Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

A number of years ago I ran across this phrase “getting comfortable with being uncomfortable”.  In the beginning I really had no idea what it meant but, it was short and catchy and it stuck with me.

I found myself from time to time checking in with the phrase. Hmmm I thought, what does uncomfortable really mean to me? To me, it means being in discomfort, feeling uneasy, a bit anxious, dissatisfied with the reality of the very difficult situation that life is presenting to me. Next, I got to the point that days, weeks or sometimes months after the discomfort had subsided, the phrase would come back to me.

I have come to know recently that I was layering struggle on top of the discomfort. I would say things like if only they or I hadn’t done that. If only, I knew more. If only fill in the blank of my choice was true or different then things would be okay. The struggle amplified my feelings as I was reactivating them and feeling them again and again.  The brand new aha that I am getting is that word above - “reality.” If I could embrace the reality of the situation then I will likely struggle less.

When I am in the messy middle of my next life situation I would like to get to the place where I could recall the message, I could slow down and not be so scared. From there I could begin to relax, breathe into the situation and tell myself it is okay not to know and that I am exactly where I need to be. I am feeling something important and/or I am learning something new. When I do these things, I open to more possible answers. I become teachable.

I used to actually think I wanted to have no discomfort, never feel uncomfortable. One of my core beliefs is that I am a life long learner. I realized that if I am not willing to be uncomfortable then I can’t really expect to keep being a student of life. Because when I am learning it is new and I don’t have all the answers. When I realized this I began – not to enjoy the discomfort but, instead to understand its value. If I am learning new things, going to new places, feeling and experiencing my life and emotions I am in unchartered territory and that IS going to be uncomfortable.

With this post I am making two new intentions. Embrace reality and spending less time in the struggle. I am going to let the phrase getting comfortable with being uncomfortable seep into my consciousness one layer deeper.