You know those weeks where you’re not sure whether to laugh, scream, or do both at the same time? Yeah, I just had one of those. As I sit here, after a leg workout that felt more like an exorcism than exercise, I can’t help but marvel at the beautiful mess that is the human experience.
There’s this quote that’s been bouncing around in my head lately, refusing to leave: Everyone is jealous of what you’ve got, but no one is jealous of how you got it.
Or, in other words, everybody wants the view, but no one wants to climb.
Isn’t that the truth?
We scroll through our feeds, double-tapping lives that seem picture-perfect, thinking, “Damn, they’ve really got it all figured out.” Meanwhile, we’re sitting here in our lived-in homes, wearing our lived-in bodies, living our very real, very messy lives. But here’s the thing – we’re only seeing their highlight reel, not the blooper reel that got them there.
It’s almost comical, you know? We often know exactly what we need to do to get where we want to be. It’s usually not rocket science. Ockham’s razor and all that – the simplest explanation (or in this case, action) is usually the right one. Eat better, move more, be kind, work hard. Simple, right? Yet somehow, we manage to turn it into this confusing cacophony of complications. We overthink, we procrastinate, we look for the secret shortcut that surely must exist.
Why? Because simple doesn’t mean easy, and easy is what we’re really after.
Here’s a real-life example from my own journey. As of today, I’m 86 days alcohol-free. It’s been an interesting experience, to say the least. My choice to go alcohol-free wasn’t born from any past struggles at all, which, in a way, makes this journey all the more intriguing. It’s been a revealing experiment in self-discipline and personal growth, showing me new facets of myself I hadn’t explored before.
While I know that cutting out alcohol is beneficial for my health, sleep, headspace, goals and relationships, the reality isn’t always as smooth as it sounds. Yes, there are days when I find myself craving a glass of wine or a dram of scotch, reminding me that knowing what’s good for us and actually doing it are two different things. It’s a simple concept, sure, but that doesn’t make it easy. This journey has shown me firsthand the gap between understanding what we should do and consistently taking action on it.
This past week really drove that point home. Life decided to throw a few curveballs my way, and I noticed something interesting. When things get tough, many of us, myself included, have this tendency to freeze. We get stuck in our heads, paralysed by the weight of our thoughts and emotions. It’s like we’re deer caught in the headlights of our own lives.
But here’s the truth bomb I had to drop on myself: action is and always will be the only way to move the needle forward. It’s okay to pause, to take a breath and recalibrate. But don’t set up camp there.There’s a line from a recent Linkin Park song that’s been resonating with me lately: “We both know how the story ends. You can’t win if your white flag is out when the war begins.” It’s a powerful reminder that success requires showing up and staying in the fight. This sentiment has been a real motivator for me recently, often providing that extra push to get moving when I need it most.
You want to know what’s been my anchor recently? Those brutal, sweat-drenching, muscle-screaming workouts I’ve refocused on again. There’s something almost magical about pushing your body to its limits. It’s like hitting a reset button on your mind. When life gets messy, when your head is spinning with a cocktail of regret, anger, hopelessness, and guilt – been there, done that, got the t-shirt – there’s no better way to re-ground than to embrace something truly, unapologetically hard. Feel the burn, lean into the struggle – it strips away the noise and leaves you with your core.
As we’re creeping towards the end of the year – (how the hell is it almost December already?) – it’s so easy to fall into that spiral of negative thinking. We start overthinking, overanalysing, comparing our behind-the-scenes disaster movie to everyone else’s carefully curated Instagram feed. Trust me, I’ve been down that rabbit hole, and it’s not a fun place to be. You know this right?
But here’s what I’ve learned, through trial and a whole lot of error: the real value lies in being brutally honest with yourself and then actually doing something about it. Novel concept, I know.
So, what do we do with all this?
How do we embrace the simplicity of progress while acknowledging that life is about as straightforward as nailing jelly to a wall and as predictable as a cat’s mood in a room full of laser pointers?
Well, first off, remember that the view is earned. Every single time. Embrace the struggle, the sweat, the tears, the moments where you’re sure you can’t take another step. They’re all part of your story.
Keep it simple – what’s the smallest, most ridiculously achievable step you can take towards your goal right now? Do that. Then do it again. And again. Before you know it, you’ve walked a mile, and isn’t that a view in itself?
When life gets tough (and trust me it will), it’s okay to pause. Take a breath. Recalibrate. But don’t you dare stay there. Choose action, no matter how small. Find your anchor – for me, it’s those workouts that make me question my life choices. What’s yours? What helps you strip away the noise and reconnect with your core? Whatever it is, lean into it, especially when things get rough.
And perhaps most importantly – and I can’t stress this enough – remember that you’re not alone in this. We’re all climbing. We’re all struggling. And that’s okay. It’s not just okay, it’s part of being human. Everyone’s climbing their own mountain. Some might be higher up, some might be taking a different route, but we’re all in this beautiful, messy journey together.
As we wrap this up, I want you to remember something: You’ve got this. You’re more capable than you know, more resilient than you believe, and more awesome than you give yourself credit for.
The view might be what everyone’s after, but between you and me? It’s the climb that makes us who we are.
So, let’s raise a glass (of Coke Zero, in my case – 86 days and counting, remember?) to the climb, to the struggle, to the beautiful mess of progress. Because in the end, that’s where the real magic happens.
And if you stumble?
Make it part of your dance.
