Getting Comfortable with Discomfort

What if you could learn to ride an uncomfortable feeling like a wave rather than avoid it? It is completely understandable to want to feel good most of time. The human condition (and dilemma) is to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Unfortunately that is not how life works, or how we grow.

If we can allow yourselves to “Go through it and grow through it”, if we can sit and accept the uncomfortable feeling, it will pass. If we can develop a sense of curiosity and the courage to lean into it, we will find relief in the fact that feelings are just part of life, and they are temporary. Nobody is exempt.

At times we may be feeling sad, overwhelmed, lonely, anxious, angry or bored. That’s very human and very normal. We might as well accept this phenomenon and allow all of our feelings to arise.

Many people choose to escape and “numb” themselves by working too much, eating too much or drinking too much. It provides a short-lived trance state, which gives them a break from an unpleasant emotional state.

There is another way: We can learn to relax into it, we can change the way we label a situation, we can make the decision to love ourselves more and more each day. This means being kind and gentle with ourselves during challenging times. So, ask yourself how you can best love and accept yourself more and more every day.

The only thing we really have control over in our lives is ourselves. That’s a good thing. Treat yourself well, with as much self-compassion and kindness as possible.