I know that when I talk to people about some of the problems I have going on from time to time, they seem shocked at me. Whenever I am vulnerable with people, many of them are confused at the fact that I don't just know how to solve my problem immediately. See the thing is, whatever you go through, odds are I probably go through it too. Let me be clear about what I am not. I am not someone who has gone through everything that a person can go through and come out on the other side with all of the answers. I do not have all of the answers. I don't even have most of the answers.

I tell you this for a couple of reasons. A lot of motivators out there will not show you the weak and problematic side of themselves because it doesn't inspire confidence or it's bad for their brand. I want to be real with you guys. How can I be straight up if I am hiding my true self? My true self struggles and even falls time and again. So don't be shocked when you fall time and again. Another reason I tell you that is because of how important it is to realize that there will never come a day where you have just figured it all out. There will always be challenges. There will always be struggles to overcome.

I also want you to know that if I can make it through something then you can too. I know a lot of people think, "Trent, that's easy for you to say. You've got it all figured out." but that is not true. I stumble, I fall, and sometimes I barely make it to the other side. I make it, but barely. Now how do I always end up on the other side? The answer is that I don't surrender to the struggle. I don't surrender to the pain. I don't surrender to the discomfort, or the haters, or the liars. Sometimes I feel stuck in a struggle or a bad situation for months. Sometimes we struggle for years with the same thing. We just have to remember that the fight isn't over if we always refuse to surrender to the otherside. Eventually we will make it if we just continue to fight and get back up every time.

Lastly, we need to appreciate what we have when we are going through these struggles. Even if what we have doesn't feel like much. There are times when I feel awful or anxious about something and I will just decide to go for a walk or a run. I tell myself that if I still feel so bad afterwards then I will reach out and ask for more help. But sometimes all you need to do is reflect on the good things, and/or be out in nature. We get so in our heads about our problems and we feel like all we can do is give up. Well, don't do that. Give it time, and hold on.

It all starts with you.