It’s Uncomfortable To Be Uncomfortable, Isn’t It?, By Heather Pinson

It’s uncomfortable to be uncomfortable, isn’t it?  We are so blessed to live in this country with the freedoms and luxuries that are afforded to us, just for being born an American.  Sometimes, those blessings also afford us the inability to be uncomfortable.  I would go so far as to say that most of us seek being comfortable most of the time.  Recently, I have been led to seek out the UNcomfortable, just to see what growth might happen when I humble myself enough to say NO.  No to the t.v., no to social drinking, no to foods/devices/chatter that might allow me to avoid life.  And say YES to quiet, engagement, intimate conversation. Guess what?  I am so uncomfortable!  I actually feel icky sometimes, like I don’t know what to do with myself.  Strange! And wonderful.  I am learning that in those moments, when I choose to not numb with distractions, something opens up in me.  If I would just get past the momentary ickiness, that need to feel ‘better,’ something really groovy happens.

Today, they are cleaning the ducts in my house.  They have had to shut down the air conditioning, going on 4 hours now.  It’s 88 degrees with high humidity.  My kids are saying, “it’s HOT in here!”  I smiled and said, “Isn’t it fun to be uncomfortable?”  This is the part where they roll their eyes.  It’s tough having a mother on a journey of enlightenment.

Try it this week: NO to avoiding, numbing & distracting.  YES to being fully alive!

By jeff noel

Retired Disney Institute Keynote Speaker and Prolific Blogger. Five daily, differently-themed personal blogs (about life's 5 big choices) on five interconnected sites.