Comments on: It’s Okay for Things to Be Easy

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:13:16 +0000

Thanks. I’ve often struggled with feelings of guilt over how easy my life seemed… I felt: “why should things be so good for me when everyone else is struggling. I should be struggling too.” It’s reassuring to know that things feeling easy for me is in part a state of mind that I’ve created - and you’re right, when things feel easy, I’ve got more to give others. Ali,

Breathe, Nourish, Be.
justbewellness.com

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:29:36 +0000

I don’t find that things come easy. But, I also never expect them to. I guess if I really thought about it, I would find that some things come easy. But, the big important life things definitely have not. I’ve had to work hard for everything. And, even then, I think luck plays a role.

This is where I find comparisons to actually be helpful. When I dwell on things not being easy or coming easily, I quickly consider how many people in the world are living below the poverty level and the daily struggles they endure.

In that scenario, life seems pretty easy.

By: Jenna

Jenna — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:53:08 +0000

Mike,

I can definitely relate with this. I have a few limiting beliefs indoctrinated by my parents who preached that to deserve good things meant to work hard for them. This, unfortunately, has left me thinking that any gifts or rewards that I receive that weren’t preceded by “hard work” are undeserving and I should be ashamed about accepting them. But good things have always come easy to me: school, work, friends, even money, and for a long time I felt like I was cheating the system some how… that either my luck was going to run out or someone would figure out that I was getting more than my share.

By: Waya

Waya — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:56:02 +0000

Mike, are you by any chance living inside my head? Your articles always resonate with me. I’ve recently been contemplating how much energy (and opportunity) I waste by justifying how much EFFORT I put into over-achieving as a means of adding value … or hiding the fact that it WAS easy out of guilt or fear about being undervalued or regarded as a bit insensitive to the struggles and conflicts of others (I assure you I do have my own challenges). Of course, the first person who doesn’t value what comes easy is ME, isn’t it? I can see how this has been undermining my business growth (I can relate to Martine when it comes to charging clients for what I enjoy doing). At the same time, I feel it’s healthy to find a balance by facing new challenges and stretching ourselves … perhaps with a sense of Awe toward new and different experiences of ourselves and the world. I also resonate to Laura’s comment about “Easy” being a sign that we’re in a delightful place of alignment. Mike, I love your articles and your honesty in expressing what goes on inside your head. Thank you.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:32:12 +0000

Thank you for the profound insight. “Easy is lazy” strikes at the heart of a key cultural norm. Hard work is valued – as is being busy – in part because it is viewed as more productive. But it isn’t true, as you point out, and it can cause us to miss out on joy and creativity and a sense of authentic contribution when we insist on doing it the hard way. Easy really is a sign that we’re in alignment – that we’re in our sweet spot of strengths – which is a delightful place to be.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:04:33 +0000

Toast , What an interesting security word to put in the box.
I don’t think I struggle with and overcome things to feel superior to others Mike. Maybe some people do I guess I have seen that. I like working. I like feeling my body and mind sweat and struggle until I feel I cannot go any further and then I do. Then its like passing through an invisible limit that I had and a kind of zone clicks in and I have stretched myself into a new and greater strength. I had a job installing windmill power and we dug long trenches into hillsides for wireing and I was down in the earth with a pick and a shovel and it was aweful and hard until it suddenly was unbearable and then you pushed on and then a breaking through and then it was awesome. My blood coursing through my veins - the smell of the earth - the wind - the sounds - the sweat on my face. Truly alive is the feeling and it’s mine and I’m not compairing myself to anyone I’m just laughing and joyous then.
Work is hard yes , who said it should be easy? I think the judgement is what screws us up, and we suffer over. When I get past that a kind of power kicks in, and I feel strength. It’s very real.
I think if one is operating inside of comparison then one is not fully engaged and has not found a way to truly challenge themself.

By: Martine

Martine — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:49:29 +0000

Hello, I was immediately interested in this topic. Not everything resonated… it’s Okay for me when life is easy. I have one specific belief: the fee I ask the client, if the work is easy for me. After building years of experience some work, that I love to do can be easy or seems to be easy as I work in flow. I find it difficult to ask a fee that is common in the market. Have to work on this, because it’s all about the value I deliver and not about how difficult or how easy it is… My head knows and it is still an issue.

By: Linda

Linda — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:18:54 +0000

Oh, how this resonated….some things do come easy to me… places to live, jobs (even though at this point these are at a survival level..) BUT it comes easy, and I am always surprised and delighted and appreciative and blown away by what shows up, BUT it is something that makes me feel …. hesitant to admit and completely own. Thank you for this article, I am going to save it and focus on embracing the ease that I can live my life by. As Julia Rogers Hamrick says ” I live in Easy World !” Thank you Mike and blessings and ease to all

By: Ronda Hubbard

Ronda Hubbard — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:18:16 +0000

What an incredible insight! I loved this and it really hit me as one of the things I simply wont acknowledge! Some things have always come easy for me and I have always been afraid to “say so”. Actually, not even realizing it until RIGHT NOW. Thanks, Mike!

By: Ramona

Ramona — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:11:39 +0000

Amazing, amazing article, Mike!
Yes, it’s easy when things are hard…wow, that didn’t make any sense :)) Well, you know what I mean. When things are hard, the reward seems more deserved, while when things are easy, it’s well…too easy. But we get frustrated when things are hard, when we work hard, when we try to be at our best. So…what’s the deal?

I’ve always told myself that life is easy, we just like to make it more complicated. I’ve always told myself that, but never really “hear” it, you know?

Yes, the majority of the things in our life are easy, and those which aren’t…maybe we are looking at them from the wrong perspective. In the end a thing is what you want it to be, right?

Thank you Mike!