Seeking out discomfort
Hello!
I hope you have had a great week. You can find my progress update for my tasks this week here. I have been thinking a lot lately about comfort and how comfortable my life and life, in general, has become for those of us in the developed world on a reasonable income.
Our lives have become significantly more comfortable in the last 20 years, thanks to mainly to advancements in technology - for example:
Communication - the rise of smartphones and other mobile devices has made it easier than ever to stay connected with others. We can now communicate with people from all over the world through video calls, messaging apps, and social media.
Entertainment - the internet has opened up a world of entertainment options, from streaming services like Netflix and Spotify to video games and virtual reality experiences. We can now access a wide range of content from the comfort of our own homes.
Home technology - smart home technology has made it easier to manage our daily lives, from controlling our thermostats and lights to ordering groceries and other household items online.
It’s not that I think these advances are necessarily a bad thing but I think there can be a few potential downsides to being too comfortable:
Complacency - when we're too comfortable, we may become complacent and stop challenging ourselves to grow and improve. This can lead to a lack of motivation and a sense of boredom or stagnation.
Lack of resilience - if we're used to a comfortable life, we may struggle to cope with unexpected challenges or difficult situations. This can make it harder to develop resilience and adaptability.
Risk aversion - when we're comfortable, we may be less likely to take risks or try new things. This can limit our opportunities for growth and exploration.
Entitlement - if we're used to a comfortable life, we may start to take our privileges and advantages for granted. This can lead to a sense of entitlement and a lack of gratitude.
Disconnect from reality - if we're too focused on our own comfort, we may become disconnected from the struggles and challenges faced by others in our society or in the world at large.
It is absolutely possible to enjoy a comfortable life while still challenging ourselves but this often means that we need to actually seek out discomfort. Seeking out discomfort can be important for personal growth and development. When we challenge ourselves and step outside of our comfort zones, we push ourselves to learn new things, develop new skills, and gain new experiences. There are many ways we can seek out discomfort and they don’t have to require major changes to our lives. Here are a few simple ideas:
Go without something - if it is hot, don’t use the air conditioning, if it is cold rug up but don’t use the heater.
Talk to someone new - start up a conversation with someone you don't know, like a stranger on the bus or someone at your work that you've never spoken to before.
Do something that scares you a little - this could be as simple as trying a new exotic food or going to a social event alone.
Push yourself physically - try a more challenging workout, run further than you usually do, lift heavier or try a new sport altogether
Read an article or listen to a podcast with a challenging or thought-provoking theme. This can help you expand your perspectives and challenge your assumptions.
Seeking out discomfort is not about pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion or adding more workload to your life. It's about finding ways to challenge yourself that allow you to continue to grow, learn, develop and increase your confidence and resilience.
Try adding a task this week that makes you feel uncomfortable. Scroll down below to see what my discomfort task and all my other tasks for the week are going to be!