I don't know about you all, but for me, I've found myself taken aback at the amount of life lessons I am constantly learning and have yet to learn. It seems to me that every day, I am growing and expanding my knowledge of myself, others, and the world I live in. Every day brings its new experiences and moments.

What does this have to do with the title of the article?

I think that it is the toughest moments in life that bring the most learning.

Those moments when you want to stop, want to give up and just leave things as they are rather than continue forward, yet decide against it and grow despite it all. Those moments are the "hard things" that the article's title references.

This past semester, I have encountered my fair share of these moments, whether it be an academic, social, or emotional. However, something reassuring amidst these challenges was this simple motto:

You can do hard things.

There is something so empowering about this mantra for me. I think it is because it doesn't try to belittle the fact that the things we sometimes go through can be hard, can be difficult. So often we might try to lighten our load and say things like "it isn't that bad" or "it could be worse." Yet the truth truth is, if you are facing something in your life that is challenging you, then it ought to be seen for what it is and not be belittled just because it might seem less than in comparison to the other struggles that people face.

If it seems difficult to you, then it is! Honor it. I find there to be such freedom in simply admitting that the things we go through can be hard.

Instead of trying to put on a brave face and pretend that everything is flowing and coming easily to us, we can admit that some of the things that might be coming up are hard.

There is nothing wrong with that.

At the same time, this mantra reminds us that the problems we encounter in life, the challenges we tackle, can be hard, but that's okay because we have enough strength to get through them.

There is not only freedom in admitting that things may be difficult. There is freedom in recognizing that despite it all, in fact, because of it all, we are more than capable.

We all have been gifted with different talents and abilities, and we can use all of the wisdom we have gained on our different life paths in the different situations we face. Just as we each will face different "hard things," we each will have different ways of getting through them.

For me at least, this mantra is a good reminder that I am able to tackle everything put on my path, that I am not put into situations that I cannot handle. I can do hard things, and you can too.

So, the next time a situation arises where you think that you just might not make it through, take a deep breath and repeat to yourself: "I can do hard things." Trust me, this little motto makes a big difference.

Talk soon,

Sam