Comments on: How to know when it’s time to quit. http://www.katenorthrup.com/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-quit/ Nourishment For Your Money, Body & Soul Thu, 16 May 2013 20:33:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Gwen http://www.katenorthrup.com/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-quit/#comment-1154 Gwen Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:31:13 +0000 http://katemoller.com/?p=1467#comment-1154 Wow, I found this article the day after I decided to quit working on a bachelor’s degree that I don’t need. Timely, serendipitous, wooo-wooo loveliness. Life is TOO short to spend on pursuits that don’t give me immense reward.

]]> By: Lauren http://www.katenorthrup.com/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-quit/#comment-1153 Lauren Sun, 29 Jul 2012 14:41:04 +0000 http://katemoller.com/?p=1467#comment-1153 Kate! I absolutely love this article. It is very inspiring and offers a lot of insight to my current situation.
I have been an athlete and dancer my entire life. When I was younger I played tennis, basketball, softball, and track and ended up leaving all of them as soon as I no longer wanted to play. It was never an issue. The only thing that I have stuck with since age 3 is dancing.
Since freshman year in high school, I have been a Field Hoceky player. I originally tried out the sport because my cousin played and I looked up to her. I ended up falling in love with the sport. I loved every practice, every game, every experience. I was a starter by sophomore year and was always told I was a great athlete. Junior and senior year I was the best on the team. I couldn’t leave the sport so I decided to play in college.
Freshman year of Fall 2008 was brutal. I thought I was in shape and I was in for a rude awakening. I hated it but stuck it out because I signed up for it. My coach always told me I had speed, but didn’t know how to use it. I have never gotten a compliment like that before. It always made me tear up because I guess she saw something in me that I didn’t. I thought I was trying my best even though it was agony. I was never in so much physical pain in my life as I was during training for that season.
In Fall 2009 I was a sophomore and due to a surgery that I had on both of my feet, I was unable to play, but was able to get that season back. I ended up just working everyday and getting another semester of school under my belt. It took me a full year to be able to run again and I couldn’t wait to get back on the field.
Fall 2010 came around. Junior year I was actually a sophomore on the field, but was in shape and ready for season. I had a new coach who was much easier than the last coach. I enjoyed playing again. I was a starter on a college team for the first time, but it was awesome. I finally was where I thought I belonged. During the first tournamnet of the season, I ended up breaking my nose, and although I finished the season, the mask I had to wear really hindered it. Thoughts of quitting hadn’t surfaced at this point, but I was not happy with my performance and did not want to leave hockey on that note.
The following season was my best season. Fall 2011 I was a senior in the classroom, but a junior on the field. I still held my starting spot. I finally got the hang of my new position, I was in shape free of injury, and I killed it. I continuously got compliments from my coach, players, parents, other athletes, etc. and it felt amazing. Whenever I was on the field I was always looking to see who was watching. I am not a show off, but I love getting a reaction out of people. I think I got that from dancing. I like to entertain. I always love making my family proud too. No one else in my family was a college athlete so it is nice to have the under my belt. I loved the season, loved the games, loved playing; however, I hated practice, all the girls I started with were graduating since I lost a year on the field, and towards the end just wanted season to end. Season ended, and I was completely satisfied. Quitting had been up in the air for quite some time after season ended. I remember Senior night came and I kept saying “I wish it was my senior year I should be with you guys”.
Being that Spring 2012 came around. This was my final Spring Hockey season. We do off-season training every year as college athletes. The girls I played with for four years were done playing and I felt no strong connection with the other players anymore. I always kept to myself and did my own thing. I have a lot going for me at this point so it really didn’t matter that I didn’t hang out with them but as a senior and a starter on the team I should feel more involved and enthusiastic. I was counting down how many practices left there were at every practice. The Spring tournament came in April 2012 and we played three games in the pouring rain. I didn’t mind the rain but my playing was very off. I was not in sync with the team and just not playing like I should. I hadn’t played really since November and was out of shape. Although it seemed like nothing to me I should have wanted to play more before the tournament. I should have wanted to stay in great shape and I should have wanted to better my play.
College atheletes have crazy heart for the game and it usually consumes them for their four year duration. Obviously not me. I kind of realized it was more something that I wanted to to for the hell of it, because I am a physically active person. I also realized I didn’t want to let my family, teammates, or coach down. It is hard when your coach begs you to play because she thinks you are a huge asset to the team and when your family loves to watch you play. I am a people pleaser and it breaks my heart. I didn’t want to quit and have regret after leaving.
I have been debating what I should do since then. I now have a boyfriend, am almost done with Grad School, and am trying to pursue a career as well as become a professional dancer. I never had plans really to do anything with hockey. I could be a great coach, but I feel like I would need more enthusiasm and passion for winning and playing. I don’t want to play just because I should get my four years in. Next season is approaching on August 17 and I have only ran a few times last week. I don’t push myself and am not motivated. I know I always love preseason though. I don’t know if I should just play because I may love it or just leave. I still need advice. I love playing, but I think my heart is elsewhere. I think I am afraid to say goodbye to an eight year relationship with Field Hockey.

]]> By: Kate http://www.katenorthrup.com/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-quit/#comment-1152 Kate Thu, 17 May 2012 17:10:54 +0000 http://katemoller.com/?p=1467#comment-1152 Thank you for this beautiful response Kara! Yes, it’s so important to be true to ourselves and what really makes us happy…especially if its snuggling up under a blanket and reading. Love it!

]]> By: Kara http://www.katenorthrup.com/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-quit/#comment-1151 Kara Thu, 17 May 2012 15:11:05 +0000 http://katemoller.com/?p=1467#comment-1151 Kate!

By some fluke of my email folders, I am just reading this post. I love it SO much!! I played softball for four years of my life in high school. I sucked at it! I hated it! It completely wore down my self-image, body concept, and bright spirit. When you said that about spending precious winter afternoons in a stinky gym, I was flooded with love for my winter days as an adult now – drinking hot tea, snuggling under blankets, imagining vast landscapes of snow as I hunker down and write and dream. (I did love playing basketball, which was a winter sport in my high school, and am still rather fond of those stinky gyms however…)

In any case, this is such a beautiful post, and I wish I had had the courage to quit back then – to explain my reasons to my dad, or just to say: Hey, I’m not doing this any more. End of story.

This wound has made me grateful for how I make choices as an adult, and compassionate for all of us trying to find the balance of self-love. That said, I would trade it all in a heart beat to have spent those hours whacking a tennis ball with the joyful girls on the tennis team, or reading and dreaming and writing lavishly, soft and comfy at home with my sweet mom before life snapped into seriousness and dinner had to be made.

Thank you for your beautiful words and hearty quitting spirit!
All the best,
Kara N.

]]> By: Permission to be where you are, even if where you are sucks. | Kate Northrup's Freedom Tour http://www.katenorthrup.com/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-quit/#comment-1150 Permission to be where you are, even if where you are sucks. | Kate Northrup's Freedom Tour Fri, 11 May 2012 21:24:47 +0000 http://katemoller.com/?p=1467#comment-1150 [...] I was burned out. I was having a major hankering for a home. I was ready to nest. [...]

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