Taking the Hard Way Out

Over the past several months, as I have been inching closer to my college graduation, there has been a lot to consider and to think about. 

One thing that I am really looking forward to, is possibly moving to the city where a lot of my friends live and where there is a younger scene. I have been giving this idea a lot of thought, and it brings me both a lot of excitement as well as fear. This will be the biggest step I will ever have taken.

Despite all of these fears and anxiety that comes along with taking this big step, I have still been strongly considering this move. Although I could easily just stay home where everything is provided for me and there are so many fewer things that I have to worry about, I would much rather do that which is more challenging. 

Why? 

Well, because taking the easy way out is never fun. You may be wondering what is fun about doing something that is hard. Well, my question for you is what is fun about doing something that is easy? It is during the challenging experiences when we really grow and develop as people. Doing what is easy and playing it safe rarely gives one what to be proud of.

I have also learned from experience that doing that which is hard, is oftentimes what usually brings me happiness and feelings of success. I think back to when I was struggling with shyness and social anxiety. I remember being afraid to talk to people or to ask a question in class. I realized that unless I would do that which I was afraid to do- I would continue to feel powerless, disappointed and simply unhappy. 

Later on, I would regret not having made those moves. I realized that the only way that I could feel good inside was to talk to people and ask questions in class. I realized that the more fear I had to do something, the happier I was when I did them. 

Even now I feel unhappy when I get anxious about things and allow my fear to take over. When I do that which brings me anxiety, I feel much more confident in myself and feel pride. If there is anything that I hate, it is losing an opportunity to make myself better. I am oftentimes very hard on myself and rebuke myself for not having said or done something which I had been afraid to do but knew was the right thing. We all have those moments. I think it is safe to say that I would always rather do that which brings me fear than later on feel that I did not do the right thing. Many times we fear what is right because the right decision is more challenging. 

And so you may be thinking to yourself, "taking the hard way out is not really taking a way out at all." However, I digress. 

When doing that which is harder, you are indeed taking the way out. You are taking the way out because it is what will benefit you in the long run. Doing that which is easy is cutting yourself short. Not that we should always search for things to be hard, but I’m just touching on the idea that the majority of things in life that will bring us pride and joy, will require us to overcome challenges and go out of our comfort zones. Doing that which is challenging conditions us to grow towards our goals and desires, which ultimately come with their own set of challenges. 

So I challenge you to do something you have been wanting to do which you haven't done because you were too afraid. I guarantee that you will feel so much better taking this hard way out into a world of self-fulfillment and internal happiness.