Embracing Discomfort

I’m a Taurus; I thrive on comfort. I would rather be at home snuggled up in bed with my cats and a mug of tea than pretty much anywhere else in the world. When things get tough, my instinct is to retreat. There can be a lot of benefits from feeling safe and comfortable but it can also quickly become a crutch - an escape. Why would we choose to take risks and be uncomfortable when we can curl up in bed and block out the world instead? Because we will never grow without discomfort.

Let’s make a quick important distinction before we continue because this idea does not apply in many situations. When I use the word discomfort here, I am referring to stepping out of our comfort zone and pushing our limits in a way that is empowering. It may be scary, but you should not be in danger or feel threatened. This mentality does not apply in situations where you are being taken advantage of or at risk of being harmed.

The best opportunity for embracing discomfort is when you are faced with a decision and your fear of failure is holding you back. Should you push for that promotion? Book that vacation? Quit the job that is making you unhappy? Sign up for that exciting course? In these situations, you are faced with the chance to step into discomfort and evolve. It would be easier to tell yourself that it’s not worth the risk and that it’s better to play it safe, but think of what you would miss out on. Taking that risk to put yourself and your desires first, to silence that voice in your head that tells you you’re not ready or not good enough, I mean wow. How empowering is that? Being uncomfortable is how you step into your power.

Never in my life have I embraced discomfort the way I am right now. I decided against pursuing a career as a doctor despite all the work I put into the past few years to meet the requirements for medical school and chose to start my own business as a life purpose coach. I moved in with my mom, accepting that I needed emotional and financial support. I am planning a move to Sweden with my boyfriend in the upcoming months after we get vaccinated. I signed up for a program to help me with my social media and further my business. I am doing a tremendous amount of self-work and facing all my demons head-on. And I’ll be honest - it’s all pretty terrifying. Every now and then my anxiety and doubts will creep in but I am able to dismiss them because I know that I’m on the right path. I made these decisions for myself, and I own up to them with pride. And so what if I need to compensate by carving out more time in my days to feel comfortable and safe? Maybe I take that nap or choose to curl up with a book rather than socialize but I know that my motivations are to recharge rather than to escape.

I encourage you to take more opportunities to step out of your comfort zone and embrace discomfort and find a way that you can do so while still taking care of yourself and your mental health. Let me know if you have any questions or need any support <3.

Lots of love,

Andrea