Life is full of choices. And there is always a choice, even though the available choices may all be unpalatable at times. But we always have the power to choose. If nothing else, we have the power to choose our attitude and mindset.
We can choose things that may make life harder or easier at times, but in the end, there will always be something hard about life. Just as the heroic warrior in every great story can never escape battle no matter how much he wants peace after a long career in war, we cannot escape hardships in life. Studying diligently to learn skills and knowledge, and earn good grades, is hard. Failing your way through school and ultimately working low-wage or minimum wage jobs because your poor academic performance does not allow better options is hard.
Personal
Being single is hard. Routinely being lonely, coming home to an empty house and nothing better than instant ramen with no one to even share that with, is hard. Your friends are all married with kids, have no more time to chill out with you, leaving many days and nights spent alone – that can be hard. Dating is hard. People will reject you. People will lie. People will conceal things from you. People may cheat on you or betray your trust. Marriage is hard. Waking up in the middle of the night worried about your son’s fever and vomiting is hard. Coming home after a long day, and finding no peace in company with your spouse, but rather acrimony, contempt, and nagging – yeah, that’s hard. Choose your hard.
Professional
Working the 9 to 5 grind for corporate leadership that never seems to appreciate you, that pushes you to compromise your integrity, health, and wellness in the name of corporate profit and “putting the mission first”, that can be hard. Building a business from the ground up, enduring long periods of time where you never seem to be earning enough money despite providing best effort outstanding service doing something you love that gives you a deep sense of purpose, and clients sincerely appreciating you for such, that can be hard. Giving up on a student who gives you too much attitude, later regretting it because you should have done more for them, that can be hard. Not giving up on a student, consistently trying to help them succeed despite their determination to maintain a downward spiral toward being a loser at life, giving it all your heart and still seeing no improvement in them, that can be hard. Choose your hard.
Health
Being overweight and in ill-health with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol – that’s hard. Developing the discipline to exercise regularly and eat healthy food consistently is hard. Waking up early to go running or lift weights is hard. Not having the physical fitness to play with your kid is hard. The doctor telling you that your heart will give out if you don’t seriously change your health habits is hard. Giving up your habit of eating pizza every night can be hard. Choose your hard.
Like the Old Book Series Says – “Choose Your Own Adventure”
It’s all hard anyway, so you might as well choose the hard path that you feel is righteous, honorable, and does the most benefit for you, the people you care about, and the world around you. That decision can be hard. But failing to act decisively is even worse.
What do you think? Please leave a comment below.