I’m a Quitter
Have you ever learned a foreign language and your language teacher asked you what is your favorite word in that language? When I was an exchange student in Japan and the first time someone asked me that question, I can’t help but think how weird and interesting that question is! I had a hard time answering the question because the truth is I am not sure if I have a favorite word. But if you asked me if I have a word that I hate hearing the most, I sure have. And that is ganbatte/ganbaru.
The word itself is harmless. It does not have a direct English equivalent but it’s often translated as good luck, do your best or break a leg. The word is deeply rooted in the mindset of the Japanese and it is a call to persevere whatever the challenge at hand may be.
I don’t remember how exactly I become really sick of it. But I remember one story. It was my first ‘real’ job after I graduated from university and after 2 months of working, I realized that it was not something I wanted to do and that metropolitan city life is not for me. At some point, my health was heavily affected by the stress and I know that I needed to do something to make it stop.
I told my Japanese friend about my struggle and how badly I wanted to quit my job. After hearing my story, she told me I should endure it and ganbaru instead. She said I should keep working for that company for another 3 years because maybe everything felt so difficult and stressful in the beginning but it will get better over time. I got her point but I still recall being annoyed hearing the advice and I think that was the worst piece of advice I’ve ever heard.
It got stuck in my head. Why does everyone discourage me from quitting? I don’t understand why they think it’s better to stay in a situation that constantly makes you stressed and unhappy. My health was never been worse and I can feel the stress driving me crazy and slowly killing me. I wonder if people only saw me running away from hardship, but even if that were true, I don’t see why I shouldn’t.
Quitting, no matter how negative that may sound — is not always a bad thing. It’s okay to quit. People need to know that quitting needs courage as well. Courage to stop being in a situation when you are at a disadvantage, courage to pop the bubble you’ve lived in and get out of your comfort zone, courage to accept the uncertainty of the future and to let fate lead you to a new place.
It might be easier to be stuck in the situation and not try to make any move. But how would you know if there are no better things out there waiting for you? Or if there is a path that is more suitable for you? Think about it.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t advise you to quit everything that you’re doing, I don’t advise you to quit things that don’t work on the first try, that’s not my point. Quit on things that are no longer beneficial for you, things that don’t make you happy, things that don’t suit your value. Some things are meant to let go.
There are times when you need to quit. Knowing when to stop and when to quit is necessary. Knowing that something is not good for you and not letting it mess with your life is a needed skill. Sometimes you just have to quit.
Live a life you won’t regret
That sentence passed through my timeline one day. I know that moment if I stay where I am right now, I will regret it. I will regret the opportunities that I will miss, the times I won’t be able to spend with my family, and the things I would never learn because I do not have the time. Living a life with regrets? I’ve done quite a lot of that and I am not doing it again.
So I will take whatever it is to live a life that I won’t regret. If the first step I need to do is to quit— yes, I am a quitter.
Solo, 15 November 2022
