Finding Strength In The Hard Times: Episode 102

If you've ever felt like life keeps thowing obstacles in your way, keeps punching you in the gut...this episode is for you. We all have those moments when things feel like they're spiraling out of control...when plans fall apart, patience runs thin, and we start questioning everything. And in those moments, it's easy to feel stuck, like the struggle is defining us.

But today, I want to remind you of something powerful; you're struggles do not determine your worth. They do not define who you are.

I this episode, I break down some practical steps to take for a mindset shift and I give you five daily reminders to help you get through the hard stuff.

Take a listen! Share this with others. Give me a review on Apple Podcast. Help this message get to others who need to hear it.

Thanks for listening in. Let's conncet over on the socials:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/LauraConrad.LifeCoach
FaceBook: www.Facebook.com/HerJourneyToawardsChange
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/her-journey-towards-change-life-coaching/id1369218413

Call or text me: For a free 45 minute life coaching call
[phone]

Email Me: [e-mail]

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/her-journey-towards-change-life-coaching--2081645/support.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hi friends, I'm Laura, and welcome to my podcast, Her
Journey Towards Change. This is a faith based life coaching
podcast for women who, like me, are on a journey
to live the best life possible. And then something happens,
something unforeseen, and everything changes. Life feels foreign and you
feel stuck and it's difficult to move forward and reaching

(00:25):
out can be hard. Right. Believe me, I know if
this is you, this.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Podcast is for you. I don't claim to have all
the answers, but I know who does. God wants more
for us, for you and for me. You are created
to live your best life, So I hope you will
go on this journey with me to a more positive
perspective and take those hard steps together through Her Journey
Towards Change. Together, let's break through the barriers which are

(00:56):
holding us back from achieving what God has called us
to be.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
So let's go, and I hope you will go on
this journey with me. Well, hello everyone, and welcome back.

(01:25):
I'm so glad you're back listening to this episode, which
is actually episode one hundred and two, and I am
your host, Laura, and I'm so glad you're here today.
You could be anywhere, but right now, if you're here,
I'm thankful that you're here listening to this. And it

(01:46):
is just crazy, isn't it. We are into the third
week of February already and were spring's going to be
here before we know it. Actually, the grass is already
starting to grow here where I'm at, the weather is crazy,
like right now, you know, there's flooding going on in
some states and others there is several inches of snow falling,

(02:11):
And where I'm at right now in Georgia, you never
know what you're going to wake up to. One day,
you know, the weather could be really hot and sunny
and warm, and people are out running jogging wearing shorts,
and then the next day they're bundled up and in
their rain jackets. So you just never know with this
season of life what we're going to get. And it's

(02:32):
kind of like life and today's podcast is is This
episode kind of hits on that right now. And I'm
calling this finding Strength in the Hard Times. And if
you're if you're like me and you've ever felt like
life keeps throwing just these obstacles in your way, this

(02:55):
episode is for you. We all have those moments when
things they're just spiraling out of control, and when our
plans sometimes fall apart, and that's when patience runs thin,
and then we start questioning everything. And in those moments,
it's so easy to feel stuck, like the struggle is

(03:19):
defining us. But today I want to remind you of
something powerful. Your struggles don't determine your worth. They don't
define who you are. And no matter what you're facing
right now, at this moment, you still have the ability
to move forward. You have the ability to heal and

(03:42):
to grow. And I want to break this down, you know,
step by step, and I just want to share some
practical mind shifts and five daily reminders to help you
get through some of these hard things that you may
be facing. So let's just get stick first. I think

(04:02):
we need to acknowledge the challenge without letting it control us.
And I want to start with saying this, it's okay
to admit when things are tough. Sometimes I think we
try to push through without fully acknowledging our pain, as
if ignoring it's going to make it go away. But

(04:23):
here's the thing. Ignoring your struggles it doesn't erase them.
In fact, it often makes them heavier because you're carrying
them alone without actually processing through them. I think it's
important to give yourself space to feel if you've experienced loss,

(04:47):
a rejection, or maybe a major setback. Pretending it doesn't
hurt won't serve you. Instead, recognize what you're feeling and
why you're feeling it. But this is the key. Don't
let those feelings become your identity. You are not the

(05:09):
mistake you made. You are not the pain you're experiencing.
You are not the disappointment of a failed plan. You
are someone who is experiencing those things, but not someone
who is those things. Let's just say that you've been
struggling with a job loss, or maybe a broken relationship,

(05:33):
or just feeling stuck in life. Instead of thinking I'm
a failure, try this. Try thinking to yourself for saying
out loud, I'm facing a challenge right now, but I'm
going to get through this. I think just that little
mind shift is going to It is small, it's small,

(05:55):
but I think it's going to cause a change in
a huge way. It's going to make a big difference,
and I think it's going to allow room for hope. Second,
I think we need to redefine what strength looks like
when life just packs that punch and it knocks us down.

(06:19):
I think it's easy to believe that being strong means
pushing through without breaking down, and that strength looks like
never needing help, never feeling weak, and always having it together.
But that's not true strength. Real strength isn't about pretending

(06:41):
to be okay. It's about being honest with yourself. It's
about knowing. It's about knowing when to pause, when to
ask for help, and when to give yourself grace. Sometimes
I do this, and sometimes it works. Think about someone

(07:03):
you admire. Maybe it's a mentor, maybe it's a friend,
or a neighbor or just a public figure. Chances are
they didn't get where they are by never facing challenges.
They got there because they did face challenges, but they

(07:23):
chose to keep going anyway. Strength looks different for everyone.
Some days it's about taking those big leaps forward, and
other days it's simply about getting out of bed. It's
about showing up, and it's choosing to believe that things

(07:46):
can get better. So don't compare your life to someone else's.
Your strength is in your ability to keep going, even
in those small, little moments. And here's where I want
to start, giving the five daily reminders that may encourage you,

(08:07):
and I hope that it may encourage you, like from
moment to moment, from day to day, week to week,
you know, take it through the year. So now that
we've talked about shifting our mindset, I want to leave
with you these five daily reminders to help get you
through some of those days. And these are simple, but

(08:28):
if I think if you take them to heart, they
can help you shift your perspective and get you through
those tough days. First, Number one, I want you to
remember this is a season, not a sentence. This is
just a chapter, not the whole story. We often feel

(08:51):
like our struggles will last forever. They just will never end.
And just like seasons, change of the moment in life,
are moments in life changed. They never stay the same.
Think about a time when you went through something hard.
At the time, maybe it felt endless, maybe it felt

(09:14):
like it was never gonna get better, but looking back,
you can see that you made it through. The same
will be true for what you're facing right now, So
hold on to that hope. Number two, this is very important.
Your emotions are valid, but they don't have to be

(09:35):
in charge. I'm going to say that again. Your emotions
are valid, but they don't have to be in charge.
It's okay to feel angry, it's okay to feel sad,
It's okay to feel frustrated and confused. I get that
way all the time. The emotions are real and they

(09:55):
deserve to be acknowledged, but they aren't always reliable. Just
because you feel like a failure doesn't mean you are one.
Just because you feel like things won't change doesn't mean
they won't again. Emotions are temporary. They come and go,

(10:16):
so don't let them dictate the choices you make with
your future. Number three, small progress is progress. Actually, my
notes is small progress is still progress, but I want
to highlight it. Small progress is progress. I think we

(10:40):
live in a world that celebrates big achievements and major
career moves, and you know, those personal milestones, life changing moments.
But most growth happens and there's quiet everyday, hard steps.
If all you can do today is get up and

(11:02):
take a deep breath, that's still movement. If all you
can do is complete one small task today, that counts.
Progress isn't about how fast you move. It's about the
direction you're moving. In number four, I think rest is

(11:23):
not quitting. It doesn't mean you're quitting. I used to
think that if I took a break from something that
I was working on, that meant a lot to me
and I had goals. If I took a break, I
was failing. That if I didn't push through at full speed,
I was giving up. But that's not true. Rest is necessary,

(11:46):
and rest gives your mind and your body the strength
to keep going. It's okay to take a step back,
it's okay to regroup, it's okay to breathe. In fact,
sometimes resting is the most productive thing that you can do.
And the last one, but not least Number five. You

(12:08):
are allowed to change. You are allowed to heal, and
you are allowed to grow. I think we often hold
onto those past versions of ourselves, whether it's guilt from
mistakes that we made, fear of change, or an old
identity that we're afraid to let go of. And I

(12:29):
want you to hear me on this. You're not the
same person you were a year ago. You're not the
same person you were a month ago, not even yesterday,
and that's a good thing. You are allowed to grow
you're allowed to move forward, so don't let who you
were keep you from becoming who you were meant to be.

(12:54):
I know that life feels heavy. Sometimes I've went through it,
and I know I'll go through it again. But please
remember you are more than your struggles. You're stronger than
you think, and you have the ability to rise from
whatever is trying to hold you back. The hard days

(13:16):
do not define you. The way you keep going and
the way you keep showing up, that's what defines you.
I want to leave with you a scripture that means
a lot to me. I hold it dear to me.
I look it up often, and I read it often.

(13:38):
I say it out loud often, Psalm forty six to one.
God is our refuge in strength and ever present help
in trouble. So I want you to lean into the
strength knowing you're not alone in this life. You're not
alone in the hard things. You're not alone. There are

(14:03):
the others there that want to help you. All you
have to do is ask. You can ask your neighbor,
you can ask a trusted coworker. You can ask a friend,
you can ask a trusted relative. You can talk to
a minister, a therapist, to even a life coach. All
you have to do is ask. That's the first step.

(14:26):
So whatever it is you may be going through right now,
don't be afraid to ask for help. I hope that
this episode has been encouraging to you and it spoke
to you in some small way. I'd love for you
to share it over on Apple Podcasts if you're listening in.

(14:50):
I'd love for you to share it on social media.
I'd love for you to give me a review. When
I get reviews, it helps this podcast and these episodes
be seen more and harden, which will get the message
out for and I would appreciate anything you could do
on helping move this forward and helping other people. Again,

(15:15):
I hope that this episode spoke to you. I hope
you have a really great day. No matter what your
weather looks like, no matter what your mindset is right now,
you can change it. You're the only one in control
of it that can change that. And until next time,
Love you guys.