Today's Character Talk for the Girls: Perseverance (7/22/2021)

To persevere, you must believe that you are capable of achieving your goal. Confidence in yourself and setting realistic goals will help you to persevere. We can also help others persevere through encouragement.

When seeking perseverance, it is important to set realistic goals. This does not mean that you should not challenge yourself, but that you should strive to know what you are capable of. Sometimes we do set goals that are too high. In these cases, it is best to be humble, accept our limitations, and set a new, more attainable goal.

As you accomplish your goals, you will grow in confidence. Confidence in yourself is important because it is the fuel that will propel you to continually strive to persevere and achieve your goals. Another term for self-confidence is self-esteem. Although persevering and reaching goals will make us more confident, we can never believe that our mission to be a better person is finished. There is always room for growth and improvement. Even great and accomplished people such as Mother Teresa, Albert Einstein, and Abraham Lincoln continually strived to become better people.

Finally, encouragement plays a huge role in the virtue of perseverance. No one is hopeless in life. Sometimes people lose the desire to persevere and may seem like failures, but anyone can turn their life around with enough desire and hard work. This is why it is always important to continually encourage those around us. Let a sibling or friend know when you are proud of them. Let your parents and your teacher know that you appreciate them and all that they do for you. Surround yourself in an environment of encouragement by encouraging one person at a time.