Let it be easy

Do you believe life has to be hard for it to be worth it?

We live in a world that tells us if you want something, you have to work hard. We praise the successful people who sacrifice the most and call the rest lucky. We are bombarded by images and stories that worship the hustle. The pressure to do more even comes through in the advertisements for our products. One in particular that comes to mind is the Energizer bunny that “keeps going, and going, and going…”

At this point, you’re probably thinking this is old news. That’s the way it has to be if we want to achieve our dreams. Well, I do have news for you.

You have a choice!

You can choose to continue living with the belief that achieving your goals has to be hard. We both know that you’re good at the hustle. We know that you will achieve your goals and the harder you work towards them, the more valuable you will feel. We also know that continuing on at this level of effort will eventually lead to other consequences (even the Energizer bunny eventually needs a battery replacement!). Your foundation may begin to crumble. Perhaps your health starts to decline or maybe your relationships start to suffer. You may even get to the point where you don’t recognize the life you’ve created and begin anxiously looking for a way to escape from it all. No need to panic. Remember, you have a choice! You can choose a new belief.

I want you to consider what life would be like if it were easy?

I realize that it may be hard to imagine living a life of ease while you’re neck deep in a living hell. But I want you to know that it is possible. I also want you to know that letting it be easy does not mean you can’t be successful. In fact, I have found that choosing ease has made me more effective, reduced my stress and created sustainable happiness.

Let’s start integrating let it be easy with the same level of effort and practice that you gave to the old belief. One decision making moment at a time. Here are three steps to help along the way.

Observe – As you move through your day, notice when things feel difficult. Where do you feel like you’re struggling to make progress? Spend some time journaling about where you are experiencing challenges or feel like you’re engaged in an uphill battle. The key here is to focus on strengthening your awareness. Even if it doesn’t happen in the moment, taking time to reflect at the end of the day will help create momentum.

Ask – Once you’ve identified a challenge, take a moment and ask yourself: What would this look like if I let it be easy? Be curious and be patient. It’s ok if an answer doesn’t come right away. Continue to ask the question and trust that there is an answer. There is a way to get to your end goal that will feel easy. If you are feeling stuck, go for a walk. Movement and changing your environment will often help create new solutions. Remember, it does not have to be hard. You can choose differently.

Act – Once you have your answer, have the courage to experience your easy solution. Trust that the answer came to you because it is the answer for you. In order to fully integrate this new belief, you have to choose to take the actions that support your new belief.

If you slide back into the old belief and choose the hard path, know that is ok too. You can choose at any moment to change your next step. Integrating new beliefs take practice. There will be moments that you feel like you are taking a step backwards. That is part of the process. One step back is not the end of the road. Give yourself a hug for the lesson learned and choose again.

These steps have helped me immensely. In fact, I wrote the words “Let it be easy!” on my calendar as a daily reminder and encourage you to do the same. That note has reminded me that powering through the low energy parts of my day is not helping anyone (especially not me). In fact, my version of letting it be easy often involves taking a break for meditation, running or sometimes even taking a long shower. I always come back to whatever I was spinning on with a fresh new idea or perspective.