What Is Something That Used to Be Easy but Is Now Difficult? Question of the Day

February 02, 2026

The Question of the Day doesn’t ask for a fix.

It asks for honesty.

What is something that used to be easy but is now difficult?

At first, this question sounds like a complaint. Like a tally of frustrations. But if you sit with it for more than a few seconds, it starts to feel more revealing than negative.

Because things rarely become difficult for no reason.

Sometimes they get harder because they matter more. Sometimes because we care more. Sometimes because we’ve grown into them instead of skimming across the surface.

This question landed close to home for me recently, watching my youngest daughter cross an invisible line from easy to opinionated. What changed wasn’t her goodness or her temperament. It was her sense of self.

And that’s usually what’s hiding behind difficulty.

The job that became harder often carries more responsibility. The relationship that feels harder is usually more honest than it used to be. Even caring for ourselves gets harder once we stop ignoring the parts that need attention.

Difficulty is often a sign that something shallow has become deep.

I’ve noticed this pattern before, especially when struggle stops being an obstacle and starts reshaping the way we see the world. I wrote about that shift in Never Let Struggle Steal the Sky, where the challenge isn’t what blocks us, but what it reveals.

So when you answer today’s Question of the Day, try not to judge your response.

Just notice it.

What became harder?

And what did that difficulty quietly add to your life that ease never could?

If you want to read the full reflection that pairs this question with today’s thought, you can find it here.

You can also explore more daily prompts in the Question of the Day archive.

And if these questions help you pause, reflect, or see yourself a little more clearly, you can join the daily email here.