Life is always going to be difficult. But the type of difficult we choose shapes everything. Friendship is difficult. Isolation is difficult. Growing your career is difficult. Staying stuck is difficult. Managing emotions is difficult. Avoiding them is difficult. Setting boundaries is difficult. Living without them is difficult. Building confidence is difficult. Living in self-doubt is difficult. Healing is difficult. Carrying old wounds is difficult. Every path demands something from us. Every choice has a cost. The question won't be whether life will challenge you. The question is: Which challenge leads to the life you want? Choose your difficult. Choose wisely.

A Tall Tale About Pride, Self-Reliance, and the Truth That Catches Every One of Us Eventually: Out on the rugged outskirts of Ironwood Valley lived a turkey named Tommy “Two-Step” Turkey — a bird so slick, so clever, and so full of himself that if turkeys had LinkedIn, he’d have listed “Escape Artist” as his profession. Tommy didn’t walk — he strutted. He didn’t talk — he boasted. And he didn’t run — he performed a legendary zig-zag dance pattern called the Turkey Two-Step, guaranteed (according to him) to confuse hunters, coyotes, and the occasional slow-witted farm cat. And every year, like clockwork, Tommy survived Thanksgiving. He dodged nets. He slipped past traps. He led farmers on wild goose chases — which was impressive, since he wasn’t a goose. He even had a trophy wall of old tools, gloves, and hats from hunters he’d outsmarted. The other turkeys admired him. Some envied him. Most simply put up with him. Because Tommy had one fatal flaw: He believed he was invincible. Then there was Old Rufus. Rufus was the oldest turkey on the farm — scarred, slow, and wise in that quiet “I’ve seen things you don’t want to see” kind of way. Every year, around mid-November, Rufus warned the younger turkeys: “Don’t trust your own feathers too much. Humility saves more lives than speed.” Tommy would laugh, flip his tail feathers, and strut away. “Rufus, buddy — you stick to wisdom, I’ll stick to winning.” But this particular year… something changed. The farmer upgraded. New fences. New gates. New technology. Motion sensors. Thermal cameras. Drones. It looked like Jurassic Park moved into Ironwood Valley. Tommy laughed at all of it. “This little tech won’t stop me. I’ve got the Two-Step!” Rufus shook his head. “Son, pride makes you blind long before trouble makes you fall.” Tommy ignored him again. Thanksgiving Week arrived. The sky turned gray. The wind went cold. And Tommy felt… excited.

Positions come and go. Titles shift. Careers evolve. But the way you treat people stays with them. Your behavior leaves an impression that shapes how others experience you long after the role changes. Leadership isn’t measured by status. It’s measured by character, consistency, and how others feel in your presence. Choose impact over ego. Choose integrity over position.

Emotional intelligence does not mean that you never get upset. Emotional Intelligence is about knowing how to respond when you are upset. To be human is to feel — emotions are part of our survival system. They release hormones and neurotransmitters into our bloodstream to prepare our body for action. When we get into an argument, our mind can convince our body that we’re in danger. The chemicals released in those moments pull resources away from higher-order thinking. Survival gets prioritized over complex thought, and this is where things can spiral. If we can’t think rationally, we’re far more likely to make the situation worse. This is why certain practices can help reduce the impact of that cognitive impairment and keep you grounded when emotions run high. Here are a few practical exercises you can introduce into your day-to-day: 1️⃣ The 10-Second PauseBefore reacting, pause for 10 seconds and take one slow breath. This interrupts the emotional spike and gives your prefrontal cortex a chance to come back online. 2️⃣ Name the EmotionSay (out loud or in your mind): “I’m feeling angry / overwhelmed / tense.”Labeling the emotion decreases amygdala activation and increases emotional clarity. 3️⃣ Change Your PhysiologyStand up, stretch your hands, unclench your jaw, roll your shoulders.Loosening the body sends a signal to the nervous system that the threat has decreased. 4️⃣ Redirect the FocusAsk yourself: “What is the actual problem I’m trying to solve here?”This shifts you out of emotional reaction and back into intentional action. 5️⃣ Practice Micro-RecoveryIf you feel escalation: take a 2-minute break, drink water, step outside, or walk to another room. Physical interruption = emotional reset. what other things work for you when you start feeling upset?

High-EQ friends are priceless. Keep the people who: • Celebrate your small wins • Respect your boundaries • Stay when things get hard • Support your growth • Show up consistently • Check in just to see how you’re doing • Apologize when they’re wrong • Want the best for you • Would never harm you Your environment shapes your emotional habits. Choose people who help you grow, not shrink.