & possibility. Take the next small step. Create something new, one tiny motion at a time.

Discouragement isn’t the end of the journey — it’s a place to stop and lick your wounds, tend to your heart, catch your breath, and then start again.

You’ve got this. 🔥