Why is Taking it Easy so Hard?

As I meander through my days I talk to a lot of people and I often hear how hard things/life/etc. are, especially around this time of year as the holiday bustle approaches. It seems as if life can sometimes feel like on big chore and that the holidays, which are supposed to be restful and joyful, are just a whir of hassle and disappointed expectations.

Now, I love taking it easy and I love the holidays and I have spent many years working with the issue of why some people find it so challenging to take it easy. So, as my gift to you today, I’m not only going to ask the question: Why is taking it easy so hard? I’m also going to give you the answer (just to prove how easy I love to make things).

First, let’s make it clear that the reason so many people find it hard to take it easy isn’t what you think it is. It has nothing to do with not having enough time, having too many responsibilities, other people’s demands or any of the other excuses that are so popular.

The real reason why you find it hard to take it easy is because (drum roll, please) you THINK it MUST be HARD. Seriously, that is the ONLY reason life feels hard. When you choose to believe that life has to be hard because that’s just the way it is, then you are deliberately (even if maybe unconsciously) creating the experience of difficulty in your life. In order to take it easy in your life, you simply need to come from a place where you believe it’s possible. Now, I know it isn’t always comfortable to change which is the main reason we get caught up in staying in situations that don’t feel good. However, I promise you that deliberately creating a love that you love is more than worth the initial discomfort.

There is always ALWAYS a way to do something that feels good and doesn’t feel like work. The key to remember is that even actual work doesn’t have to feel like work. That is what ease and effortlessness are all about. It’s a mindset that orients you toward looking for a better way to get things done. These can be anything from hiring someone else to do things for you, finding the simplest and most comfortable strategy for getting things done or deciding that it doesn’t even need to happen (this one is great for anything you think you