So perhaps the hard way in this case isn’t the hard way at all. Maybe it’s the only real way.
In the past, whenever things fell apart, there was always someone there to pick up the pieces. But when I feel the scorching inevitability of suffering in life burn down on me; burning me to a crisp, I want to hide. But I know I can’t. I have to learn to fight my own battles, but without fighting at all.
Lo, something that is truly powerful would assist not in fighting, but feeling. Feeling compassion towards others, and learning the distinction between compassion and pity. After all, pity has rarely done much for the world, and self pity has only done harm. But the force and positivity of compassion stretches out for miles. Perhaps if there is self pity, then there can be self compassion as well; except self compassion would not be self destructive.