For years I chose the easy way out. Now I’m discovering that growth only happens when I step into discomfort.

Small Dreams, Simple Desires

I was never the type of person who had big dreams. Mine were always small, reachable desires that I thought would make me happy. When I was about 14, I remember wishing I could just make $10 per hour. At the time, that seemed like what adults made—enough to pay rent, buy nice clothes, and live a simple, normal life.

I wasn’t thinking about owning a home, traveling, or starting a family. My idea of happiness was tied to doing just enough to get by.

Choosing the Easy Path

I was always lucky with jobs and often chose work that felt easiest. Once I lived on my own, I tried to find jobs I could do from home—anything that didn’t involve early mornings. Sleeping in was my favorite luxury.

When the idea of higher education came up, I recoiled. I didn’t believe I could handle the commitment. I hadn’t finished high school on time, struggled with adult school, and avoided anything that required long-term consistency. I wanted to work, but only on my terms.

Fear of Difficulty

Whenever I looked at career opportunities that promised the freedom I wanted, I quickly found reasons to back away. They all seemed “too difficult.” My old habits of avoiding school and study left me convinced I wasn’t capable. I saw challenges as walls I couldn’t climb, not as growth I could lean into.

Life After Children

For a while, things worked out. I had jobs I enjoyed and learned skills that helped me. But after having children, I was out of the workforce for several years. Add mental health struggles and personal challenges (one being raising a child with autism who needs round-the-clock monitoring), and my confidence sank.

Suddenly, I was at a crossroads: keep choosing the easy way out—or step into discomfort and do hard things.

Pushing Into Growth

Traditional schooling isn’t an option for me right now, but I’ve started to pursue a career path that I once avoided out of fear. This time, I’m leaning in because my children’s future depends on it. Especially my son, who will need lifelong care.

I’m currently halfway through my studies to get licensed in a field that fits my natural strengths. Honestly, I’ve wanted to quit many times. But I’m surrounded by a supportive team that encourages me to go at my own pace. If it were up to me alone, I might have quit already—but accountability is helping me keep going.

Keeping Dreams Close

You may notice I haven’t shared exactly what my new career path is. That’s intentional. I’ve been someone who announced plans only to abandon them later. For now, I’m keeping this dream close to my heart while I quietly put in the work.

The beautiful part? I can feel my brain slowly adapting and accepting the material. Growth is happening, even when it feels slow.

Showing Up for Myself

Starting this blog is another hard step I’ve taken. Writing and sharing my truth has been on my heart for years. Even today, I almost gave up. But then I reminded myself—my only job is to show up. Not to be perfect, just to keep going.

Lessons from Hard Things

Here’s what I’m learning: growth comes from doing hard things. Roadblocks will come, and sometimes they’re only feelings dressed up as barriers. When I face them, I remind myself that I don’t need to have everything figured out. I just need to take one small step forward.

My dreams are now fueled by my children, but I’m also carving out space for myself. With each step I take—however shaky—I feel my motivation growing stronger.

Final Encouragement

If something feels hard, don’t let that stop you. You don’t need to tackle everything at once. Take small, achievable steps toward your bigger goals. And this time, don’t be afraid to dream big.

Practical Tip
👉 Next time you feel like quitting, pause and ask yourself: “What’s the smallest step forward I can take right now?” Sometimes, breaking it down makes the hard thing feel doable.

Reflective Question
💭 What’s one hard thing you’ve been putting off that your future self would thank you for starting today?