Choose Your Hard

Nicole Schroeder Transformative Coaching: https://www.nstransformativecoaching.com Work With Me: https://www.nstransformativecoaching.com/workwithme Hey everyone, welcome back to the Restored in Aligned Woman podcast. Today we're going to talk about something simple that has the power to change your entire life, and that is choose your hard. We'll explore today how small decisions that you make every single day are shaping your future, for better or for worse, and why avoiding a decision is still a decision. One small step today can create Nicole (01:19) A ripple that can change your life forever. So if you've been putting something off or waiting for the right time, this episode is for you. Nicole (01:26) Life doesn't get easier. We choose the challenges we feel are worth facing at the time. Nicole (01:31) Some of the things that we may tell ourselves when we are in the moment we're facing something hard. Nicole (01:37) Sometimes we don't tell ourselves anything at all consciously. We just kind of stuff it and and move on. But we can tell ourselves, we'll start later, we'll do it tomorrow. That's doesn't work for me right now. I'll do it when life slows down. Nicole (01:51) after vacation, avoiding a decision is still making a decision. You are choosing one thing over the other every time. And the choices you make today, whether we like it or not, create our tomorrow. Nicole (02:06) I've lived by this. Nicole (02:08) on some level for most of my life. And it it's the motto every day do better than you were yesterday and just do the best I can. Even when I look back or and I feel like I could have done better, maybe, but I did the best I could at the time with the knowledge and the information and the skills that I had. Nicole (02:30) So how can you make a decision, make a choice? Nicole (02:35) to improve your tomorrow or your five year down the road. I feel like I don't feel like I know it's Nicole (02:45) It's amazing what we can do when we just put one step in front of the other. Take that one step without looking at the whole picture. Sometimes the whole picture is so intimidating. And all we need to do is really focus down on the simple steps to create that big picture. Nicole (03:06) So you're walking up a stairway one step at a time. You look back and you realize how far you've come. That is Nicole (03:14) Life one small decision, one step at a time, and a forward positive momentum. Nicole (03:22) You look back and you're so thankful for all of those decisions you made. Some of them weren't right, but or may not have been the best decisions, but you learned, you've grown. Nicole (03:35) And now look at where you are today. Or Nicole (03:38) You can coast. Nicole (03:38) Taking the easy way. Nicole (03:40) That was hard, I don't want to do it again. Nicole (03:42) That's hard. I don't even want to do that. Nicole (03:44) I'm afraid to fail, so I won't even start. It's not gonna work anyways. Nicole (03:48) So why would I do that? Nicole (03:50) It's a mindset. Nicole (03:51) shift that needs to take place. You can choose to stay where you're at. Nicole (03:55) or possibly digress from indecision and non-movement, or you can choose to take one small intentional step every day to better yourself and your life in some way. And those small decisions over time can build something beautiful. Nicole (04:11) In regards to health and my nursing career, I've Nicole (04:14) I've seen a lot and I've s I've I've experienced a lot. Nicole (04:17) Most of the time illnesses, especially chronic illnesses, they don't disappear overnight and they also didn't happen overnight. This takes time. Nicole (04:26) Both of these happen from repeated daily choices. Our bodies are constantly responding to what we repeatedly do and say to ourselves. Nicole (04:35) What we occasionally do Nicole (04:37) Doesn't typically make a big impact. Nicole (04:39) Every choice that we make is taking us somewhere. Nicole (04:42) We can choose movement instead of sitting. Whole foods versus processed convenience foods. Whole foods meaning foods that are natural, that are when we think of food Nicole (04:54) nuts, fruit, vegetables, things that do not have to be altered to be food. They are food in their whole natural form. Nicole (05:05) Rest versus continually pushing through the exhaustion and depleting your stores. Nicole (05:10) Faith versus fear, prayer versus constant worry, being mindful and good stewards of your money versus impulse spending and retail therapy. Although some retail therapy can be beneficial when kept in check. Nicole (05:28) Especially when you're doing with people you love and you care about. Nicole (05:31) One of my favorite things to do with my mom is just get coffee, get our nails done and do a little bit of shopping. Nicole (05:36) And it's good quality time with my mom and I. Nicole (05:39) Core message of today is not Nicole (05:43) Not a difficult message, but it's one that takes intentional awareness. Investing in your health, being intentional about your health and your life, versus hoping it gets better or letting things happen to you. I'm not sure if any of you have been in the situation where you've just kind of put the blinders on and been on autopilot. I've been there too. Nicole (06:03) Where you wake up one day and you're like, whoa, what happened? You're not where you want to be. Your life may be a wreck. you're burnt out, you're not feeling well, and you just think to yourself, how did I get here? Well, that's how it that's how it happens. If you're not intentional, if you're not Nicole (06:28) aware and setting your life in the in the motion in the direction that Nicole (06:33) You desire Nicole (06:34) And you feel led to be. Nicole (06:35) Who knows where you'll end up? Because there's a lot of things in this world that are trying to influence us and influence you. Nicole (06:45) I could go on so many seapboxes right now, but I won't. Nicole (06:48) Whatever path you choose for your life. Nicole (06:50) Both are hard. Neither path is necessarily easy, even though we sometimes tell ourselves one way is easier than the other. Nicole (07:00) In some ways it might be, but is it getting you where you want to go? Nicole (07:03) Being unhealthy is hard and it's expensive. I hear a lot of times people can't afford quality supplementations, they can't afford to go to the gym, they can't afford these things. Nicole (07:13) But then they're paying for their prescription medications, they're paying for gas to go to expensive specialists in different states or in different towns. Being unhealthy is hard and expensive too. Nicole (07:27) So it's a choice. Choose to invest in your health. Nicole (07:30) Or your illness. Nicole (07:30) Changing habits is hard. Nicole (07:32) Living with anxiety is hard. Versus learning healthy coping and figuring out the root cause of that anxiety is hard. Choose your hard. Financial stress is hard. Nicole (07:44) Go spend and splurge and blow your money. Nicole (07:46) Or do the work to try to figure out how to be mindful and a good steward of the blessings that you've been given. Nicole (07:53) Sting stuck as hard. Nicole (07:54) Confused, sick, illness are growing, not knowing where to go, being lonely. Nicole (08:00) Versus growing. Nicole (08:00) Stay in that quiet, dark, lonely spot or Nicole (08:05) Grow. Shine the light. Get out there. Say hi to people. Both are hard. Nicole (08:10) Choose which one you want for your life. Nicole (08:12) You can't avoid hard. You just choose which hard leads to the future you want for your life. Nicole (08:16) I've already given a few stories I could give so many. Nicole (08:22) stories on this Nicole (08:23) On this topic. Nicole (08:24) Choosing consistency over perfection. Nicole (08:26) I used to Nicole (08:27) come up with excuses that I couldn't do things like go to the gym, meal prep. Nicole (08:32) Sometimes it was spend time with family. I didn't have time to spend time with family because I had to work to make money. Nicole (08:37) Again, choose your hard. Nicole (08:38) But when I decided to choose consistency over perfection Nicole (08:42) That changed my life in a beautiful way because it allowed me to love myself and my life and give myself grace when I when I'm not perfect. Nicole (08:52) And when I can't make every single thing that I laid out on my to-do list or my calendar for the week. Because with family and friends and church and work and school, things come up. And you need to allow time and grace for those situations to happen. We cannot control every Nicole (09:11) second of every day of our life. Nicole (09:13) We just simply do the best we can and do it with love, love ourselves and love others, but consistency over perfection. Nicole (09:23) So I didn't get to do my entire workout most days, actually. Something usually comes up and that's okay. I just do the best I can. If I have, I thought I had an hour and a half, I get there and I have 45 minutes. So what can I do in 45 minutes? It's gonna maximize the outcome of this forty-five minutes that I do have. Nicole (09:42) And then just keep going like that. Nicole (09:44) It's a lot of thinking on my toes and making sure that I'm not making excuses and putting off things that I shouldn't, procrastinating. Nicole (09:54) keeping in mind my ultimate goal, my purpose and my ideals. Nicole (09:59) We often overestimate what we can do in a day, but underestimate what we can do in a year. Nicole (10:06) We were k doing a hike a couple weeks ago and Nicole (10:09) I have trouble pacing myself on the on the hikes. I just want to go and I don't know, just go full full forge until I just pass out, I guess. But our dog was not as in good shape as as we had hoped. So we ended up having to take several breaks for her, but Nicole (10:33) Through this hike, we were pushing through and we kept passing this couple. It was an older couple, but they were slow and steady and I would say consistent in their pace. We would pass them. We then we would need to slow down. Remy was having a moment. Our dog is her name is Remy. And then they would pass us. And this went on literally the whole way down. Nicole (10:58) The whole way up and the whole way down. Nicole (11:00) By the time we got down, we finished about the same time. Nicole (11:03) And it was just a nice reminder that sometimes we don't need to push hard and be fast. We can just be consistent and get the same results or better. Nicole (11:17) That can help prevent burnout and Nicole (11:20) This idea we gotta be first, we gotta do this, we gotta be perfect. No, we don't. Those are things that we tell ourselves that sometimes create inaction. So choosing consistency over perfection. What can you do? Nicole (11:34) over a year if you were consistent. If you just chose to Nicole (11:40) Drink sixty ounces of water every day for a year. How would that change your body? Nicole (11:46) Or I'm going to meal prep my lunches for work for a year. Nicole (11:53) I'm going to go to the gym. Nicole (11:55) At least three days a week for a year. Nicole (11:57) Are you gonna get all of those weeks, three days a week? Maybe not. But you're striving for that consistency, not perfection. I challenge you. Nicole (12:05) To try it. Nicole (12:07) Maybe not even a year, over a month. And then look back and see at the progress you've made and how better you feel. Nicole (12:14) Have you ever thought of a time you delayed something and wished you hadn't? Nicole (12:18) Don't lie to yourself because I know you have. Nicole (12:19) I f I for sure know I have. Nicole (12:21) Sometimes it's not the right time. Nicole (12:23) Timing is crucial. God's timing is perfect. Nicole (12:25) But make sure you're not delaying something because you're being fearful or you're afraid of the heart. Really evaluate your desires and your goals with what you're thinking. Nicole (12:37) And share it with somebody else, somebody that you love. Sometimes we can get in our own heads and make our own excuses that actually verbalized out loud make no sense at all. Nicole (12:46) If you can think about also reflect on your life, not only a time where you delayed something which you hadn't, but a time when a small decision completely changed your life. Nicole (12:56) One walk can become a habit when done consistently. A healthy meal can beha become a lifestyle. Nicole (13:03) One boundary, this is powerful, can create so much peace. Nicole (13:07) One doctor's appointment can catch something early. Nicole (13:10) One coaching session can change your entire perspective. One prayer can change your heart. And one yes can change your future. Small decisions compound. Nicole (13:21) like weight gain or weight loss, muscle building, compounding interest for those financial number buffs, which is not me. Nicole (13:29) These little things eventually become the big things. Nicole (13:32) So today ask yourself, have you been putting anything off? Are there any conversations that you feel like need to happen or appointments that need schedule that you've been putting off? Just do it, schedule the appointment, have the conversation, prayerfully consider all of these things. Nicole (13:50) If you are doing something or not doing something because of fear or some Nicole (13:56) false statement that you keep telling yourself. Nicole (13:59) Evaluate those things. Is it worth my peace? Is it worth my health? Is it worth Nicole (14:05) My life. Nicole (14:06) One way or the other. Nicole (14:07) Does this conversation need to happen? Does this boundary need to put in place for to better my life or to better my health? And not doing it. If I by not doing this, by not having the conversation, making the appointment, setting the boundary, how was that affecting my life? How is that affecting your life? Nicole (14:26) Do you have any health goals that you've delayed have delayed? Nicole (14:29) How about a dream that you've talked yourself out of? Do you feel like you're not worthy, you're not good enough, or it's impossible to achieve? Call out those lies. Those lies are of the enemy. Nicole (14:39) So pick one thing today that you can set in motion. You don't have to finish it. Just start it. Nicole (14:44) and decide I'm going to do this. But something that needs to be done every day or weekly or monthly. Nicole (14:51) How does that look in your mind? Schedule it on your calendar. Nicole (14:54) Set a reminder. Nicole (14:55) And allow yourself time to get used to that habit. Nicole (14:59) You didn't do it today. How can you make sure that you do it tomorrow? Pull on somebody to help you be accountable. Nicole (15:06) Sometimes signing up for a class where there's other people, depending on what it is you're wanting to do. Nicole (15:10) If you're wanting to read a whole book, break it down in small small pieces, read half a chapter a day or a full chapter a day, whatever works for you in your life. Nicole (15:20) And I encourage you to pray about it. Invite the Lord into this moment, into this decision. Let him help give you strength and guide you. Nicole (15:27) Deuteronomy 3019 says, This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life so that you and your children may live. God continually invites us to choose life. Daily obedience, small, faithful steps become transformed lives. Choosing life. Nicole (15:51) Shed light on your life. Nicole (15:53) God isn't asking perfection, I'm not asking perfect perfect for perfection. We should not expect any human to be perfect, including ourselves. Nicole (16:02) God is just asking for faithfulness. Nicole (16:04) In him. Nicole (16:05) What future do you want to create with today's choices? Nicole (16:09) What will your future self thank you for? Nicole (16:11) There's a beautiful life. Nicole (16:12) waiting to become a reality. There is a purpose. Nicole (16:18) And a destiny for each of you. And I hope and pray that you. Nicole (16:26) Also Nicole (16:27) To find it. Nicole (16:28) Until next time. Nicole (16:28) Take care. Nicole (16:29) I love you all.