Yesterday, I went down to Stewart Island with some of our farm staff to do a little hands on work.

Today, I am exhausted and wondering if the person who coined the phrase, “A little hard work never hurt anybody” actually did any hard work.

Of course, he did…

because there really is something very satisfying about putting your hands to something that is shaping part of your destiny and journey in a big way.

And I’m really proud of the work that our staff do on a daily basis.

Too often, we sit by and allow life to pass us by or accept the unacceptable because we fear the hard stuff.

I don’t want to be a farm hand. Oyster farming was never what I envisioned doing with my life.

Yet, understanding that this is the path where my journey and God’s purpose has taken me – anchors me and willingness comes -to dig in and do everything I possibly can to make a dream the reality it is meant to be.

A key I have found is that as I am doing the “hard” stuff, I am constantly looking for better ways to do things.

For the tasks at hand, I might have to do something for a period of time that takes more of my time and energy than is necessary but it doesn’t usually take me too long to figure out a way to make the work easier to accomplish…

because I am not satisfied to do things the hard way forever. Organization, better processes and time management can make the work easier.

Life is like that, too. We don’t have to settle in and accept that the hard stuff is just how it has to be. We can do hard things when we need to but we aren’t built to live life that way.

We need to be able to look at the circumstances and situations and make improvements.

I have lived a few years of my life strangled by debt. Debt is hard work. It brings with it stress and worry. I had to put myself through some changes and learn some disciplines like gratitude and contentment and living within my budget. Learning to exercise these disciplines was painful at times but they have become much less painful than the choke-hold of debt.

Relationships are meant to be a blessing…

but we all know that there are times when they are down right difficult. The first step to moving our relationships out of the “too hard” basket is to become a better participant in the relationship.

I have had to learn things like: I didn’t have to say every single thought that came into my head; to let go of frustrations that caused me to mouth off at my husband or children or extended family or friends (sometimes, silence truly is golden); and to take an honest look at how “real love” acts then face the facts that sometimes, I wasn’t loving, let alone loveable.

At times, I have had to let go of toxic relationships. Relationships that I had struggled to hold on to but that were just not working, no matter how much I hoped that they would.

There have been times when my schedule was far too full for peace of mind to be sustainable.

I have had to heal because living life as a wounded soul was hard work.

And I have had to discover my own worth and learn that it’s up to me to be responsible for the outcomes of my life.

Investing the time assess things honestly, reorganise, change and improve…

Make wise choices and hold to strong values and standards…

have kept me from compromising and accepting less than I deserve and want.

I am so proud that you all are learning this as well.

I received word today that one of my readers took a giant step in the last couple of days to change a part of her life that just wasn’t working. She had invested many years of her life trying to make something fit that just wasn’t fitting. These kinds of decisions and changes are hard. They can be difficult on the heart but they make the journey easier in the long run. I’m so proud of her!

And YOU! Because I know you are, too.

Keep up the good work…

work smarter not harder! Right?

I hope you’ve enjoyed the photos from my trip as well. Stewart Island is such a beautiful little community with “gob-smackingly” beautiful views! Do you agree?

I love that you stopped by to spend a little time with me!

Have a great day!

D