It will be difficult is one of the excuses identified in Excuses Be Gone, a book by Dr. Wayne Dyer and published by Hay House in 2009. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I have personally used this one. It has also been a favorite for many of my patients over the years. People (myself included) very often can cite all of the reasons why they want to do a particular thing or why they should make a particular change. If I’m in a good mood, feeling full of energy, and feel that the person is highly motivated (again, including myself), my initial response to the excuse will be “so what?” Why does something being difficult mean that I shouldn’t or couldn’t do it? When I have actually asked that question people have looked at me like I’m crazy.
There seems to be an unspoken maxim that states that one should never try to do something if it will be difficult. Sometimes it is difficult to imagine, but the opposite might also be true OR, it could actually be easy. Without a crystal ball it is pretty hard to tell. I might know that something was difficult for me last time or that it was difficult for someone else, but I can never know for sure that something will be difficult this time. It may not be very helpful to jump to that assumption.
If we apply Dr. Dyer’s paradigm for managing the excuse it might include asking
Q – Is it true? Will it be difficult?
A – Probably not.
Q – Where did the excuse come from?
A – I allowed it
Q – What is the payoff? How does this excuse help me?
A – I( get to avoid risks and stay the same.
Q – What would my life look like if I couldn’t use this excuse?
A – I’d be able to really be myself
Q – Can I create a rational reason to change?
A – Yes
My paradigm for addressing the excuse is similar but also includes tapping (not a surprise I’m sure.)
Q – Where did this excuse come from?
A – Start tapping (tap through the points, changing to the next one whenever it 
feels right) and let your thoughts flow freely while you try to answer this question. This might include becoming aware of what you are feeling, when you have used this excuse before, and how it feels when you use it. Get as specific as you can about the excuse, the purpose of the excuse, and the desired outcome of the excuse.
Q – Was there a time that this excuse helped or protected me?
A – The answer is probably yes. Now keep tapping and get specific, remembering the instances in which the excuse was somehow beneficial to you. Try not to get caught up in self-judgment or blame. View the events as if they were a movie or as if you are seeing it happening in the distance and keep tapping.
Q – What am I afraid would happen if I drop this excuse?
A – You will get better results if you can suspend self-judgment about having used this excuse before. As you found out with the previous step, you developed this excuse for a reason. Now continue tapping and take a look at the fear or anxiety that entices you to keep using the excuse and perhaps re-evaluate its usefulness to you.
Q – What would be the benefit of eliminating this excuse?
A – Start Tapping. All things have pros and cons. Now is the time to look at the positive side of eliminating the excuse. Your results will be best if you can get very specific and get a clear vision of what things might be like on the other side of the fence if you eliminate the excuse. Remember, the grass is supposed to be 
greener on the other side so focus your energy on all of the good things awaiting you if you jump over the fence without the excuse.
If you decide to keep the excuse, please do so without self-blame or regret. You now understand your own motivations and decisions. If you decide to let go of the excuse, congratulations. Now you know that what you are contemplating may actually be easy. You have also gained awareness of your own ability to do things that are difficult.
Diets don’t typically work. Anyone who has ever been on a diet knows that traditional dieting works for only a short time then — BOOM — the weight comes back on. In order to achieve safe, effective, and lasting weight loss it is necessary to restore the body’s balance and to address the reasons why the weight is there in the first place.
