You Can’t Go Over It; You Can’t Go Through It

There’s a popular children’s book titled *We Are Going on a Bear Hunt*. Throughout the story, the children face various obstacles in their search for a bear: long, wavy grass, a deep, cold river, thick, oozy mud, a dark forest, a swirling, whirling snowstorm, and finally, a narrow, gloomy cave. With each challenge, the children can’t go over it, they can’t go under it—they have to go through it.

Lately, I’ve been feeling the same way, except my bear hunt is a growing list of tasks that just won’t stop piling up. Every day, new responsibilities pop up—deadlines, emails, meetings, Martian Alchemist, personal responsibilities—and no matter how much I want to avoid them or magically cross them off, they’re still there, waiting for me. Time, that ever-fleeting resource, feels like the one thing I just can’t get enough of. There’s always one more thing to do, one more task that demands my attention. No matter how fast I work or how much I push myself, the clock keeps ticking. Tick, tick, tick.

It reminds me of what Van Neistat said in one of his videos, something that really hit home for me: adversity and obstacles are an inevitable part of any meaningful journey. You can’t avoid them; they’re part of the process. As much as I wish I could bypass this mountain, I can’t go over it. I can’t go under it. I have to go through it.

I’ve started to realize that the only way forward is to prioritize—to be really clear about what absolutely needs to get done, and what can wait. And with that comes acceptance. It’s not about finding more time or magically stretching the hours in the day, but about letting go of the pressure to do it all. Some things will have to wait, and that’s okay.

Right now, I’m still in the thick of it, navigating through the grass, the mud, the river. It feels overwhelming, but I’m learning that it’s the steady push forward—one step at a time—that will get me through. So, if you’re feeling that same pressure, that same weight of a never-ending to-do list, just remember: we can’t go over it, we can’t go under it. We’ll go through it—together.

And I’ll be with you on the other side. ❤️