Take this pill. Go on this diet. Order this tonic to regrow hair. Get this Botox shot. The list goes on and on.

In America, there are a lot of quick fixes being offered to people. From the ones I mentioned above to “get rich” infomercials that are pyramid schemes, everyone is trying to sell their “easy three-step plan” to solve all your problems.

Save your money. All that you need to make meaningful change in your life is already within you.

The problem is that so many of us look for validation from others.

If you grew up in an alcoholic or dysfunctional family like me, you might try to find someone else to help fill that hole in your heart. What do I mean by that?

What if we took energy and love and spent a meaningful time to learn the skills that we didn’t as a child?

We set healthy boundaries, build up our self-esteem, establish self-care routines, and learn to love ourselves. All sounds good, right?

But it’s neither sexy nor profitable to tell people that they can solve problems on their own. Getting help from a therapist or needing to take medication for depression fall within what you can take ownership of.

You don’t need me or anyone else to try and sell you something.

How dare I say that? Isn’t that ludicrous because I sell books?

No, it’s not damaging to my career.

I’m here to be straight with you. People buy my books because of the entertainment value or because the skills and stories I list out help people in daily reflections. And I’m honored each time someone buys a book.

But for right now, we need to understand that there isn’t a quick solution to many of our problems. Many people struggle with their weight and working on the social, psychological, emotional, and physical aspects of overcoming such a challenge isn’t easy.

The work we need to do is incremental and might take a lifetime. A person with an addiction might struggle for years before they land on a path and set of skills that help them manage their disease.

The interpersonal and self-healing skills that we need to learn and practice each day take time to lear,n and we will need them for the rest of our lives.

I have always found it a bit funny for people who promise that solving a problem can be solved in a matter of minutes (with a pill or some type of treatment). Many of our scars take years to heal. The learned behavior patterns need to be undone and rewritten so that we can fall on healthier options.

Is that a “bad” thing?

No, it’s living our lives.

As we grow, mature, and learn new skills, we’ll have an easier time overcoming some of our problems and might struggle with others. It’s all part of life.

For today, are you content with who you are and where you’re headed in life? If not, you have the power to change that.

It might take time for some changes, but that’s okay. That’s normal.

Like what you’ve read? Be sure to check out my other posts in my Let Go and Be Free blog.