The Oppression of Comfort

Do you run from discomfort or run to discomfort? 

Let's be real. Nobody likes to find themselves in uncomfortable situations. Difficulty is not usually seen as a friend. You probably tend to run from that which makes you feel uncomfortable.

However, discomfort is one the greatest catalysts for change. When things are comfortable you usually tend to keep things going the way they are without realizing that you are killing yourself slowly. Comfort, while sometimes necessary, can lead to apathy, being stagnant, and complacency. Comfort, while sometimes necessary, can be the most oppressive thing ever; though it is meant to be healing it can often be enslaving.

You often hear, "If it ain't broke then don't fix it." This is the saying of someone who is satisfied with the status quo. It is the breaking process that allows for something to be taken apart, studied, and improved. If it ain't broke and it's business as usual, maybe you need to break it and make it better.

Sometimes you have to thrust yourself into the uncomfortable in order to thrust yourself into something greater. Discomfort is an indicator that you are doing something you have never done or are stepping into a place you have never been. Whether it is a conversation that you have been avoiding, starting a project you have put off, or pursuing a dream you have suppressed, venturing into the uncomfortable place allows for your capacity to deepen.

What is crazy is that most times you step into the uncomfortable it becomes your next place of comfort. The minute your capacity begins to stretch you find yourself feeling comfortable at the very place that once caused you dread. You find that the short term experience of discomfort is far outweighed by the long term benefit of a greater capacity, deepened learning, expanded vision, and strengthened courage. 

Don't, for the sake of comfort, miss out on some of the greatest opportunities of growth in your life.