One of the unexpected perks of my Iceland trip was meeting a woman who lives in the next town over. (Random Iceland photo included, for no particular reason.) 
Yep, I went 2600 miles across the world to make a new friend who lives just five miles away. That was very cool, plus I always love making new friends.
Yesterday we got together for a hike with her dog.
Ok, it was more like a meandering walk in the woods compared to the hiking we did on glaciers and volcanoes.
We relived stories from our trip, and shared the latest happenings in our lives since we returned.
She was telling a story from her week which had put her in a challenging and frustrating spot and she said something that stuck with me.
“I could either make this easier or I could make it harder.”
Yes! What a powerful and wise lens to look at when in a difficult situation.
How many times have I made a situation harder, even if only with the thoughts that run on a loop in my mind. I began thinking about what happens when something doesn’t go as planned, there’s a miscommunication, or someone doesn’t meet my expectations.
What do I do? How do I respond?
If I complain, get annoyed or frustrated, wish someone would have behaved differently, I am using lots of emotional and mental energy and it feels like pushing a boulder uphill.
OR
I could bless and release it.
I could make it harder for myself, or easier for myself. I’m choosing easier.