Previously written (and gently edited) for my private practice – Chez Joie Creative- located in Montreal, QC, closed since February 2026.
It takes grit to do the hard thing. I have been there before numerous times. I want to tell you that you too, can do the difficult thing that you have been putting off because you know it will change your life.
In my life I have relocated numerous times. I have started over. I have pushed through difficult moments and circumstances. The fact that I continue to grow and become more of who I am is a testament to this fact. You too, right now, are enough, and you also contain multitudes.
Doing the hard thing can invoke feelings of grief, fear, sadness, and ultimately pride, resolve, grounding. While it’s normal to say to yourself, well, when I am stable, when I have ‘x’, when I (insert the thing you think you need to do the hard thing here), then I will be ready.
The truth may be that you are never ready. The truth may be that you are fleeing the difficult situation. This doesn’t change the fact that you are moving in a new direction that hasn’t ever been tread by you before and that can still cause you to freeze, pause or reconsider doing the safe thing, the thing that comforts you. It’s ok to seek comfort too. We all need that. Then when you have been comforted, get back to doing the hard thing.
Personally, I had always desired that ability to fit in. In some ways I ‘did’ this but ultimately, I failed miserably at this. Until recently, I have always had a ‘mask’, what I called my ‘customer service face’, to ‘put on’ but this changed during my journey leading up to and throughout grad school (and even after).
Two Faced, 2017, 18 x 24 cm
Suddenly I was encouraged and it was necessary to be my ‘authentic’ self, [ to be in congruence with my self ] and I had several role models available to guide me. I learned what it looked like to honour my own needs, something which I had never even considered as a possibility before. It was a challenge to ask myself what I needed, and an additional task to expect others to respect that, and ultimately, something that I am grateful for and continue to honour.
Disclaimer: This blog posting and the sentiments of the author are written for entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for therapy or professional advice.
Think Joy Drama Therapy 
Leave a comment