Happy post Turkey day! We had several wonderful days with my mom! Unfortunately she did fall ill today. On the bright side, so far she is hanging in there and it seems to be passing. There is a nasty stomach bug that is going around, and she may have caught it. Either that, or we need to work on our cooking skills. :)
I am feeling drawn to write a bit this evening before bed, so I thought I'd share a wonderful little tid bit of information that I have learned through several different mentors. Though each of them presented it a bit differently, the outcome was the same...
How comfortable are you? If you're feeling a bit squirmy, how comfortable are you at being uncomfortable? Odd question, right? Here's the interesting thing I'd like you to ponder. We can get to a place in our lives where we are "comfortable", meaning that things are going great, you're moving forward, you're seeing success, etc etc. But have you ever thought about being "comfortably uncomfortable? What I mean by this is that maybe you are just "dealing" with your job. "I really don't like my job, but I have to go b/c that's how I pay my bills, and with the economy..." Or maybe you are staying in a relationship b/c it's "convenient", and yes, I have heard folks say that out loud about their significant other!! Are you comfortably uncomfortable avoiding that phone call that you need to make? Are you living your life without passion, b/c it's way too scary to jump? Now, I'm not saying that you should quit your job, dump your partner, and all of that. What I am saying is:
take a step back and evaluate where you are right now. Are you happy? Do you know what could make you happy? Can you see alternative ways to slowly redirect yourself into a more authentic, joyful existence?
Here's an example: I realized that after I lost my job at the beginning of 2009, my husband and I became very comfortable being uncomfortable. He has been known to work 100 hr. weeks b/c he is the only bread winner right now. We are in debt, as so many people are. We live in a small duplex, with hardly anything for a yard, so are two little kiddos have to go to a park to play. But yet, it was so scary for us to jump into anything new, that we have remained in this situation for almost 2 years. Thankfully, when I started to do all the self work, I realized that it's worse not living into my true self, than to go for it. Yes, it's a bit scary for me right now b/c I am heading into a realm that I never knew would fit me, but yet it's so incredibly exciting, and there's a smile that comes to my face every time I talk about it!
So, just think about a possible aspect in your life that might be uncomfortable. What can be done to shift it, change it, or work with it so that you are happier? I truly believe that we have all the answers that we need, we just need to sit still long enough to hear them. =)
3 comments:
I've always found that I've waited until I was uncomfortably uncomfortable to make decisions, and then often I made choices that were just enough to get to the other side, to comfortably uncomfortable.
At a certain point, about 3 1/2 years ago, I hit a point where I had one of those moments where I realized that I had this pattern, and started to incorporate more self-directed changes toward getting comfortable, but you're right, it is scary to dive into the unknown. At the same time, waffling between uncomfortably uncomfortable and comfortably uncomfortable is no way to live, it's just a way to survive.
I am working on figuring out how I can be more consistent in making those brave choices, and be more comfortable with the unknown, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It can, as you have pointed out, be very exciting!
Way to go, Jess!! It's crazy how easy we can get into those patterns, but as you said, when you realize it, and start addressing it, things happen. Will folks fall backwards, sure, but that's how we learn, grow, we need to make those mistakes too!
Thanks! It's human nature to want to feel comfortable, so it makes sense...and the unknown is always pretty uncomfortable.
A few from the ever quotable Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Always do what you are afraid to do.
As long as a man stands in his own way, everything seems to be in his way.
Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.
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