I sat down to write a very different post than the one you are about to read. My intention this week was to share some of the amazing breakthroughs my clients have had this week, but then there was another message that came up. A message that I think more of us need at the moment considering all the things unfolding in the world around us. So let’s get into it shall we?
This week I want to talk to you about the proverbial (and often literal) struggle.
Virtually every human being understands what this is because we’ve all been through it to some degree. This week however, I received a download about the role struggle plays in our lives and it boiled down to these 5 things.
1. The struggle is REAL!
Truth! The struggle is real because our feelings are real and should be validated. It’s real because the circumstances that create the struggle are also real concerns, issues, and challenges. The struggle is real because we are all human beings living in a world that has been thrown off its axis a bit and the “norm” that we once knew has shifted. It’s real because life as we know it is transforming and changing at a rate that is hard to keep up with. AND…it can still be real and true and valid without being something we get stuck in. (Read that again.)
2. The struggle is necessary.
Truth! The struggle is necessary because it is often the discomfort we need to change and grow. It’s the thing that gets you so frustrated and fed up with aspects of your life that make change a non-negotiable. It’s the “come to Jesus” meeting you end up having with yourself because deep down you know you were placed here to do more, be more and to step into who you were truly meant to be. The struggle is necessary because without it you’d never change a thing. It’s the pain in the struggle that often ignites the power within you to draw a line in the sand and do the damn thing (whatever that is for you). The struggle is necessary because it’s what inspires you to step up and go all in on what you came here to be, have, and do.
3. The struggle is optional.
Truth! In some cases, the struggle is also optional. I speak from experience when I say that sometimes we, as human beings make things a lot more difficult than they need to be. I’ve had many times in my life when I’ve been so hell bent on things going my way, that I struggle, push and force things into being, instead of just simply surrendering. For a long time, struggle was just the way I did things because I didn’t know any better. After awhile it just became part of my story and the thing that needed to happen before I could succeed. The struggle became the way I earned my success. Crazy, I know, but it’s true. So, yes at times the struggle is completely optional and absolutely does not need to be a prerequisite for ease, flow, or success.
4. The struggle is part of the journey.
Truth! No matter who you are or where you come from, struggle is part of the human journey. It’s part of our evolution. It’s how we learn just how strong we are and how far we can go. It’s also a sign we are ready to go to the next level and expand. So, whenever you hit a struggle in your life I encourage you to remember that it’s simply an opportunity to expand and it doesn’t have to mean anything more than that.
5. The struggle won’t last forever.
Truth! I know when you are in it, it can feel like the struggle is never going to end and often that is the biggest fear we all have. What if we never recover? What if it never gets better? What if it this challenge lasts forever? Let me put your mind at ease for a moment. It won’t. It doesn’t last forever and when you relax into that knowing a bit and you look for your opportunity to expand, things feel easier. Remember, it can all shift and change in an instant, the moment you believe it can.
There’s no doubt that 2020 is a year like no other and while we are all going through our own struggle, personally and globally, we have to continue to believe that something better is unfolding and on the way. Honestly, that thought is what is getting me through the tough stuff…that and doing this work.
So, as we venture into yet another month of who knows what…let’s take a deep breath and choose to focus on and believe good things are on the way.
Sending big love your way!
Have a great weekend!!
P.S. If you are looking for a Mindset Boost to help you through your own struggle, check out this audio bundle. I’ve got some new mindset resources in the works, but this is a great place to begin.