Do You Have Grit?
“The truest wisdom is a resolute determination.” Napoleon Bonaparte
I’ve decided something. I am no longer going to worry about changing. There’s been this small, petty, fearful voice in my head this past year that’s been needling away at me, belittling my efforts and reminding me over and over that I will never change. It’s a voice fueled by my deepest fears and doubts about myself and my long-held-on-to insecurities and shames.
But there comes a time when fear, nastiness and worry must be told to go and sit in the corner and be quiet. There comes a time when something else must rise up and stand in their place so that healthy, heartfelt, lovely change can come about. That something else goes by the name of grit.
Grit is an indomitable spirit.
Grit is resolute determination, fierce will, unwavering pluck. And grit – more powerful than fear and worry – is deep inside each of us. But how do we access it?
It’s not easy. Maybe you’ve reached that place in your life where you’ve had enough – enough of trying to get your body back, trying to get noticed for all your hard work, trying to squeeze a little you-time into your schedule, or trying to stick to something … anything. Grit doesn’t live in this place — a bully does.
So hush that bully who says your body needs to go back in time, your worth needs recognizing by someone other than you, your time is not your rightful possession or you’re a failure if you stop and start. Silence that mean mindset with sheer grit.
I believe grit is rooted in your ability to embrace and accept exactly who you are, right here and right now, and then to move forward very powerfully and mindfully from that place of inner loveliness. That is loving and that is the only way to have true grit.
True grit is horse-power from the soul.
Your inner loveliness does not need to be bullied or demeaned any longer. Hush those voices that tell you it’s too late, that you’re not good, strong, talented, pretty, thin, out-going, young or old enough. Shut them down. Give them the finger. Do whatever you’ve got to do, but don’t let them dominate the air waves any longer. Tell them in no uncertain terms that they are no longer needed. Let grit be your new song!
Grit is a very special kind of momentum.
It comes from inside. It’s not some universal force that’s somewhere out there or some higher power that guides you – it is your power. It lives and breathes inside you. You have your very own storehouse of grit.
Know it, feel it, say it … “I have grit”.
Repeat the words to yourself when you set off to move through your day, make a change, create a new habit or take on a new challenge in your life. Don’t worry about perfection or success, simple move forward with grit. You will astound yourself once you begin to feel it surging through you and pushing you in your intended direction.
Grit is your inner wisdom, embracing all that you are and then making a firm decision to dig in and fight for yourself and what you truly want. It is you gripping life. It is you seizing your highest potential. It is action ignited from a deep and loving place.
When I run I feel it lengthening my stride, picking up my pace, and pushing me a little harder than I pushed yesterday. When I write it compels me to let go finding the right words and instead, to feel them, attack them, play with them. When I love it encourages me to not let any moment slip by where a hug or a kind word could have made a difference. And when I create, collaborate and do my work it drives me to do my best for others and for myself.
Today, I will not worry about changing. Instead, I will embrace the beauty of the change that I’m capable of, and then I will grit my teeth, furrow my brow and dig in … because today, I have grit in my corner. Do you have grit?
Momentum Gathering is one year old. As a thank you, I am offering my e-book The 7-Week Life Cleanse at 50% off ($10) from now on. I hope you enjoy it and I thank you so much for being here.
44 Responses to “Do You Have Grit?”
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Hi Katie!
First of all Happy Anniversary to you and Momentum Gathering! It’s been quite a year, eh?
It’s been a while, I know, but I’ve been going through some changes, blog-wise and at home as well. So it’s pretty interesting that I decided to pop back in and read your blog on a day you’re writing about changes, and grit.
Blogwise, I’ve been mourning the loss of my blog (What Matters Right Now) due to a server crash and subsequent loss of data. On one hand I saw it as a sign that I should stop blogging altogether because it often kept me distracted me from doing family stuff, but on the other, I saw it as an opportunity to change direction and really get more focused with my online goals, something I felt had been lacking. I went around in circles for weeks in my head until I decided that since I still enjoyed blogging, I should just find a way to continue doing it responsibly (i.e. not let it distract me too much from my family) and just keep moving forward. Reading your post made me realize that grit is about not lamenting the mistakes of the past, but using them as fuel to understand the changes that need to be made going forward. I love that you say “grit is horsepower from the soul” SO TRUE! My daughter recently had some issues which were very frustrating for her and I tried to explain to her how to deal with what she was going through in very similar terms to the ones you’re using here. I gave her a list of positive words to focus on and I told her she had to replay those words in her head (repeatedly if necessary) to help her power through the frustration…and eventually the bad feelings would pass. I can now add the word “grit” to my arsenal of power words to help her stay strong and understand what it means to keep moving forward with strength and love for yourself, even when things get challenging. Thanks for a beautiful post Katie – so glad to be back in your space!
Tisha, I’m sorry to hear about the crash, but am so happy you’ve redefined your path in a way that feels right. Here’s to seizing opportunity, helping our daughters find their way, and moving forward with strength and love for yourself. Yes, that’s true grit. Thank you for coming back to visit. Great to see you here again. xo
Dearest Katie,
You are one of the grittiest girls I know! There is grit in your textured and heartfelt writing. There is grit in your steadfast ability to stay true to yourself and your values. There is grit in your determination to get up and try again when you fall away from yourself. You are a powerful woman, and you inspire the rest of us to be powerful as well. I have learned so much from you. Thank you for sharing the beautiful inner workings of your heart and mind. We all benefit from them.
Barrie, what can I say. I am soaking up your words and feeling very touched and humbled by them. You are such a lovely friend and I’m so glad we’ve connected as roomies, collaborators, fellow bloggers, mothers and loving friends. I have a feeling we’re in for some pretty cool adventures together. xo
Hi Katie,
I was born “gritty.” I’ve survived by climbing mountains one gritty step at a time. To true grit!
Aaaasgh! I wasn’t finished. Multi-tasking is not my strong suit!
Katie,
I love what you say about accepting ourselves and not trying to change all the time. When we get to that point of acceptance – that’s when we can really start enjoying ourselves and our lives. I’ve finally learned to accept all my bumps and lumps and decided that enjoying the moment is much more satisfying than trying to change all the time. I already love you – in all your “Katie-ness!” I’m glad you’re spreading the word about the worthiness of having true grit, rather than trying to become a better version of ourselves all the time.
Angela, thanks for the sweet comment. I like how you put it – that we don’t need to become a better version of ourselves. That’s exactly it. We can change but not to be better — that implies there’s something wrong with us. We can change to be more of who we are. More Angela-ness! Yes, that’s fine by me.
Hi Katie,
Happy One Year–mine is next week so we are the same toddler age.. LOL:)
I have grit..you describe it well..you have grit too, I Feel it in you..you write about it, you live it..
I believe in the law of attraction, so when I worry about something, I attract worry; when I release worry and allow for, I attract far more than I could ever imagine..
You talk about running, writing, loving..places you find your grit..it is your passion, your spark, your zest..so I say here is a toast to all that delights you and allows you to open your heart to the moment, to experience amazing in your life, and to be you!!! I am toasting with SoBe Honey Green Tea *grin*…Thank you for all that you reflect!
Hey Joy, it must be lovely to have the name Joy – to carry it around with you. I bet it attracts, as you say, more joy into your life. Thank you for the wonderful, heartfelt toast to my grit and to yours. That SoBe Honey Green Tea sounds perfect for the occasion.
I really like your comments regarding grit when you run. I think that’s one of the times in my life when I also feel like I have the most grit – when I’m pushing myself physically. During Ironman races, after 3.8km of swimming, 180km of biking and when I’m half way finished the marathon, I usually have to dig very deep and find my grit. It’s hard, but once you access I think it’s easier to get back to that place time and time again.
Oh, and I have to say that I absolutely LOVE the photo. Please tell me that’s you in your childhood.
Hey Jason, it is such a great lesson that both a 5K and an Ironman can be a place where grit is found. Although I have a feeling your grit is a tad grittier than mine, I’m still fueled by pushing myself and getting my inner grit on.
The photo is my daughter at her gritty best – age ten.
I think the day when you say to yourself, I’m not gonna take this anymore is the start of something big… Sometimes you gotta get mad, and say enuff is enuff!
Henway, yep. Mad ignites. Mad moves you towards that something big. Mad feels good.
Hey Katie,
Excellent post – it spoke directly to me. I’ve also come to a place in my life where being mean to myself isn’t an option anymore.
I’m getting grittier by the day.
Happy Birthday – hope to be reading your blog this time next year too.
Deborah, good to hear that you’re done with being mean to you. We’re not mean to others so why not extend that same courtesy to ourselves. I too hope you’re still reading my blog in a year. That would be lovely. Thank you for saying so and for being here.
Excellent post, and exactly what I needed to read today..this girl of grit is calling a naptime & a do-over. Because gritty girls need downtime when they can get it. Thank you! The emailed post is starred and will be re-read
Marley, funny you should say that about naptime and a do-over. I wrote this post after I took a hiatus day – a little downtime definitely fuels the grit in this girl too. Enjoy your re-read and thanks for commenting.
Happy anniversary to you and Momentum Gathering. What a blessing it is to have you in the blogosphere.
I love this idea of grit! This is beautiful:
“I believe grit is rooted in your ability to embrace and accept exactly who you are, right here and right now, and then to move forward very powerfully and mindfully from that place of inner loveliness. That is loving and that is the only way to have true grit.”
We all have this very deep inner strength to access. I too believe it flourishes when it’s given love and acceptance.
Thank you so much Sandra. You are such a blessing to me too. And yes, grit flourishes inside love and acceptance. I’m with you on that one.
I feel the grit in your writing this week. Grit, to me is a persistently powerful sureness of self. Even if you aren’t sure in every moment and at everything, grit is being sure that you can get back up and back on track, your track, your path.
For me, the hard part is keeping my grit after the initial decision. It’s like I need to keep rubbing it on sand paper to get it gritty enough!
And, congratulations on creating a beautifully, inspiring blog over the past year. And, thank you for sharing your journey and insight with us.
Marci, I like what you say about “even if you aren’t sure in every moment”. I think that’s key. We focus a lot on being certain of our direction, our goals, our right path and in doing so we narrow our options. Sureness doesn’t have to mean we take just one path, but it also doesn’t mean we give up when the road gets tough or loses it’s initial sizzle. I think that’s when grit comes in handy – it pushes us to continue. Not always easy though.
Thank you, dear Marci, for the lovely words and for sharing this journey with me from the beginning.
You are so welcome
Hi Katie,
Love this post and the passion that shines through in your writing. Your blog makes me feel I know you though we’ve never met. What comes through is a desire to look deeply into things and to understand yourself, others and the world at a profound level.
You are a seeker. Thanks for sharing your quest(s), questions and thoughts with us.
Dear Eileen, thank you for these beautiful and deeply touching words. It makes me realize there are many of us who are seekers, sharing and trying to understand this journey we’re on. Much love to you.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Momentum Gathering! Your posts have been a gift to me all year! Never a dull moment on this blog – and such an amazing year of growth, development and a wonderful group of Katie fans. I look forward to watching the growth into year two and beyond.
Grit is under-rated beauty! I love how you celebrate it.
“Grit is a very special kind of momentum. It comes from inside. It’s not some universal force that’s somewhere out there or some higher power that guides you – it is your power. It lives and breathes inside you.”
Ahhhh!
Thanks for the blog birthday wishes, Aileen. It takes grit to audition. It takes grit to dance, to write, to live your life wholeheartedly and you do all of that and more. I’m grateful for your unwavering support this year. Thank you just doesn’t seem like enough. xo
This is possibly my favorite post of yours that I’ve read to far! LOVED it!
SallyGirl! You made my day. Thanks.
I’m fit to grit Katie. Why? Well I once wanted to leave the planet and was seconds from doing so courtesy of one huge kitchen knife. Glad to say I decided to stay and face all that (I felt) was wrong with me amd my life. Which was merely how I chose to see it. So I needed grit to face and deal with this so that today I can smile and when troubles come to call say’ “Ah, pishposh”. When you deal witb your s**t you don’t half develop grit. With love to all the gritters out there. Show them and yourself what you’re made of!!!
John, from kitchen knife to pishposh – wow, that’s truly grit my friend. Love your zest for life and glad you’re here to spread it around.
Hi Katie,
It’s so easy to succumb to worries and the “shoulds” of life. I ask myself several times during the day what do I REALLY want to be doing then screw up the courage to go do it.
And the interesting thing is that it’s so energizing that I usually get more done during the day. Worry is so debilitating. So thanks to a post I just read this morning http://unlockthedoor.net/5-lessons-of-life-from-our-children/, I’m going to go outside just to watch some kids play.
Riley
Riley, you’re right, grit is about doing what you really want to be doing and sticking to it. Well done and have fun doing your thing. Thanks for sharing that.
I love how you have worded this thought Katie. I have struggled back and forth with the concept of personal development and accepting who I am. It is not only something I want for myself, but to be able to teach and coach the concept to others. To feel that we need to change implies that we are not good enough. Yet should we not strive to be and do better? But it is not change, it is reaching and striving for our highest potential.
Although it doesn’t quite sound like proper grammar, I feel that I am to be the best me I can be. And, that my passion and purpose in life is to help others be the best “me” that they can be. Not as good as someone else, but themselves.
So, I need grit, and to tell my bully to leave me alone!
Bernice
Bernice that sounds like a wonderful goal – to be your best “you” by helping others do the same. Dig in, get gritty and tell the bully to step aside. You go girl! I really hate saying that, but it seems appropriate
This is excellent. I see now that I have grit and the proof is in how I live my live, the choices I make, and the loyalty I give to people. Thanks for reminding me of it Katie!!
Dandy, I’m sure you do have all the grit you need — simply in saying it and seeing where it lives, you’ve owned it. Good on ya!
First of all, Happy Anniversary Momentum Gathering. I love the word grit – it’s so g-r-i-t-t-y Katie. It is a perfect post to celebrate your anniversary with.
For me, true grit is courage, displaying your grit takes courage. Knowing I have this gritty courage thing helps me to be whoever, whatever I am meant to be at any given time because I know I have the courage. Thanks Katie for having the courage to share your grit.
Thank you Michelle. I love the word “courage” also. I’m not sure how courageous I feel, but I understand what you mean about being whoever and whatever you are meant to be. Not easy, maybe courageous, definitely gritty. Here’s to your inner grit!
Katie,
It has taken me most of my life, but I finally have grit! I don’t worry about what others think I should or shouldn’t do. I love my life and I’m taking a stand to live it the way I want to, the way that best fits me, the way that makes me love my life!
Great post,
Tammy
Tammy, that’s awesome. It’s never too late to gather up our grit and fling it around in ways that make us happy. Good for you!
Hi – I’m new to the Alist blogger club and just discovered your blog from one of Leo’s articles on good blog design. I love this message about grit. I know I have it, and it’s one of the most important “things” I want to impart to my children. And I love the word grit – it really captures what you’re talking about here. I sometimes use the word moxie, but I think I might like grit even more. Anyway, I’m glad I found you – and congrats on your one year anniversary. I look forward to reading more. I just subscribed to your rss.
Hi Missy, welcome to Alist and to Momentum Gathering. So glad you found me. Grit has a sink-your-teeth-in kind of feeling about it. Something our kids will need to take on life’s challenges and stand up for themselves, for sure. Thanks for subscribing and nice meeting you here.
Happy anniversary Katie! Your first year has been inspirational, educational, and fun to watch. I know you are on your way to great things… and well deserved too.
Thank you for putting a word to what i seem to need most right now. Funny thing is, just like the tin man’s heart, the lion’s courage, the scarecrow’s brain, and Dorothy’s way home, grit has been there all the time just waiting to be tapped. Does this make you the Wizard? Me thinks so!
Enjoy your success Katie. There’s more coming your way I’m sure!