The Challenge

As we transform into adults, one of the things we covet most is independence.  We are in charge of who we hang out with, the money we spend, the food we eat, the career we pursue.

We decide when, where, how… for most of the key things in our life. 

Somewhere along the way certain things we choose end up challenging us and we begin a conditioning process to look for the path of least resistance.  It’s proven brain science… but this isn’t that type of blog ;)

The path of least resistance can still be riddled with obstacles, and you can find yourself wondering how to get past them. 

That plateau with your business.

That same fight you keep having over and over with your spouse.

The unexpected parenting challenges that make you want to throw your hands up in the air and ship them off to your parents for a week? 

They all wear us down and make us feel like we are losing control.  Losing our coveted ability to choose a path that will work and be insanely enjoyable every step of the way.

This is especially hard for those of us who have found many things relatively easy in the past.  We were intelligent enough to make fantastic grades in school with, at times, not maximum effort.  We were able to get into that college program we wanted with ease.  We bought our first home, and maybe even started our first business without a ton of missteps.

We had a great support system we could turn to when we needed to ensure a small hurdle didn’t turn into a massive roadblock.

The Challenges

But all of a sudden, adult life can seem like a never ending stack of plates to spin. 

It’s impossible not to break one.

When you become hyperaware of the challenges that seemingly just drop out of the sky, it’s time to choose to challenge yourself.

Yes, you heard me right.

Time and time again when I chat with another professional who is overwhelmed and struggling with the unexpected obstacles it becomes immediately evident that it has been months or even years since they have intentionally chosen to push themselves.

That brain phenomenon won and they continued to travel down the path of least resistance until the universe handed them something to wake. them. up.  

When was the last time you pushed your mind, body, or both into something that was seriously uncomfortable?

Took a risk that scared the crap out of you?

Stopped doing things the exact same way over and over again… every. single. day?

Embrace the Pain

This past weekend a dear friend of mine and I thought we would go for a friendly hike.  We had no idea what kind of trail we were embarking on and it ended up being straight up for a few miles.  We were both out of breath and it would have been super easy to just turn around and head back down; but we pushed hard and embraced the discomfort.

Are you spending your life turning around and heading back down the mountain when it gets hard?

If there are any goals in your life that you don’t feel you are progressing towards I guarantee this one step alone will get you moving in the right direction again.

It takes a massive amount of discipline to choose difficulty, but it’s either a little bit of pain now or waking up one day looking around and wondering how you have felt so stuck for so long.

Get out your planner and schedule in some discomfort.  Push yourself.  No one is ever going to care about your own path as much as you so it’s time to lean into the process!