When Life Feels Like a Struggle

Posted on by Ilze

I’ll admit it: I’m not in the best place in my life right now. Writing this feels scary because voicing it makes it real, and I’m afraid things could get worse. Isn’t that what people say sometimes? That health or circumstances could deteriorate? Then there’s the other voice—the one that says, “Enjoy what you have!”

I get it, truly, but how do you find joy when you’re exhausted? Our everyday life is a struggle, and it’s wearing me down. We made the choice to move into our unfinished house. Yes, that decision was ours, but living amid dust, noise, and incomplete projects isn’t easy.

We didn’t want to stay in limbo forever, and we still don’t. I dream of wallpapered walls and finished flooring. The flooring that I can actually clean. The materials are here, waiting, but we’re short on hands. It’s just us and one worker doing our best. It’s a slow process, and some days I feel like I can’t wait anymore.

So here I am, venting, and here you are, reading. Thank you for that. Maybe this is part of the process—acknowledging the hard days so I can make space for better ones. I know this phase won’t last forever. We’ll get there… Or maybe not… Well, we should! We must!

For now, I’ll keep dreaming of those finished walls. One day, the dust will settle—literally and figuratively—and we’ll finally feel at home in our house.

Ilze

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32 thoughts on “When Life Feels Like a Struggle”

  2. That’s a lot to handle on top of working and taking care of the kids. You two tok a big bite and eventually you’ll chew it down. I would be going crazy with all the dust and noise. You will look back and remember all the hard work as you admire the beauty and the hard work that went into making your dream home. 🙂

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! 😊 It truly is a lot to juggle, and there are days when the dust and noise feel overwhelming. But you’re absolutely right—we keep reminding ourselves that all this hard work will be worth it when we finally have our dream home finished. Those moments of progress, no matter how small, keep us motivated. Thank you for the positivity—it means a lot! 🌟 Realy! A LOT!

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            1. Absolutely, it’s so easy for things to pile up when you’re busy working hard. Sometimes it feels like a juggling act, and a few things are bound to slip through. But hey, we’re only human—doing our best is what counts! 😊

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  3. I understand this so much, Ilze. Sometimes you get weary striving for a dream when the finish line seems miles out of reach. And sometimes it’s hard to be thankful. For a house in chaos. A job you hate. A life that seems unbearably lonely. I like your little voice that whispers, Enjoy what you have. I find it helps to stop comparing my little rented house, so in need of repairs, to my friend’s lovely cottage with the wraparound porch and shift my gaze to the homeless man in the park. Away from the exhausting demands of my day job and onto my friend who lost her job at age 60 and can’t find another one. Away from a lonely Saturday night onto a marriage that was a battleground. Some days all I can do is just push ahead and hold onto Isaiah 60:22. When the time is right, I, The Lord, will make it happen. I hope you have a lovely, restful weekend filled with blessings 🙂

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    1. Thank you for sharing this—it really resonated with me. It’s so easy to get caught up in the struggle and lose sight of the little joys and blessings around us. I love how you shift your focus and find perspective—it’s such a powerful reminder to be grateful for what we have, even in the midst of challenges. That verse from Isaiah is beautiful and comforting; I’ll hold onto it. Thank you for your kind words and wisdom—I hope your weekend is filled with peace and blessings too. ❤️

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  4. Hang in there it’ll come together it just takes time. When I felt like you do while going through our remodel I would go back through the images I made to see the progress and how far we’d really come. That always gave me hope and the patience to carry on putting up with the mess, and inconveniences.

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    1. Thank you so much for the encouragement! That’s such a great idea—I’ve been documenting our renovation with photos, but I haven’t taken the time to go back and look through them recently. I think I’ll do that—it’ll be a great reminder of how far we’ve come and how much progress we’ve made despite the mess and chaos. Thank you for sharing what worked for you; it gives me hope to keep going! 😊✨

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  5. i know exactly what you mean Ilze. we ran a massive renovation/investment process and it was excruciatingly difficult. not only was the project itself hard but we also had to deal with the elements – both extreme cold and extreme heat. it made me appreciate the workmanship of even simple complete houses configured with modern construction standards. the truth is that incomplete structures often have to be approached with alot of hard work and patience, as you are doing – or – the solutions have to be approached in an asymmetrical manner but that more often involves more money up front.

    the only thing I can tell you is that a good even pace is key. if there’s one section of the place you can really improve up to the best standard – do that. then spread out your ideas from there. it takes planning but it can be done. our project took me 2 years of continuous building, negotiating with workers, and battling the elements – and mind you, this was with 5 workers overall, 13 if you count roof and ceiling work almost every single day.

    good luck! Mike

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    1. Thank you, Mike! Your experience really resonates with me, and it’s reassuring to hear from someone who’s been through such a massive renovation. We only have one worker helping us, so a lot of the progress relies on us, along with support from friends and family. That’s why it might take us about six years (already 3 summers in) to finish everything!

      Right now, our focus is on completing the living room—it’s large enough for us to live in while we tackle the upper floor.

      Your advice about pacing ourselves and improving one area to a high standard before moving on is exactly the approach we’re trying to take. It’s a slow journey, but reading stories like yours gives me hope and motivation. Thank you for sharing, and for the good wishes—it means a lot! 😊 Ilze

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  6. You WILL get through this, Ilze, patience and focus. Yo can do it! I remember living in my home after buying it and having the place painted inside. It stunk bad and there was plastic covering everything. A nightmare that went away…

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    1. It really helps to hear that others have made it through similar challenges! I can imagine how tough it must have been living through the painting process with the smell and plastic everywhere. It sounds like such a nightmare, but I love that it’s now just a memory for you. That gives me hope that one day this chaos will be behind us too. Patience and focus—it’s exactly what I need to hold on to. Thank you! 😊

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  8. I know what you’re going through with the renovation, Ilze! We moved to be close to my daughter’s family. We liked the house we bought for its layout but didn’t like the kitchen, the floor, and the carpet. When we remodeled the kitchen, my husband hooked up the oven to the gas line in the laundry room for cooking. We put the kitchen stuff in boxes, a hot water kettle and coffee maker, and a portable microwave on a small table. We ate at our office downstairs. The kitchen project lasted for at least six weeks or longer. I try not to remember it. It was only one project. Our backyard had a small patio and the rest was a steep slope. It was not functional at all. We did a major renovation hauling tons of dirt away and created two tiers for planting beds with retaining walls. We enlarged the patio and used a paver surface. My husband didn’t want to mow the lawn so we made used turf for one area connecting to the patio. We started the project as soon as we moved in and it took about a year and a half (longer?) to complete.

    Oh, when we remodeled the kitchen in our previous house, we cooked in the bathroom!

    Keep thinking about how beautiful the wall with wallpaper and all the finished areas. It’ll be lovely!

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    1. Wow, it sounds like you really understand the creative juggling act that comes with living through a renovation! I’m currently cooking in the storage room and have my freezer in the boiler room—talk about making the most of the space we have. It’s a bit of a challenge, but hearing how you managed with similar setups gives me hope that this is just a phase, and it’ll all be worth it in the end. Thank you for sharing your story and for the motivation! 😊

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      1. Even if the renovation is not done by Christmas, it doesn’t stop you from having a Christmas gathering. Family and friends understand. It’s part of life.
        During our renovation, our grandkids asked why we ate in the office. We told them that’s the only place with a table and chairs!

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        1. I totally get what you’re saying! Right now, I have dust and concrete floors, unfinished walls, and only half of the house is heated—just the lower floor. The upper floor, where the bedrooms will be, only has a roof and no insulation yet! It definitely feels like it will be tight, but we’ll make it work. I can relate to your grandkids’ question—it’s the same here! We’re finding spots to make it through, even if it’s not perfect yet. Family and friends always understand!

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    1. Thank you so much for the reminder! I definitely need to take those deep breaths more often. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress, but remembering that “this, too, shall pass” really helps put things in perspective. Knowing that the hard work will pay off keeps me going. Thanks again for the encouragement! 😊

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  10. I also sympathize with your unfinished state and upheaval. I think one of the most difficult things is living in a house that’s in remodeling (or worse yet, building) phase.

    You’re smart to keep your eye on the “after.” Once it’s all completed, you will be so glad and amazed that you lived through all of this. Hang in there.

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    1. Thank you for your sympathy and understanding! Living through the chaos of a renovation (or building phase) is definitely challenging. Keeping my focus on the “after” really helps, though, and I know it’ll all be worth it once it’s done. I’ll keep hanging in there and remembering that this phase is just temporary. Your encouragement means a lot! 😊

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  11. I also sympathize with your unfinished state and upheaval. I think one of the most difficult things is living in a house that’s in remodeling (or worse yet, building) phase.

    You’re smart to keep your eye on the “after.” Once it’s all completed, you will be so glad and amazed that you lived through all of this. Hang in there.

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