In a world where we are accustomed to constant instant gratification, it can be really tough being uncomfortable. We’d think that with all the comforts we currently enjoy: hot water, food, air conditioning, microwaves, technology, amazon prime, transportation, all at our immediate disposal — we’d be happier. And yet, that’s not the case for most of us.
As Michael Easter wrote in The Comfort Crisis, “When a new comfort is introduced, we adapt to it and our old comforts become unacceptable. Today’s comfort is tomorrow’s discomfort. This leads to a new level of what’s considered comfortable.”
Having fewer problems doesn’t guarantee we’ll feel better, it just lowers our tolerance for what we consider is a problem.
That’s why, more than ever, it is critical that we intentionally make ourselves uncomfortable. That’s how we tap into the resilience we are born with (the R in CORE).
This past week I’ve been very uncomfortable. On Sunday, we started our 5-day RejuvaFAST challenge. We’ve been hosting these for over a year and each time, I push myself a little further. This week I had minimal calories – not quite a water fast, but massively reduced. In fact, for the last 48 hours of the 5 days, I didn’t eat at all.
I was hungry. Really hungry. I could even hear my stomach growling.
But you know what? I wasn’t going to die from hunger; I had the support of our RejuvaFAST community, and I embraced my intentional discomfort.
Each time I have fasted, I have learned a little more about myself, how I think, and what I can handle. Before I couldn’t handle any signs of being hungry, but I am no longer afraid of it. Besides all the health benefits of this fasting program, what I was most grateful for is that it continues to teach me how to tolerate discomfort. By the end of the 5 days, I feel more energized, mentally sharp, inspired, and happier.
Are you too comfortable?
What about you? Do you ever do anything to make yourself intentionally uncomfortable?
There are so many things you can do: take a cold shower, reduce your calories, remove sugar from your diet, stop drinking for 30 days, do intense exercise, try something that scares you, confront that issue you’ve been procrastinating, spend a day without getting on social media.
The list is endless, and so are the benefits. We are so used to experiencing long-term, low-grade chronic stress that we make ourselves sick. Instead, opt for short-term, high-level intentional stress to eliminate the chronic stress, release endorphins, and live a healthier and happier life.
Moment of Clarity
Embrace being uncomfortable.
It may be the best thing you can do to enjoy the comforts you currently take for granted.
