Choose Your Hard: The Trade-Offs That Shape Your Life

I believe in abundance and expansion. Yet, there are times when we need to choose our hard, to decide which difficulties we prefer.

This year, I am focusing on exercising, and since last November, I’ve been adapting my routine to what makes most sense.

I am enjoying going to the gym and doing strength training. It feels good afterwards, and I also have time now when I want to listen to an audiobook. It’s the perfect mix; I exercise my mind and body simultaneously.

The subsequent adjustment to make it more enjoyable is the time. I am not yet at a point where I enjoy waking up at 5:30 AM to exercise before work. However, I don’t like it when I go at 6 PM and the gym is packed.

This is a simple example, and between the two options, I choose the harder one: waking up at 5:30 AM. It brings me a good feeling of having won the day, and by 7 AM, I’ve completed my workout and journal, and I can flow through my day in a different space.

Numerous examples in our day-to-day life illustrate the application of this concept.

Eating healthy is hard. So is feeling tired and bloated all the time.

Managing up and providing feedback to your boss is hard. So is staying silent and resenting your job.

Blocking time to plan your week can be challenging. So is starting every day reactive and overwhelmed.

Saying no to yet another meeting is hard. So is having no time to do deep, meaningful work.

Having the tough conversation with your partner is hard. So is pretending everything’s fine when it isn’t.

Limiting screen time at night is hard. So is waking up groggy and restless.

Setting boundaries with family is hard. So is living with constant guilt and pressure.

It comes back to choices - We can always choose our hard.

Hard is part of the journey. Choose the one that leads to the life you want.