August 09th, 2016

Hi! I've got something on my mind.
It's pretty straight forward and pretty un-exciting. But it's truth. And, if you are like me, you need a little truth on this Tuesday.
Here it is:
Getting better is hard work. That's it. That's your truth of the day.
Having conversations you don't want to have = hard.
Physically changing your body so that it is healthier and stronger and more of what you want it to be = hard.
Finally sitting down and doing a budget = hard.
Sticking to that budget = HARD!
Facing the fact that you get defensive too often and for too many things = hard.
Realizing you've been playing the victim card and you need to stop that nonsense right now = hard.
Quitting a job (or a relationship or a habit) that's not right for you without any other reason than "it's not good for me" = hard.
Hard. Hard. Hard.
But! Here's another equally important truth.
Hard things are not impossible things! Hard things are just that - hard. And they don't stay hard, not always. Sometimes hard things get easier. Sometimes they don't. But that doesn't mean you aren't supposed to do them. Since when do you judge what you are supposed to do on how easy it is? Never is the answer. 

I truly believe we are at our best when we are doing hard things. I believe we are the closest to our best self when we are pushing and working and reaching. Not when we are stagnant and lazy and complacent. YUCK! I can't stand that person! And yet, most of us wait around and let hard things find us. We don't do hard things unless we are FORCED to do hard things. And some of us have had to do some really, really hard things:
Face down a terminal disease
Rebound after a long and difficult illness
Try (and try and try) to recover and rebuild after a devastating loss
<insert your really hard thing here>

Those things were harder than we ever imagined. But we did it. Somehow we pushed and struggled and called on outside help and somehow, someway we did it. And, at least in my case, I know we were better for it.

So, how about this time instead of waiting around for the hard to choose you, how about you choose the hard? How about you go ahead and do that hard thing you've been avoiding. Make the call. Swallow your pride. Put down the doughnut. Sign the papers. Get on the treadmill. Get over yourself. Say you're sorry. Embrace the change. Not because life is forcing you, but because the better version of you is waiting on the other side.

Choose the hard.

I believe in you.

Love,
Jenné