Life is Hard. Every day we make a lot of decisions, many of them subconsciously and somewhat inconsequential (e.g. should I drive this way home, or that way). Occasionally though, we need to make an important decision that could have a very consequential impact on our lives. Some of those decisions should be easy, especially in hindsight if you make the wrong choice (e.g. should I drive home after a few drinks, or get an Uber). But others are not so easy (e.g. I’m pre-diabetic and need to lose weight; should I change my nutrition, start exercising or just take the medication my doctor prescribed).
Change is also hard. It’s uncomfortable and scary; we are creatures of habit. It requires us to step outside of our comfort zone and try new things and change our habits. Change is also necessary. It’s how we grow and learn. It’s how we become better versions of ourselves.
One way to make change less daunting is to remember we always have a choice. We can choose to stay the same or we can choose to change. We can choose to stay in our comfort zone or we can choose to step outside of it. Both choices are hard.
The key is to choose your hard.
What does this mean?
For example, let’s say that you need (or want) to lose weight. You know you need to change your eating habits and exercise more. But change is hard. So you have a choice to make.
You can choose the hard of staying the same. You can keep eating the same foods and not exercising. This will lead to you staying overweight and unhappy with the way you look and feel, or obese and diabetic (or on the way to becoming) and destined for a life of medication and discomfort.
You can also choose the hard of changing your diet and exercise routine. This will be hard, even uncomfortable, at first, but it will eventually lead to you losing weight and becoming healthier and happier and more confident.
So, which hard do you choose?
Choose wisely. Choose the hard thing that is aligned with your goals and values. Choose the hard that will lead you to the life you want to live.
Tips for choosing your hard
- Think about your goals and values. What do you want to achieve in life? What’s important to you? Once you know your goals and values, you can make decisions that are aligned with them.
- Be honest with yourself. What are you willing to do to achieve your goals? What are you not willing to do? Once you know your limits, you can make realistic choices about which hard to choose.
- Make a plan. Once you know what changes you need to make, create a plan for how you’re going to do it. This will help you to stay on track and motivated.
- Take baby steps. Don’t try to change everything at once. Start by making small changes that you can realistically stick to. Once you’ve mastered those changes, you can move on to bigger ones.
- Be patient. Change takes time. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Just keep moving forward, and eventually you’ll reach your goals.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re struggling to choose your hard, talk to a friend, family member, therapist, or coach (we have some of the best in the business, book a Free Intro to find out more). They can help you to clarify your goals and values, and to make a decision that’s right for you.
So again I’ll ask which hard do you choose?
The hard you choose today is the easy you’ll live tomorrow.
