Get Up. Keep Swinging.

We all reach that point: when you hit the mat after going a few rounds in the ring with Life. And she is Beating. Your. Ass. 

Yeah, the mat is nice and cool. You get a chance to catch your breath. But Life is there, hovering over you waiting for you to get up so she can come at you again. Wouldn't it be nice to rest without all of this pressure? That's what the corners are for, but you gotta go the whole round to get there.

Some rounds are tougher than others. Sometimes you have the upper hand. Some rounds are rather quick; while others seem to drag on forever. I like to think of rounds as individual goals. Everyone's rounds are different, and usually no two rounds are identical for one person. If you're a fashion blogger, your rounds are probably as follows: Round 5 - get someone to pay you cash for promoting their brand or Round 9 - saving enough to quit that job to pursue fashion blogging full time. For those like me, in pursuit of early financial freedom, our rounds would look something like: Round 3 - pay off all of your debt and Round 7 - create enough passive income to cover all of your living expenses and then some. 

Whatever your round may be, you're going to get knocked down. You're going to get told your following isn't big enough for a paid brand campaign. Someone is going to hit your car in the middle of the night forcing you to dip into your savings. Life is a relentless savage, but so are you. Get up. And if you get knocked down again; get back up again. Don't stop swinging until you reach that goal, finish the round, and stumble back to your corner for a rest. Oh no, make no mistake; the corner is also not a place to get too comfortable. There's another round coming up. Relish in the fact that you made it to the next bell and completed your goal. Acknowledge your accomplishment and get ready to go at it again. Don't dwell too long on your successes because there is always more to be had.  Can't best life in another round, if fear or comfort has you trapped in your corner. No fights have ever been won from the corner. Victory is in the ring.

"Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion." - Muhammad Ali