Choose Your Hard: A Mindful Reminder to Show Up for Yourself

Is it hard to get up and go to yoga class?

Of course it can be.

It can be hard to set the alarm. It can be hard to leave the house. It can be hard to make your way to class, or to deal with the technology that allows you to show up for an online class.

But it can also be hard to wake up feeling stiff, sore, tight, uncomfortable, or in pain.

Both are hard.

So sometimes we have to choose our hard.

The Hard Choice That Gives Back

There are many things in life that ask effort from us before they give us the benefit.

Showing up for gentle yoga class may not always be what you feel like doing in the moment. Going to the gym, taking a walk, eating the healthier meal, or skipping dessert can all feel hard sometimes.

But what is the alternative?

The alternative is often hard too. And many times, I would venture to say it is harder.

It is hard to feel limited in your body. It is hard to feel stiff when you get out of bed. It is hard to move through your day wishing you felt better, stronger, or more comfortable.

This is not about guilt. It is not about perfection. It is about looking honestly at the choices in front of us and asking: which hard will help me feel better later?

Choosing Longevity

When you make the effort to show up for yourself, you are choosing more than one class or one walk or one mindful choice.

You are choosing longevity.

You are choosing to age with more grace.

You are choosing to give your body the chance to feel good so you can continue doing the things you want to do on any given day.

That does not mean every healthy choice will feel easy. Sometimes the hardest part is simply beginning. Getting dressed. Pressing the link to join class. Walking through the door. Rolling out your mat.

But each of those moments is a way of saying, “I matter. My health matters. My future self matters.”

Put in the Effort Now

One of the most powerful things we can do for our wellness is make the hard choice before life makes it harder for us.

Put in the effort.

Make the hard choice to show up for yourself, for your health, and for your wellness.

That effort pays off. Not always immediately, and not always in dramatic ways, but over time it changes how you feel in your body and how you move through your day.

Sometimes the work we do now is what makes later life feel less difficult.

The Risk It Takes to Bloom

This idea reminds me of a beautiful quote:

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom.”

There is risk in changing. There is effort in blooming. There is discomfort in choosing something new or challenging.

But there is also discomfort in staying stuck.

So this week, ask yourself: what hard am I choosing?

Are you choosing the hard that keeps you tight in the bud, or the hard that helps you bloom?

Your practice does not have to be perfect. Your effort does not have to look like anyone else’s. But you do get to choose the hard that supports your health, your strength, and your wellness.

Choose the one that helps you show up for your life.