Yesterday I was at my desk feeling a little tired and aimless scrolling through my in-box when I saw an email from my dear friend Angela Raspass on choosing the hard things in life wisely. Sometimes we receive a message just at the right moment and just as we need it, right? She shared a quote that had sucker-punched her, and now me.
“Marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard wisely. Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard. Being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard. Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard. Life will never be easy. It will always be hard.”
The long-term COVID lock-down in Melbourne has been really hard on so many people. Unlike many things in life however, such as whether to stay in a relationship or to end it, we had no real choice in this hard. Our only choice was in how we responded to it. We could either surrender to it and make the best of a hard situation, or rebel against it and make it even harder for ourselves.
There are many hard things in life that we have no choice in such as the loss of a job, the death of a loved one or the ill health of our child. Sometimes we have no option but to accept hard. It’s these hard things that can make us beautifully soft, a kinder and more compassionate human being.
On the other hand, with most things in life, we do have a choice. We deliberately choose hard wisely, like staying in a job we dislike while building the business of our dreams, or re-educating ourselves so we can eventually do the work we’ve always wanted to do, or reconnecting to our passion for acting and singing by accepting a role in an amateur theatre production. They are hard choices to make, yet there’s a deep knowing inside that it’s right for us.
As I finished every last word of Angela’s email, I thought fondly of her and how she’s chosen hard this year by writing and publishing her very first book. She’d first shared her desire to write this book with me many years ago as we were sitting on the steps at East Balmain wharf in Sydney on a beautiful summers day. And now she’s done it! It’s been a privilege to be beside her and witness her do the hard-yards with such grace and dignity all the way.
I’m proud to share that Angela’s book Your Next Chapter is now here and that she’s launching it next week. I’ll be interviewing her at this exclusive virtual event and we’d love to have you join us. Click here
I’ve definitely chosen hard with the book I’m writing myself right now. It’s taking me way out of my comfort zone and way longer than I anticipated, which is why I know it’s worthwhile. Next time I have a choice between hard and easy, I think I’ll choose hard. What about you?
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With love
About me: I’m a Purpose Educator and author of The Purpose Project. I help leaders attract and retain the best people by harnessing the power of deep purpose and storytelling. I do this through keynote speaking, a customised consultative process for co-creating a new purpose statement, the purpose storytelling course and The Purpose Project Course, a 7-step online course to help employees bring their own why to work.
