Life is good—but let’s be honest—life can be hard. Maintaining perseverance through life’s ever-changing seasons is an art we’re constantly trying to master.
For each of us, life consists of highs, lows, ups, and downs. Certain seasons of our lives may be beautiful beyond words. But other seasons of our lives may be a little more challenging. Life’s a brutal, beautiful balance.
The truth is, it’s easy to keep going when life is good. But how do we keep pushing when things are not so good? How do we stay inspired when our dreams are on hold, our health is stagnant, or when our futures seem unclear? These are real questions that real people (including myself) ask themselves every day. I’m finding that the answer lies within the power of perseverance…
In life, there will be moments when we feel tempted to give up. But there are practical things we can do to increase our hopes. So, don’t give up just yet!
In this article, we’ll discuss a few ways to build perseverance for life’s challenges.
Reflect on Past Moments of Perseverance
When you find it difficult to keep going, stop and think about how far you’ve already come. Although it probably sounds cliché… it works. One of the best ways to build perseverance is by keeping ourselves in remembrance of our past victories.
When things seem too difficult to handle, take some time to reflect on challenges you overcame in the past. By recalling our past triumphs—we remind ourselves of our capabilities—and we give ourselves permission to keep going.
The truth is, we’re stronger than we often think we are. And sometimes, all it takes is a little self-reflection to remind us of our inner strength.
Celebrate the Small Steps
Quite often, we focus so much on what we want to accomplish in life that we don’t celebrate the small steps it takes to get us there. But the path to any form of success requires embracing the whole journey, not just an end result.
Personally, when I focus solely on a desired outcome, I tend to experience frustration and discouragement if things don’t easily fall into place. This same experience is what causes so many people to stop pursuing their desires. However, when I celebrate the small wins I achieve along the way, I gain an increased sense of confidence, energy, and productivity… This gives me the extra push I need to continue with my goals. That’s because celebrating ourselves enhances our motivation. And helps us build perseverance for the things we hope to achieve in life.
Remember, no matter what you’re aiming to accomplish (personal goals, professional, or financial)… small wins are still wins. So, go ahead and treat yourself to an iced coffee, buy yourself a gift, or post your small successes on social media. Because every little step you take on your journey is significant—and worthy of being celebrated out loud!
Remember, no matter what you’re aiming to accomplish (personal goals, professional, or financial)… small wins are still wins.
Focus on the Good
Life can be challenging—we know that. But even in the midst of challenges, life can be breathtakingly beautiful. When we train our minds to focus on the good, we direct our attention away from our problems, and strengthen our perception of our circumstances.
Focusing on the good brings forth several health benefits. Research suggests that by focusing on the positive things in life—we can reduce stress, build pain tolerance, and improve our overall mental health.
Practice Prayer and Meditation to Build Perseverance
Over the years, prayer and meditation has helped to improve my thoughts, habits, relationships, and overall perspective on life. While prayer doesn’t make all of our problems go away, being connected with a higher power can give us the divine strength we often need to make it through life’s toughest moments.
The truth is, God knows our frame, and He will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle. Meditating on this truth is what gives me the strength to persevere in life. Prayer and meditation allow me to be still, reflect, and gain clarity when I begin to feel lost and confused.
Like so many things in life, building perseverance often starts with our mindset. Prayer and meditation allow us to detach from our worries, sharpen our focus, and redirect our attention towards the beautiful things that make life worth living!
59 responses to “Perseverance: How to Build Patience and Resistance in Life”
Thanks for the encouraging post.
“Small wins are still wins”, truer words have never been said.
Exactly, Saviour. We often overlook the small wins, but those are the most important steps to reaching our goals. Thanks for reading!
Thank you for giving me my mantra for November. Small wins are still wins!
Love it, Ronda! This is becoming my life’s mantra. Thanks for reading!
Love this post! Thank you for sharing
My pleasure, Yufi.
I agree. We were looking for big wins, it is the small wins that motivate us to keep going.
Of course, meditating on God’s word gives us purpose and persistence. Gods word says, “Pray without ceasing! Meditate day and night!” God knows what we need when we need it.
You’re exactly right, Tiffany. Praying without ceasing is key.
Thanks for the encouraging post! I often feel discouraged and need to remember to focus on past victories and to celebrate small steps.
Thanks for reading, Catherine. Yes, reflecting on past victories reminds us of our strengths and the things we once thought we’d never overcome- but did!
These are some great tips. Often when things are not going the way I think it should I like to focus on past victories and celebrate the small victories.
Ann, I’m with you! When things seem too difficult, I encourage myself by reflecting on the things I’ve overcome in the past. It really helps!
Wonderful reminders. I can be quite hard on myself when I feel like I’m not achieving the BIG goal, thank you for reminding me to celebrate the small wins. Focusing on the positive and good will help attract more of it.
My pleasure, Katie. We can’t reach the BIG goals without first taking the small steps required to get us there. Every step counts, big and small!
Nice post! Perseverance is all about staying in the present and not letting the past mess things up, which can be tough. Thanks for sharing these awesome tips.
My pleasure, Nisee. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Thank you for the encouragement, sometimes we forget the good things when we focused too much on the bad ones 🙏🏽
Carmen, it’s hard not to focus on the negative at times. Redirecting our attention towards the good takes time and practice. Thanks for reading, dear!
I loved this, it’s so true! God didn’t promise us our time on this earth would always be peachy. Your post was very encouraging.
Glad you enjoyed it, Vicky!
Truth! It’s very difficult to meet our goals without small wins along the way!
Truth indeed, Susan!
I totally agree that maintaining perseverance in life is an art in itself. It is easy to be happy and keep going when life is good. But the real strength lies in our ability to push through when things get tougher. Thanks for this awesome post.
My pleasure, Hari. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
This post is really heart-touching and that’s true life amazes us each day. November is difficult and challenging for me.
Dipak, I’m sorry that November is a tough month for you. Sending my love. ❤️
Very encouraging post! Thank you
My pleasure, Dany.
Such an encouraging post. Focusing on the good makes such a difference in hard times.
It really does, McKenna. Glad you enjoyed this post. ❤️
I can relate to this article! Yes, life is full of challenges but you’ve identified some ways to deal with these. So often we look back at our challenges and realize what we accomplished.
Yes, Stephanie! And realizing what we’ve accomplished in the past gives us hope and inspiration for the future.
All very true and possibly something we should stop and think about more often. Perserverence is an interesting subject which I feel as though more and more people lack these days. Loved this post – thank you!
Thanks for reading, Maryanne. So happy you enjoyed it. And yes, perseverance is something we should practice more often.
Love this post! We all need support.
Such a good reminder!! I always forget to celebrate the small things on the way to larger
What a great blog post!
I totally agree about celebrating small wins! Researchers claim that our brains need extra effort to remember positive moments. No doubt, we need positive events to increase self-esteem. When you celebrate your small wins regularly, you reward yourself. Indeed, the neurotransmitters are released, and dopamine increases motivation, self-esteem, mood, and even attention. It all leads to further success.
Tetyana, you said it perfectly!! Love it!
Thanks for this encouraging post, reminding us that although life can be hard we should appreciate every little moment!
My pleasure, Ginger. ❤️
Love your post….it is so inspiring. Keep up the good work
Thanks, Seun! That means a lot to hear!
Love this. “A win is a win.”
Such a great post! I love the portion on reflecting on previous wins. I’ve been trying to incorporate that more in my journaling.
It’s nice to read I am not alone in these feelings. Thanks for this post!
Such a good read, I really needed this today thank you 🙏 … beautifully written xx
Glad this article spoke to you, Miranda. Thanks for reading. ❤️
Beautifully written and such a great reminder.
This is such a great post! You’re definitely right that it’s easy to keep going when you are doing good. It’s harder to keep going when you are at your lowest. Thanks for posting these amazing tips!
Glad you found this post helpful, Kelly!
Great post. So often, focusing on the good is hard to do but it certainly does make a world of difference !
I totally agree with your points. Indeed perseverance is finding the strength to push through when things are not ideal.
Enjoyed this reading. Sorry it took me so long to give you a 🗣 out. Awesome writing. 💜
No worries. Thanks for reading… Glad you enjoyed it! ❤️
Your writing is beautiful and encouraging. The reminder to take time to reflect on what HAS been wonderful is such a great takeaway. Honestly, I don’t think many of us do that, and it’s so essential when times are difficult. Thank you!
Great writing and advice! It‘s very inspirational 🙂
Thank you for the reminders! So often we devalue our wins, thinking they aren’t all that, but if someone else were to do the same we would praise them and admire them. We have to be our own cheerleaders too! Great post!
I am learning to drive a stick shift (manual transmission). It has been a lesson in a lot of things, including patience. I found that prayer has been a big help. Thanks for the great reminder.