Have you been trained to accept “struggle” as a given in your life? Do you think nothing good comes unless you struggle? Life does have its ups and downs, yet we spend a lot of time focusing on the challenges in our lives. We hold on to them too.
Before you go any further, realize that working hard is not the same as struggling. Working hard means you are giving it your all and are building either something tangible, knowledge, or creating a relationship with a two-year-old in the middle of the “no” stage.
Working hard has been tied with struggle, and they are not the same thing.
The struggle is rooted in resistance, and that connects with fear. Fear clouds our thinking and makes it difficult to move forward effortlessly. Another form of fear is ’worry.’ Whatever form of fear you embrace, the more struggle you will have in your life.
Why are we attached to struggle, and what is it telling us? Every area you battle in is holding on to a fear-based thought that creates resistance in your life.
YET, even though struggling doesn’t feel great, we still hold on to it as an integral part of our lives.
Why would we struggle instead of living more with ease? It’s about your mindset.
How does struggle show up in our lives?
If you notice the following, stop and ask yourself, “what am I attached to and
why am I attached to it?”
- Complaining about the same thing regularly
- Worrying about something that may happen in the future
- Focusing on lack of money
- Feeling not good enough
- Maybe you want to be included in a group and discussing your struggles helps you feel connected with others.
The only way you can break out of this cycle is to let go of the struggle consciously. A powerful way to release struggle is to inquire why you moved towards struggle as an option in your life. Keep checking in and asking why it’s vital for you to struggle.
Struggling is a choice, and you can choose something else besides struggle.
Simple Steps to Releasing Struggle
- Write down the areas in your life where you struggle
- Go within and write out why you struggle in those areas
- Ask, “what do you want to change to create more ease in your life.” You may have several areas you want to change and keep the list.
- Choose one most important area you want to focus on now
- Brainstorm on the possible things you can do to support this change – don’t edit and write down everything you think you can do.
- Review your list and select the top three that you can use to make the change.
- Number them and start with Number 1.
- Give yourself 30 days, one day at a time, to implement the change
- After 30 days, review how you did
- Celebrate in a small way acknowledging that you made a change in your life.
Change is usually most effective in small steps, and committing to one day at a time, gives you enough energy to make the change. Otherwise, it can feel overwhelming, and resistance to change can pop up.
Your Thoughts
Do you think it’s possible to live a life with less struggle? Do you think you could create ease in some areas of your life?
Women’s Group Topic
Since we all have areas we struggle with (weight, relationships, money, and more), discuss how struggle has permeated each of your lives. Is struggle necessary? If so, why, and if not, how do you let it go?
Be well,
Pat
“To fully enjoy the ‘richness’ of our lives, we need to stop long enough to visit with ourselves.”
(Pat Brill)
Other Topics You May Be Interested In
If It’s Not Working, Change It
Do You Feel Powerless?
When Friends Hurt
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