Ah, just what I needed today. After a long, hard week of being told I have "decisions" to make by people who have moved beyond caring and are now only focused on trying to force me off my path, this is an elixir.
Some things get harder as we get older. Sure, some things are easier... I can't think of any at the moment but I'm sure there are some. But, some things are harder. As we move beyond our parents' ability to help and our peers' level of interest and commitment in our particular endeavors, to a certain extent we have to go it alone. Persevere! Yourself is not something you have to become, it's just something you are. Don't fight it! Lean into it! It's supposed to be difficult. If it's easy you're not trying hard enough.
per·se·vere
/ˌpərsəˈvi(ə)r/
Verb
Continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no indication of success.
Well, never were truer words spoken.