The Uncomfortable Life

Have you ever had the experience where something was the absolute BEST OF TIMES yet simultaneously was the absolute WORST OF TIMES?

For me that was boarding school.

Growing up apart from your family during most of your identity forming years of Jr/Sr High is a huge loss. Homesickness, missing out on relationships with siblings, missing out on "family time"... Many things about it were challenging. In some ways it was the worst of times. (at least that's how I felt at 13)

However, many things were INCREDIBLE. 

Growing up in Kenya.

Safari's.

Mombasa.

Beaches.

Dorm Life.

Rich and deep friendships.

A new blended adoptive family.

And the number one: Living life outside of comfortable.

The more I reflect back on the things in my life that have been the hardest/worst/most uncomfortable things, strangely, I find are the things that have grown me the most.

Fast forward 25 years from that first board school experience.

I am currently enrolled in a leadership development program through the company that I work for and the session today asked us three questions:

1. Describe our Ideal Future

2. What we hoped to gain from the 9 months of training.

And...

3. What we would be willing to commit to seeing this Ideal Future occur.

As I thought about what I was willing to commit, it became crystal clear.

I must be willing to commit to living a life outside of my comfort zone.

I have found that out in the wild unpredictable expanse that exists outside of our routine and safe environs is a whole world of growth, experience and learning just waiting for us. 

It is a difficult, even unnatural, first few steps to start walking away from comfort towards discomfort, but if you can find a way to ride that edge that has you not so uncomfortable that you are overwhelmed to incapacitation, but has you not so comfy that your sleeping your life away... If you can find that edge, that sweet spot in the middle, Growth Happens.

I will be striving to ride that edge over the next 9 months and look forward to seeing change. 

Will I stray too far towards discomfort that I will fail sometimes? Probably.

Will I panic and jump back to comfy at times? Definitely. 

Are either of those scenarios a total disaster? No.

All growth.

All learning.

All maturing.

So go live that Uncomfortable Life!

Find your edge.