Do The Hard Things

Do the hard things.….Today while I loaded hay I couldn’t help but think of how the tedious sometimes backbreaking task of unstacking and restacking of hay related to fulfillment and happiness. Jordan Peterson once said, “It’s in responsibility that most people find the meaning that sustains them through life. It’s not in happiness. It’s not in impulsive pleasure.”

In todays world it’s way too easy to find “happiness” as Jordan Peterson calls it through impulsive pleasure. Nobody wants to do the hard things that bring fulfillment that lasts a lifetime. While throwing a bunch of 100lb bales around today under a rather hot October sun, my fingers ached with every pull of the twine, this was my second load this week and I have no hay hooks. So the insides of the knuckles of my fingers had small blisters from the twine biting and digging in with every bale I threw. I could think of a lot of other things I’d rather be doing, but I just put my head down and kept on stacking.

Bale by bale I moved 120 bales from the stack to the trailer. I intricately stacked them and strategically placed each bale by hand so as to make one solid sturdy stack that would last a drive 2 hours back to my house. When I was done I stepped back and admired my stack and the task I had completed. I did the hard thing, though the process didn’t bring me immediate joy the end result brought me great fulfillment. I checked a box off my to do list, got some exercise in at the same time, and now my cows will be fat and happy through the winter.

All too often, people fall back on impulsive pleasure and I’ve been guilty of it myself. So when you breakup or divorce instead of running to tinder, do the hard thing and work on yourself. Instead of scrolling through social media and seeking outside validation, do the hard thing and have that “talk” with your spouse that you keep putting off. As you work tediously on the hard things, bale by bale, one at a time intricately placed; you’ll eventually have a neatly built stack that you can step back and admire and feel true fulfillment.

On my way home this evening, I stopped in to visit Grandpa. Knowing it would be emotionally difficult with his dementia, I still did the hard thing and stopped for a visit. This trip was especially hard, he doesn’t walk well anymore, and the color seemed all but gone from his face. As I walked through the door his face beamed with overwhelming joy. He grabbed my hand and never let go as we both began to cry. As he sobbed and the color returned to his face, he told me he sat in that chair and just knew I was gonna come through that door and then all of sudden there I was. We visited for a while and laughed about all the girlfriends he has in there. Still suave with the ladies and I’m not surprised. I absolutely hate leaving him, especially knowing his days are numbered. I promised him I’d be back in a week with his dog and buy him a burger. It never gets any easier, but I’m gonna continue to do the hard things because my heart is full knowing I was able to spend a couple more hours with my Grandpa. He lived a life fulfilled and did the hard things for me, now it’s time for me to return the favor. #LIVELIFEUNBROKEN