There’s this crazy looking oil painting that I’ve had for a decade and up until today, it was sitting in the give away pile. I’ve heard this phrase most of my life and as I’ve aged these words are still needed, but in a softer way. It asks a question, but how the words are laid out ‘you can’ read it to make a statement. I hung it on the side of my gardening shed to see it first thing in the morning from my bench.

The hard things look different today compared to previous years and they continue to evolve. Keeping promises to myself is a hard thing, especially if they sound frivolous, but following through instills trust in myself, otherwise I’ll feel disappointment.

1. Publishing a post even though it’s not my favorite doesn’t mean someone else wouldn’t enjoy reading it.
2. Leaving the comfort of my air conditioned home to go visit a friend at her shoppe who I’ve been wanting to see all month.
3. Going to bed at a reasonable hour, so I’ll wake up early enough to go for a walk before it gets too hot.
4. When my brain is overloaded and my body starts to slump in it’s chair, go stretch out across the bed to renew.
5. Speak positive while living in a harsh world.
6. Be a positive influence on others even when they are in a pit of self-pity. Especially then.
7. To keep my mouth shut while listening to my daughter vent, and only offer advice when asked.
8. Stop restocking the pantry with chips.
9. Find God first thing in the morning, because waking up to a new day is His gift to us. How we use the day is our gift to Him.
10. Show the same compassion toward myself as so freely offered to others.

The list could go on and on, but you get the idea. It’s no longer in the doing that feels hard, but in the not doing. Keeping promises to ourselves and finding our own rhythm instead of following the world’s is hard, but beauties… we can do the hard things.