When You Feel Like Giving Up — and Don’t Think There’s Hope for a Better Tomorrow

New Beginnings

I’m often asked, “How did you pick up the pieces when your life fell apart?” and “How did you start over?”

To answer that, I need to take you back about ten years to a time when my marriage had abruptly ended and the life I’d planned no longer existed. Everything felt uncertain. I was grieving, confused, and trying to make sense of a future I didn’t recognize.

New Beginnings

In the middle of that pain, a wise woman gave me two options:

Option 1: I could bury my head in the sand and pretend it wasn’t happening, only to face it later when things had grown even more complicated.

Option 2: I could face reality, take the harder road, and do the work of healing.

I chose the second. And that choice began a journey of growth, faith, and self-discovery that changed everything.

Today, when I look in the mirror, I see a different reflection, one I truly love. My life is beautifully imperfect: adventurous, challenging, and full of meaning. Here are some of the tools and truths that helped me rebuild.

Journaling

Journaling became my safe place my emotional release. On paper, I could be completely unfiltered, writing without explanation or restraint. It helped me process pain, make sense of my emotions, and slowly untangle what was weighing me down.

Reading

Books became my lifeline. They offered hope, wisdom, and perspective from people who had walked through darkness and come out stronger. They reminded me I wasn’t alone. Early on, two that made a big impact were A Jewel in His Crown by Priscilla Shirer and Stronger by Jim Daly.

Memory Making

I became intentional about creating new traditions and joyful memories with my boys. We filled our lives with adventure canoe trips, biking, exploring springs, and camping. We built stories that reminded us life could still be good, even while healing.

Mindset Shift

I stopped saying, “I have to” and started saying, “I get to.” That shift changed everything. I began to see life as a treasure hunt each challenge a lesson waiting to be uncovered. My clients laugh now when they start a session with, “I know there’s a lesson here, Mrs. Yvette.”

That perspective helped me see every trial as an opportunity to grow and live more intentionally.

Music

Music became medicine. Some days it was worship, other days it was whatever spoke to the emotion of the moment. My boys and I would blast songs and dance in the kitchen, letting the sound wash over the heaviness. Music became a balm for our souls.

Wall of Encouragement

Back then, my bathroom wall was covered in quotes, verses, and affirmations that reminded me to breathe, trust, and fight another day. I surrounded myself with words that gave life when everything felt broken.

Faith

For me, faith was the cornerstone of healing. My time with God each morning especially on the hardest days became my anchor. It transformed what I knew about Him into something I could feel. I deepened my relationship through prayer, women’s studies, and online devotionals with Proverbs 31 Ministries. That daily connection gave me peace, direction, and resilience.

Looking Back

Life has never been the same and I’m grateful for that. The version of me that exists today is wiser, more grounded, and more compassionate. I’m a better woman, mother, wife, daughter, and counselor because of what I walked through.

Your story may look different than mine, but the process of transformation is universal. Healing is rarely instant. It’s a journey of small, intentional steps, of learning, stretching, and growing imperfectly, but steadily.

It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. Every piece of my story led me to this place of peace, purpose, and gratitude and it can for you, too.

If you’re standing in that space between what was and what could be, take heart. You don’t have to walk it alone. I’d be honored to come alongside you on your journey toward healing and wholeness.

Every Minute in Life Is a Gift

Every Minute in Life is a Gift!

We are all a work in progress. Change is constant, and each day is an opportunity to live more fully and freely. Believe that your best days aren’t behind you they’re unfolding ahead. The sun will rise tomorrow, bringing light, renewal, and the chance to begin again.

---

Yvette E. McDonald is the owner and counselor at Nourivida Wellness, a practice for individuals helping them discover the person they were always meant to be as they become the best version of self in their roles and relationships in the Port Saint Lucie and Martin County area. I'm passionate about helping individuals write a new chapter in their journey of life. If you're in the Saint Lucie or Martin County Area and life isn't quite what you expected it to be at this point in your journey, please give me a call at 772-361-8448.