As I am watching our kids learn to ride a bike, figure out the alphabet and trying navigate their feelings and emotions, I am constantly reminded that being a kid is tough.
For kids, everything is a trial and error and they’re constantly balancing somewhere along the learning curve. As frustrating as this struggle sometimes is for them (and us parents!), it’s also the norm. You try, you fail, you learn, you try again.
For us adults, most of this struggle is far behind us.
We know how to tie our shoelaces in pretty bows and flush the public toilets even if the flushing mechanisms are nothing like we have at home. Some of us even know how to use a microwave. In kid’s eyes, we are incredible at life stuff.
But we are not always good at dealing with the feelings of frustration that come with learning something new. It’s no wonder that learning new habits and breaking old ones is so taxing emotionally. And it’s no surpise people latch on to any promise of a shortcut.
When you’re trying to change habits, build strength and restore your energy, it’s normal to find it difficult. You’re learning, growing, and figuring out what works for you. And nothing about that is easy.
The first thing to do is to stop fighting it. To acknowledge that it’s okay for this to be challenging. You don’t have to be any better at it than you currently are. That’ll come. You just need to keep showing up.
But let’s be honest, it’s always nice when you can make difficult things a little less difficult.
Look at the tasks, skills and roles you’ve aced in the past. Whether that’s something at work, in your parenting, how you manage money, or how you’ve learned to use a dessert spoon as a leathal weapon against Nazis.
What did you do to that helped you learn those tasks, skills and roles? What insights can you take from those successes and bring to this current struggle?
-J