How to Thrive when Sh*t gets rough
We all go through rough patches in our lives every once in a while. (Mine lasted for like 12 years but who’s counting lol.) 😆
You might even find yourself in one right now.
I was recently rereading a passage in The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes, where he describes that phenomenon: when you buy a car, suddenly, you see that car everywhere.
Tons of people experience this when they decide they want to start a business. If you're convinced it's tough out there, you WILL find proof.
If you’ve decided business is hard, you might go out shopping and you’ll see some “going out of business” signs and you’ll think, “SEE! BUSINESS IS HARD!”
But because you’re so focused on those failing businesses, you don’t notice that there's an entire shopping center of businesses that are thriving and have been there for years
The same is true in life. What you focus on grows.
If you’ve decided your relationship is doomed, you’ll notice every divorce headline and hear about all the breakups in your circle.
If you believe changing jobs is impossible right now, you’ll find endless news about layoffs and hiring freezes.
What we believe becomes the lens through which we view the world.
Meanwhile, what about the couples who’ve been together for decades and still make each other laugh? (Or maybe they’re over 50 and having better sex than ever because they decided to learn about it together!)
The relationship coach in me rejoices 🤗 for my clients who became this couple recently!
And what about the quiet job opportunities emerging in unexpected industries, just waiting for someone to notice?
Here’s the truth: life isn’t inherently easy or hard. It’s a mix of both. The question is: what are you CHOOSING to see?
With everything in the world growing more extreme, and more polarized every day, with more and more people buffering and numbing out and becoming more unconscious, this ability to choose what we focus on is a SUPERPOWER.
Instead of feeding anxiety with all the negativity, what if we chose curiosity and gratitude instead?
This isn’t about ignoring the hard stuff. It’s about acknowledging what’s going right, even amidst chaos.
When things feel tough, ask yourself these questions:
Where am I getting in my own way?
Is there another way to look at this?
How would someone with very different set of life experiences think about this?)
What micro-adjustments can I make to redirect my thinking, feeling, and action?
What’s one thing I can be grateful for right now, even if it’s small?
Or, my personal favorite:
How CAN I ...??
This practice doesn’t erase challenges, but it shifts your perspective, which can make all the difference.
So as the season for gratitude approaches, let’s focus less on the world’s chaos and more on how we show up for it.
Because the world doesn’t need more frantic, frazzled or numbed-out beings.
It needs calm, collected, conscious humans with a plan—and that’s exactly who you can become.
You’ve got this.
P.S. This isn’t just a feel-good exercise; it’s a strategy for shifting your focus and reclaiming your power. Start small: what’s one thing you’re thankful for right now? Write it down and let it guide your day.
P.P.S. Ready for more?? ALL the strategies for reclaiming your power from hustle are in my new book ‘The HUSTLE Trap’ … it’s a fast read and it’ll give you everything you need to stop hustling and start thriving. (And did I mention it’s only $7?? Can’t beat that!)