“Embrace the discomfort that comes with moving from where you are to where you want to be.” Unknown

“Do it afraid.” 

That quote never freed me like it did friends who preached it with a passion. I wanted it to, but I couldn’t make it work for me. It wasn’t until another friend noticed how much I struggled that she said, “Do you know what your problem is?”

No, I didn’t have a clue. I walked through some big fears, but stayed stuck anyway. I set boundaries people didn’t like, wrote blog posts they questioned, and put necessary distance in relationships, but then I’d take it all back. 

My bad habits weren’t driven by fear even though I had a lot of it. I couldn’t figure it out, but my friend did.  

“You need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

I stood in front of her wide-eyed, knowing I’d heard a life-changing truth if I would commit it to memory and put it into practice.

I didn’t avoid hard things because I felt afraid. I avoided hard things because I felt uncomfortable. 

Unlike fear, discomfort lingered. At least, that’s how it worked for me. I questioned everything and struggled with really uncomfortable emotions. 

Should I have set that boundary? 

Should I have written such a vulnerable blog post?

Should I have answered the question so honestly?  

I tried being comfortable (instead of giving into my usual reactions) a dozen times before it felt okay to try a thirteenth time, and that’s only if I made it to 12 times. Sometimes I got so uncomfortable after the first try, I reacted no matter how painful it was to go back there. 

Since my friend isn’t around anymore, I like to imagine I’m honoring her and Jesus (who she loved a lot) when I practice what she taught me.  

Can anyone else relate to the jump-out-of-your-skin feeling when it’s easier to react than to get comfortable with being uncomfortable? 

In This Together, 
Kim