Everything In Life Is A Struggle
A few years ago, I read one of my favorite books, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* by Mark Manson. One of my biggest takeaways was this idea: everything in life is a struggle. The question is which struggle is worth struggling for.
I’ve used that idea regularly since then, but the first time it really clicked was when I was trying to quit vaping nicotine.
At the time, vaping was a struggle. It was unhealthy. I was wasting money on it, and when I actually added it up for the month, it was a ridiculous amount of money, which also meant time and energy. I was always thinking about hitting my vape. I had to make sure I had one, and an extra in case the first ran out. If I couldn’t find it for even a few seconds, I would panic. At work or in places I couldn’t vape, I’d perseverate on it.
It was a serious struggle to vape.
But quitting was also a struggle.
The stress. The headaches. The overthinking. The mental strain. The irritation. The attitude. The consistency. It was a huge struggle. I had tried quitting multiple times, sometimes only making it a day or two, and even when I made it a good month, I eventually went back. It sucked. And in the moment, it felt intense.
That’s when this idea really landed for me.
Vaping was a struggle. Quitting was a struggle. Either way, I was choosing a struggle.
So I chose the one that was worth it.
In the moment, quitting felt like the harder struggle. It was uncomfortable and exhausting. I hated it. But something shifted. With each day I stayed consistent, the struggle started to ease. Over time, it faded. And eventually, it disappeared altogether.
Now, that struggle is obsolete.
I’ve used this mindset in many other areas of my life since then. Parenting. Financial decisions. Working toward goals. And more. In each case, I’ve noticed the same pattern.
When I choose the harder struggle in the moment and stay consistent, the struggle doesn’t last forever. It softens. It changes. And sometimes, it goes away completely.
Reflection: What struggle are you currently avoiding or circling around? What are the real struggles tied to each option you have? If both paths are hard, which one leads you closer to the life you want?
Action Step: Pick one habit or pattern that feels hard to change. Commit to choosing the harder option once a day for the next three days. Notice what shifts.
