You Can Do Hard Things: The Courageous Path to Mental Resilience
Lately, I’ve felt fear slinking in like smoke under a door—quiet, invasive, hard to grab hold of. It creeps in unexpectedly: worries about the future, the passage of time, mortality, meaning, uncertainty. Maybe you've felt it too.
Fear is subtle but corrosive. It shrinks our lives from the inside out, quietly convincing us that safety is better than boldness, that comfort is more valuable than growth. But here's the truth that’s been echoing in my spirit:
Fear is a liar. And courage is how we call its bluff.
Courage Isn’t Loud, But It’s Always Strong
C.S. Lewis said, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.”
Meaning—honesty, love, kindness, integrity—they all hinge on courage when it matters most. When pressure hits. When our ego tempts us to posture instead of be present. When fear suggests shrinking instead of standing tall.
In the journey of mental health and spiritual growth, courage is the bridge between who we are now and who we’re meant to be. And like any muscle, it grows stronger the more we use it.
The Practice of Doing Hard Things
One of the most transformative mental habits I've learned is this:
Do hard things. On purpose. Regularly.
Not to prove something to others. But to prove something to your soul. To remind yourself what you're made of.
Hard things build:
• Resilience: the quiet strength that carries you through anxiety and adversity.
• Confidence: not egoic arrogance, but soul-deep assurance that you can survive and grow.
• Courage: the willingness to move forward even when your knees are shaking.
Sometimes a hard thing is a physical challenge. Sometimes it’s making a vulnerable phone call, setting a boundary, speaking truth in love, or showing up when it’s easier to hide.
Whatever the hard thing is—choose it. Even the small ones add up.
You Already Have Proof
Here’s the part we often forget:
You’ve already done hard things.
You’ve already made it through heartbreaks, losses, scary conversations, transitions, and days you didn’t think you could face. You are here. And that is evidence of your strength.
So let’s flip the script when fear starts talking.
Instead of “I can’t do this,” try:
👉 “If I got through that, I can do this.”
Right now, take a moment. Jot down three hard things you’ve endured or accomplished. Big or small. Let them remind you of your resilience.
Let that list live somewhere visible. Let it be your rallying cry when you need one.
The Antidote to Ego is Surrender
Fear and ego often go hand-in-hand. We try to look strong instead of being strong. But the path to real, rooted mental and emotional wellness isn’t about puffing up. It’s about laying down the act.
God’s invitation is clear: Live carefree before Him—He is most careful with you.
You don’t have to fake it. You don’t have to climb over others to prove your worth.
You are already held. Already seen. Already loved.
And in that safety, you are free to be courageous—not because you have no fear, but because you’re no longer run by it.
Your Weekly Practice
This week, do one hard thing on purpose.
• A workout you've been avoiding
• A conversation you've been putting off
• A new skill or experience outside your comfort zone
• A vulnerable truth you've needed to say
Write this at the top of your calendar:
“I do hard things.”
And when it’s tough, remind yourself of what you've already survived.
You can do hard things.
You really can.
And on the other side of those hard things?
Fulfillment, not just fullness.
Blog Series is based on book by Russ Moore (2024), Confidence: Destroy Insecurity. Discover Freedom.
Check out the full series!
This post is just one of the Confidence: Destroy Insecurity. Discover Freedom Series. Be sure to check out my in-depth posts for the whole series:
- Snares of Insecurity and Zero-Sum Thinking
- Jealousy, Shame, and Emotional Baggage
- Personal Limitations and Pride
- Finding Identity and Worth: The Journey to Wholeness
- Thirsty : Understanding Our Deepest Needs
- Who is in the Mirror? Envisioning the Future Self
- The Power of Self-Belief
- Confidence Comes from Integrity
- Humility and Confidence: The Two Sides of Growth
- You Can Do Hard Things: The Courageous Path to Mental Resilience
- Stretching our Capacity (stay tuned; coming soon!)
- Developing Competence (stay tuned; coming soon!)
- Our Presentation (stay tuned; coming soon!)
- Handling Hardships (stay tuned; coming soon!)