Comfort can Hinder Growth
I love getting into my bed. It gives me the feelings of security, warmth, rest, and comfort. It’s a place of familiarity that enables me to get the good night’s sleep that I need away from all the noise, distractions, and tensions that the day brings sometimes.
Some years ago I went on a trip to Fiji as part of a team to help build an accommodation facility on one of the Islands. This was an amazing experience, but initially everything about it felt uncomfortable. The heat, hard surfaces, transportation, the work, and the bed. I was staying with a local family who gave me what they had, this was a mattress on a hard floor. Needless to say due to the different bed , the heat, and insects, the first few nights I didn’t sleep that well. After a few days of hard work and coming home exhausted, the idea of any place to lay down and rest became very attractive.
“Comfort is relative to what you become used to”
Over a time period of being exposed to a different environment my mindset changed from one of unacceptance to acceptance of my new environment and conditions, so much so that when I got back home, I found it hard to settle back into the comfort I had experienced before I left. Consequently I went and purchased a harder bed.
The following points help illustrate this:
New situations take you out of your comfort zone:
Embracing new experiences and environments can be uncomfortable at first. Stepping outside your familiar surroundings challenges your perceptions and provides opportunities for personal growth.
Comfort is relative to what you accept:
Your sense of comfort is not fixed; it adapts to what you become accustomed to. What might seem uncomfortable at first can transform into your new normal with time and exposure. Acceptance of different situations reshapes your definition of comfort.
Change your mindset:
The way you perceive challenges and discomfort significantly influences your experience. Shifting your mindset from resistance to acceptance can make a big difference. Focus on what you can learn and how you can adapt.
Be aware of your growth opportunities:
Every uncomfortable situation provides a chance for personal and/or mental growth. Recognize these situations as opportunities to learn, adapt, and broaden your ability to grow from them.
Take action to support your growth:
When you experience a growth opportunity don’t let it slip away, embrace it and support it to ensure you don’t slide back into your old ways.
Embrace and pursue your opportunities to move out of your comfort zone. Confront your discomforts with curiosity, learn from them, and apply them.
My 5 Learnings:
I need to welcome new experiences, as they challenge my comfort zones.
Accepting discomfort reshapes my perceptions.
If I desire comfort over my growth nothing will change.
I need to remind myself that comfort is an okay space to retreat to but not to stay there all the time.
I need encouraging people around me that will support my uncomfortable moments.
Surround yourself with people and influences that encourage your growth journey. People who will challenge and support you, in getting out of your comfort zone. Cultivate habits that align with your growth goals. Remember, your actions are the foundations upon which your personal development stands.
My 3 Questions for you:
What would be uncomfortable for you?
What things do you want to change in your life?
In what ways can you force yourself out of comfort?
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." - Neale Donald Walsch
If you have questions, I would be happy to chat with you and help you discover more.
Remember daily to, “Find value in your influence”
Written By: Paul Fawcett.
