Today’s going to be tough. How do I know? Every day has its own struggles. The weight of responsibility is real. Years ago, if you’d asked me if I struggled, I would have smiled and said, “Not at all.” That’s because I was ignoring everything I didn’t want to deal with. Bad relationships, taxes, even something as simple as being on time. I figured it would either work itself out or I’d handle it one day. What I didn’t realize was that I was dealing with it every single day. It was the reason I couldn’t sleep, why my stomach would ache, and why I’d overeat, under-eat, or just eat poorly.
I thought facing my responsibilities would be boring, difficult, and upsetting. And it was. But it was also productive and freeing. Once I decided to face my issues head-on, slowly and methodically, life became more manageable. Making decisions and moving forward with my day got easier.
Sometimes, the motivation to do hard things comes from the exhaustion of avoiding them.
I couldn’t have taken on what I was avoiding without some help. I needed people who loved me to hold my hand through some of the processes I dreaded. I needed to journal, exercise, meditate, and, generally take care of myself to help keep my mind and body steady as I faced the difficult stuff.
Working on the project that is my life, instead of ignoring it, was terrifying. But in the process, I’ve become more resilient. That doesn’t mean I don’t get scared, sad, or angry. It just means I can manage those feelings and still get the work done. Doing the hard things makes life easier in the long run.
ACTION: The next time you’re tempted to avoid a difficult task, take a moment to breathe. Break it down into smaller steps and try doing just one. See how it feels to face it instead of letting it linger in the background.
