Don’t you quit…

I’ll be honest, I’ve been stressed. The excitement and preparation for the details of our inaugural launch (Nine Week Turnaround starts Friday) coupled with some personal curve-balls have left me a bit off kilter. In the middle of it all, these words popped into my head yesterday:

“Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.”

This message has always been very close to my heart as it was first delivered to me by my paternal grandmother (above with my father), a remarkable woman in her own right – authentic farm girl, RN, survivor of the Depression, mother of 5 (before nannies and formula), pleasant, happy, engaging and unequivocally one of the kindest and most resilient women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Over the years my grandmother taught me a lot by how she lived her life and one that has always stuck with me was: “rest if you must, but don’t you quit.”

Changing your life for the better is hard – rewarding and worth every drop of sweat in the end – but, still hard. I am working to make my life and the lives of my colleagues better with the launch of this new company and our products. I know you too are working to improve your life and that presents challenges. So, in case you are experiencing more stress than feels manageable, I implore you NOT to quit. Rest. Take a moment to regroup and then move forward.

I’ve attached a version of the poem below. I do hope that “rest if you must, but don’t you quit” will help you in a challenging moment. The “improving our lives” journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Taking a break here and there, or reevaluating your plan to find better support or more realistic timelines. Think of individuals that inspire you when the going gets tough, keep your chin up and keep on with the good fight. You can do this.

And in the vein of my grandmother, THANK YOU. Thank you so much for reading. It is an honor to have your attention and feedback. All my best to each of you! ~Michelle

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“When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit-Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a gal turns about

When she might have won had she stuck it out.

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow -You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering woman;

Often the struggler has given up

When she might have captured the victor’s cup;

And she learned too late when the night came down,

How close she was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out –

The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It might be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit -It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.”