Have you seen the commercial on television with a huge red EASY button?  Something horrible happens and with just one push of the button life magically transforms from disastrous to idealic?  Have you ever wanted your own big red button?  When life gets challenging or a relationship goes south or you need a huge pile of money, you just whip out that shiny button and BAM all of life’s troubles fade like magic.

Today I want to talk with you about one of the indisputable facts of life. That’s right this law is not debatable, period!  There is no EASY button to life, ladies and gentlemen.  Maybe we need a brief moment of silence to honor the death of a myth we’ve held for way too long.

Sorry if I’ve burst your bubble but YES it is true – everything is easier said than done. It’s obvious words are easy to say while action on the other hand is often a huge pain in the butt.

I sat around for twenty years telling myself and other people I was going to quit smoking.  It was so easy to say it but a true pain to actually do. But I did it.

I told myself for over five years I had to lose the extra sixty pounds I packed on by letting fast food restaurants be my personal chef and denial be my conscious.  It took two years of blood, sweat and countless tears to steadily reclaim my body.  And it still takes hard work every single day to make sure I keep the weight off. But I do it.

Daily I’d pray for a miracle to win the lottery and PRESTO all of my self-induced financial problems would be solved.  It took over ten years of willpower, determination, and dealing with the excuses for why I surrounded myself with things rather than heal the emotional holes in my heart. But I got to the heart of why I felt unworthy and finally got out from underneath the weight of financial irresponsibility.

Everything I’ve accomplished in life is because I’ve taken action.  I got myself up.  I got myself out.  I got myself busy.  I did not let myself stop.  I remained determined.  I took care of business, the first order of which was to smash that darn easy button myth.

No, life does not have an easy button. Yes, everything is easier said than done.  BUT nothing gets done unless we stop talking and start doing.

The exciting and truly energizing truth is that while action does takes effort, that effort is always positive and we’re always rewarded. We feel fantastic to be moving in the direction we want to go.  We feel powerful to be taking charge of ourselves.  We feel supported being our own biggest fan and most ardent supported.  We’re proud to be kicking some bad behavior booty. Action is positive.  Movement is positive. Persistence is positive. Positive action creates self-love, respect, and worth. Because the instant we tell ourselves it is easier said than done we need to ask ourselves do I really feel that this (easier said than done) is helpful, supportive or loving?

Honestly do I think it is okay to tell friends things like this?  Who wants a friend who says, “We’ll Janice you know it is easier said than done.”  Which really means Janice go ahead and accept you’re a failure.  Why even try?  You’re not worth the effort.

Ladies and gentlemen do you realize why superheroes are called action heroes? Because there is no such thing as a hope hero! Wonder Woman and Batman don’t sit around saying, “We’ll it’s just so much easier said than done.”  NO! Superheroes have already unraveled that excuse.  Yes, a superhero knows talk is easier than action.  But every superhero also knows each success we achieve in life is the result of our being emotionally invested in the outcome, to the point  we make ourselves take the consistent actions necessary to create what we want.

For twenty-two years I wanted to quit smoking. My plans were good. Yet hoping to accomplish something did not actually make it happen. After passing up a cigarette or two, soon I’d make an excuse to have just one. Then I would beat myself up for once again not being strong enough not to smoke. Excusing my lack of commitment, I would tell myself I was not perfect, I was only human, with faults, and allowed to make mistakes.

Yes, it was easier talking about not smoking that it was to actually stop smoking.  To make myself take the actions necessary to quit I had to stop listening to the excuses my mind made up.  I had to replace negative, “It’s too hard or I just can’t” with affirmations that supported me in achieving the goals I set for myself.

“I am losing weight” supported me in being more mindful about eating with awareness and passing up the elevator in favor of the stairs. “I am saving money” prompted me to stop before purchasing yet another pair of jeans in favor of achieving the goal of having money left over at the end of each month. “I am a nonsmoker” really did help consciously break the habit by allowing me to visualize myself without cigarettes.

You CAN accomplish anything you want to.  You CAN be your own best friend, biggest fan, and strongest supporter.  You CAN stop caring what other people think you can and cannot do.  You CAN get busy being the change you want to see in your own life. Be your own superhero and accept that YES, it’s easier said than done, but only by doing, do things actually get done!