It’s Not Going to Get Easier

it’s not going to get easier. yes, i’m a recovering pessimist but this statement is actually not a bad thing. hear me out…

exercise. yes, i do it so my clothes fit but i also do it for the endorphins that help my mood and anxiety. we live close to a lake i like to run around (when i wrote that, for some reason i saw me like skipping and frolicking around a lake – ha!). roundtrip, it’s about three miles from our house to the lake and back. i haven’t been running since september but since spring is in full force around denver, i’ve been getting back into the groove.

related: i hated running but then was challenged to run a 5k (thanks alison)

the first few times back on the pavement were miserable. it felt like pandas were sitting on my chest and my legs were made of wobbly lead. i could barely run two miles and in those two miles i stopped at least five times.

this past saturday, i laced up my running shoes, strapped on my obnoxious orange hat and ran three miles, while stopping two times. if you’re reading this and laughing at my lower mileage while still stopping OR if you’re reading this and are super impressed – remember, we are not the same. stop the comparison.

as i did a slow lap around the neighborhood to cool down, i thought to myself, “i’m sooooo glad this is getting easier!” but then i looked around and everything was the same. the hills didn’t suddenly disappear, the mileage didn’t change and i still had to jump over the massive crack in the cement in that same place.

my environment didn’t change. i did.

my run isn’t getting easier, i am getting stronger.

while i could technically say the run is getting easier, it’s significantly more powerful to acknowledge that i am actually getting stronger! i’m giving myself credit where credit is due and that’s pretty neat.

when you find yourself thinking, “i’m so glad this is getting easier” consider if you are the one actually improving.

a few more examples:

• wow – parenting is getting a little easier
  “i’m learning how to cope better and have more patience.”
• this task isn’t taking me as long, i’m glad it’s easier!
  “it’s taking less time because i’ve mastered it!”
• my business is taking off, good thing it’s getting easier
  “i’ve invested the time and resources my business needs to grow”
• i feel like my anxiety isn’t as bad this week
  “i’ve been taking better care of myself, which makes me more able to cope with life!“
• this clay i’m using to make a sculpture is sure getting easier* to work with!
  *okay, actually the longer you work with clay the more malleable it gets.

you get the picture though.

call out your efforts, energy and enthusiasm you are putting into reaching your goals. you deserve this! i’ve noticed this also gives me a surge of confidence when i reframe how i think about things in my life.

so, it’s not necessarily going to get easier but we do get stronger!

i would love to hear something that you’re getting better/stronger/smarter at in your life!

pass this along to a friend to remind them they are getting stronger!