Don’t Let a Hard Season Become Your Whole Story

19 hours ago

3 min read

By Eric M. Chisem | #Learnedman | Smiles R Contagious™

You can tell the truth about what hurt you without giving it the last word.

Some of us have been through so much that when something good finally happens, we hesitate to enjoy it. We look for the catch. We prepare for the disappointment. We hold our breath instead of celebrating.

If that sounds familiar, take a breath.

You are allowed to enjoy a good moment without knowing what tomorrow will bring.

I’ve been thinking about this as I step into a new chapter of my own. After more than 30 years in public education, I’ve retired from the school system. I’m an author, a speaker, a certified life coach, and the host of the KYND Podcast. There is excitement in that. There are also questions. A new chapter doesn’t arrive with every page already written.

And maybe that’s where you are, too.

Perhaps something ended before you were ready. Perhaps you’re ready for something new, but you keep wondering whether you’re too old, too late, or too far behind. Perhaps you’re smiling for everybody else while quietly trying to figure out your next step.

Let me say this plainly: you still have something to contribute.

Your experience matters. So does your curiosity. You can bring both into whatever comes next.

Writing Sun After the Rain gave me a way to share a story of hope and growth. But the message reaches beyond the pages. When you’ve experienced hardship, you understand how much a little hope can mean. A person who listens. A place where you feel welcome. An opportunity to try again.

Sometimes those are the things that help us imagine a future.

That is one reason kindness means so much to me.

We can become so focused on getting our own lives together that we miss the person standing right beside us. We assume we need more money, more influence, or more time before we can make a difference.

But we can start with what we have today.

Say hello. Learn somebody’s name. Give a sincere compliment. Let someone finish speaking. Check on the friend who always checks on everyone else. If you have knowledge that could help someone, share it.

You may never know everything a person is carrying. You can still make the moment you share with them a little easier.

And please include yourself in that kindness.

On the KYND Podcast, I share this reminder: Keep Yourself Nurtured Daily. Ask yourself what that looks like today. It may be rest. It may be asking for help. It may be taking a walk, keeping an appointment, or finally giving yourself an hour to work on an idea you care about.

You deserve some of the care you give so freely to other people.

Here is what I want to encourage you to do this week: choose one small action that gives your future some attention.

Write the first paragraph. Make the phone call. Sign up for the class. Invite someone to talk. Spend a few minutes exploring the possibility you keep dismissing.

Make the action small enough to do, then do it.

You don’t have to solve your whole life this week. You can take one step and learn from it. Confidence often grows when we give ourselves evidence that we can move forward, even with questions.

I’m still learning that myself.

I’ve spent decades working, leading, helping, and growing. Now I’m finding new ways to use those experiences. I want to keep creating. I want to keep connecting. I want someone to hear a story, read a page, or share a conversation with me and leave feeling that possibility belongs to them, too.

Because it does.

Whatever this season has asked of you, I hope you make room for a good moment today. Receive the encouragement. Laugh when something is funny. Celebrate the progress you would have overlooked a year ago.

You have lived through hard days. There are still days ahead worth living fully.

The sun is always waiting.

What is one step you can take this week toward the life you still want to build?

Much love,

Eric M. Chisem — #Learnedman