Momentum In Your Struggle

Normalize Your Journey

I’m not one for quitting, and I never really have been. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" is what I've always told myself- probably much due to the Grandpa I talked about in the last post. I think there is a taboo-type attitude toward talking about your struggles, and the truth be told there, is no shame in struggling. I haven’t always felt this way, but through an abundance of growth, I’m realizing struggle is just proof you’re trying to move forward. I’m not saying we should live our lives in a constant struggle, but it is completely normal to struggle when we are growing. I have found in some of my biggest struggles I flourish the most, and I’m starting to believe that is normal too.

Let me break down what flourishing in struggle means. I mean after you missed 5 calves back-to-back, and then turn around and win two rodeos or you fail a math test, and then you come back to ace the next one. It is when you haven't booked a session in a month, and then end up booking an entire month. It is all those times we feel like we're failing, but then all at once, everything falls into place. It is that time you are struggling the most, and end up learning and growing the most. No two people will struggle the same way, and I think that's what makes attaining a goal so hard. No two journeys to a goal are exactly the same, and now say this part with me--- it is okay that my journey does not look like person x, y, or z!

I believe people have the idea that their journey should look exactly like the person next to them. I think of each goal as a destination with a route that will lead you to a goal-- this is your journey. Two people who may have the exact same goal, can take two different routes to attain the same goal. Just as those two people can be immensely different, so can their route to get to their goals. This is really important to know anytime you dive into anything. In my case it was a small business, but it all applies so much to academics, sports, hobbies. Just because your journey looks different, does not mean you are any less or any more successful.

Utilizing Your Struggle

Now, this is where this blog starts to get good. I think the most common question is, “how do I overcome struggle?” I don’t think it is as simple as overcoming struggle, but rather learning to utilize it. For me, using my struggle is a vital part of my journey. As crazy as it sounds, I learn the most when I'm struggling. Like I said before, I am not much for quitting, so using my struggle as a growing point is about the only option. My first stop is to recheck my faith- podcasts, reading, and a good chat with a couple of my friends with that strong faith. I think about things I am doing or not doing that will work towards my goals. I embrace this struggle because it is a part of my journey, and it's what is constantly pushing me to be better.

One of my biggest struggles is probably much like yours: comparison. I want to constantly compare what I'm doing to someone else. Maybe their journey is moving faster, or maybe their growth is more linear. This causes me so much self-doubt-- like is there even a reason why I'm doing this?? In that moment of self-doubt, I look back at the progress I've made in the last year-- opportunities to work with and meet amazing photographers, the knowledge I've gained about anything from editing to social media management, or even customer service as a business owner. My journey and my business are moving just at the rate they're meant to. I am putting in all the work I need to do, and I'm taking all the steps I need to be successful on my journey.

Moving Forward With Struggle

When you utilize your struggle, you are bound to move forward. With that being said, you are responsible for figuring out how you need to utilize your struggle. I definitely did not always know how to do this. I didn't know rechecking my faith and having a heart to heart with my best gal pal was what I needed to be successful after struggle. I used to sit and sink on what I thought was my failure, but struggle is NOT failure-- It is growth! Maybe you need to rewatch your roping run ten times, or maybe you need to get extra help from the teacher. Maybe you need to work with your coach. There is no right or wrong answer to utilizing your struggle, and maybe you need to play around with a few different ideas. Reach out to those who inspire you, ask questions, read books, listen to podcasts, have conversations. Whatever it takes for you to figure out how you utilize your struggle---- because it is YOUR journey.

Thanks for stopping by!