Choosing Your Hard: A Lesson in Short-Term vs. Long-Term Struggle
This morning, I went for a run, and let me tell you—I did not feel like it. My body was tired, I was stiff, and I knew that there would be more walking than running. But I also knew something else: in a few months, I have a race coming up. And if I don’t train now, that race is going to be incredibly hard. So, I made a choice: I picked today’s hard over future hard. And once I started, it wasn’t as bad as I had expected.
This moment reminded me of a simple truth: we always have to choose our hard.
- Eating well and exercising can be hard. But so is dealing with chronic illness later in life.
- Saying no and setting boundaries can be hard. But so is feeling resentful and exhausted from overcommitting.
- Making time for self-care can be hard. But so is burning out because you ignored your needs for too long.
- Leaving a job or relationship that no longer serves you can be hard. But so is staying in a situation that drains you.
Why Choosing Your Hard Matters
We often think of discomfort as something to avoid. But the truth is, avoiding discomfort now often leads to even greater discomfort later. When we push off making a difficult decision, we’re not eliminating hardship—we’re just delaying it, sometimes making it even harder to face.
Think about your health. Making time for exercise and eating nutritious meals takes effort. It’s inconvenient. But neglecting your health now can lead to chronic pain, illness, and mobility issues in the future. The same principle applies to burnout. Setting boundaries at work, prioritizing rest, and learning to say no can feel uncomfortable—but the alternative is exhaustion, resentment, and losing your sense of self.
How to Start Choosing Your Hard
- Identify the long-term consequences of inaction. If you keep avoiding something, what will the impact be in a year? Five years?
- Reframe the discomfort. Instead of seeing hard choices as suffering, view them as investments in your future self.
- Take small steps. Choosing your hard doesn’t mean overhauling everything at once. Start with one manageable change and build from there.
There is no easy path. But there is a path that leads to a stronger, healthier, and more fulfilled version of you.
So, what’s something hard you’ve been avoiding? And what would change if you chose the hard that serves you now?
Check out my website for tools and support on breaking the burnout cycle.
