It was a hot summer morning.
The kind of morning where you step outside and instantly think, yep… it’s going to be one of those days.

So naturally, I decided to make it hotter.

I walked into my hot yoga class, already sweating before I even unrolled my mat. The instructor looked at our red faces and asked:

“Why would you willingly add more heat to a morning like this?”

Then she smiled and answered her own question:

“Because you like to do hard things.”

And wow—did that land.

From “Can” to “Like”

I’ve always told myself: I can do hard things.

Over the years, I’ve proved it to myself:

• I’ve run a half marathon
• Taught myself to make sourdough bread (if you’ve ever wrangled a starter, you know it’s its own endurance sport)
• Hiked and climbed Mont Tremblant — 875 meters (2,871 feet) above sea level
• Left my safe corporate job to uproot my family and move to the cottage to start my own business

That climb up Mont Tremblant sticks with me.

The first stretch felt endless—steep, rocky, and the kind of uphill that makes your calves and lungs burn at the same time. There were moments I thought, what was I thinking? But then, step by step, the view began to open up.

And at the top, looking out over the mountains and valleys, it hit me: the work was the price of the view.

Real estate can feel like that climb. You start with excitement, then hit the steep parts—decluttering, staging, dealing with paperwork—and wonder if it’s worth it. But when you get to the “top” and see the new chapter ahead, you realize the hard was what made it possible.

I can do hard. I have the receipts.

But liking to do hard things?
That’s a different mindset altogether.

“Can” is survival. “Like” is growth.

“Can” means you’re capable—you rise to the occasion when you have to.
“Like” means you choose the challenge. You lean into it. You see the value in the discomfort and want what’s on the other side badly enough to keep going.

Why We Avoid Hard Things

Here’s the thing—human nature tells us to steer clear of discomfort.

We live in a world that sells us easy at every turn:

• Shortcuts

• Quick fixes

• “Effortless” everything

And sure, there’s nothing wrong with making life easier where you can. But when we avoid anything hard just because it’s hard—we stop growing.

Think about the last time you accomplished something difficult:

• Training for a race

• Launching a business

• Selling a home that held decades of memories

The pride and confidence didn’t come in spite of the hard parts. They came because of them.

Finding Joy in the Hard Stuff

There’s a weird kind of joy in doing something hard.

Finishing a tough workout.
Learning a skill from scratch.
Finally mastering the art of parallel parking downtown.

Hard things demand focus. They stretch our limits. They make us get creative in ways we wouldn’t otherwise.

When we moved from our suburban home to a cottage in the Kawarthas, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

It wasn’t just packing boxes—it was letting go of the familiar and stepping into a completely new life.

But that “hard” was also exciting. It pushed me to rethink what I wanted in my home, my work, and my daily life.

And now? Years later, I know it was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

Hard Things in Real Estate

Real estate is full of hard things.

Moving is ranked as one of life’s most stressful events for a reason.

For sellers, the hard might be:

• Downsizing from the family home after decades

• Selling after a major life change

• Preparing for a market that feels unpredictable

For buyers, the hard might be:

• Navigating bidding wars

• Adjusting expectations to reality

• Committing to a long-term decision in an ever-changing market

Here’s the shift:
When you like the challenge instead of just tolerating it, the whole experience changes.

You’re more open to solutions.
You stay engaged.
You see the finish line with anticipation instead of dread.

That’s where I come in—not to erase the hard entirely, but to help you move through it with more clarity, less stress, and maybe even some moments of joy.

How to Start Liking Hard Things

If embracing the hard doesn’t come naturally, try this:

1. Reframe the narrative.
Replace I have to with I get to.

“I have to pack my house” becomes “I get to prepare for my next chapter.”

2. Break it down.
Focus on the next small step, not the whole mountain.

3. Celebrate progress.
Notice and acknowledge the wins along the way.

4. Choose your hard.
Some challenges are unavoidable, but others we choose on purpose—because they lead to something better.

That yoga class reminded me there’s a big difference between I can do hard things and I like to do hard things.

One is about proving you’re capable.
The other is about enjoying the process because you know it leads somewhere better.

And much like that climb up Mont Tremblant, the hardest parts—the steep sections, the moments you want to stop—are exactly what make the view at the top so worth it.

If selling your home, buying a new one, or making a big life change feels like your “hard” right now—lean in.

The climb is worth it.

And when you’re ready, I’ll be here to help make the hard feel a little lighter.