How You Think About Hard Things

"You will never change the fact that being human is hard [sometimes], so you must change your idea that it was ever supposed to be easy [all the time]." Glennon Doyle, Untamed

I love this quote, but I like it better with some slight tweaks.

Because we have an enormous amount of control over our emotional experience. So much more than we realize or give ourselves credit for. 

Including whether we decide something is “hard.” “Hard” is a subjective thought.

And often, thinking something is hard doesn’t serve us. It leads to actually making things hard or harder on ourselves.

But sometimes, acknowledging that something is hard is exactly what you need to show yourself some compassion. Letting go of the idea that everything should always be easy.

You have to decide when that thought or that characterization is serving you. By observing how you show up when you think things are hard. 

Does that thought create compassion? Resilience? Curiosity? Ease?

Or does it create despair? Resignation? Apathy? Hopelessness?

Being a human can indeed be hard. Messy. Sad. Maddening. Confusing. Infuriating.

But there are times when it is easy to be human. When the ease, simplicity, and joy come naturally.

In the times where things feel hard, remind yourself that this is part of the “sometimes.” It’s just one line, one page, one chapter in your story. 

It allows you to acknowledge that something is presently hard or feels hard to you if you need to. To acknowledge your humanness.

But it also helps your brain recognize that  no moment is permanent. 

The “sometimes” is just that. Sometimes. Not all the time. Not forever. Just for now.

In his book, Effortless, Greg McKeown talks about recent findings that our experience or perception of “now” is only 2.5 seconds.

Regardless of whether it’s possible to precisely measure our perception of “now,” the idea that our current perception is mere seconds is fascinating.

Because then, even if something or a lot of things are hard right now, your next version of right now could look completely different. And that different version of right now might be mere seconds away.

A ❤️ note to you: You don’t have to handle the hard things completely on your own. I can help. Sign up for a free call with me at jenndealcoaching.as.me/consult. On the call, we will (1) assess where you are now and where you want to be, (2) I’ll tell you how coaching can help get you there, and (3) you’ll decide whether you’re ready to move forward with changing your life.

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I’m Jenn Deal. I am a life and career coach for women lawyers. You know how so many women lawyers struggle with feeling anxious, overwhelmed, unmotivated, or stuck? I help them feel in control over their lives and careers. 

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