We Can Do Hard!
For the last few weeks, I’ve been recovering from a fractured rib and costochondritis. I won’t lie, it has been a challenge. It felt like everything was hard. Breathing was hard, climbing stairs was hard, walking, coughing, laughing… all hard. However, life didn’t stop. The dog still needed to be walked, clients still needed my full attention, and I’m still my mother’s support system so a weekly Walmart run had to be made. Life continued and I had to push through the hard by slowing down to get things accomplished. It reminded me of a quote from Confucius, “it does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.”
Many of us are doing “hard” things right now. I’m not alone in recovering from a health issue. I’m also not alone in caring for an aging parent or nursing a sick loved one, while it comes with great rewards, it can be hard. Many of us have lost friends or loved ones, there is nothing easy about loss, it’s hard. The economy is challenging most of us to rethink our budgets and spending habits, and while it sets up us for financial success, it’s hard. I have family members and clients searching for new career paths in a challenging job market, it’s hard. The world is changing all around us; it is easy to sit back and wish things would go back to “normal” but the truth is, this is now our “normal” and we must live in the present, even if we find it hard. We have to remember that hard times and situations do not last, but how we view the experience is up to us.
How can we press through the hard times?
We can start by clarifying what we think is hard. Sometimes “hard” masquerades itself. Is it hard, or is it something we haven’t tried before? Is it hard, or is it uncomfortable? Is it hard, or is it a challenge to learn and grow? Is it hard, or do we need to spend time thinking through the details?
If we truly believe we can do hard things, one strategy for success is honing our reframing skills. Reframing isn’t denying that we are going through hard situations, reframing helps us look past the assumptions, interpretations, and limiting beliefs, to find opportunities, lessons, and hope. Are we leaning into the fear of failure or leaning into the excitement of trying something new? What could it look like to lean into uncomfortable situations hard enough and long enough that we are able to reframe the discomfort into something positive? What if we could take up the challenge gauntlet to learn and grow so that we become leaders who reframe, develop, and are reaching a hand back to pull others up?
What hard things are you going to conquer this year? Do you have a difficult situation that needs to be thought through and reframed, flipping the scenario and creating the outcome you desire? What strategies do you need to develop? In the words of Lao Tzu, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” The art of “Doing Hard Things” also begins with taking the first step. If you would like a thinking partner, sign up for a free coaching call, and let’s reframe together.
