Discomfort is an essential part of the learning process, which is why it’s a shame we avoid it so much. Make yourself accustomed to constructive discomfort by finding new “firsts” to engage in.
Picture: bealluc/Flickr
You’re rarely as uncomfortable as you are when you’re doing something for the first time. The upside is that, the more you try things you’ve never done before, the less scary it feels when you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation. This can be as simple as trying a new food you’ve never had, playing a new game, or meeting someone different. As tips blog Dumb Little Man explains:
When was the last time you did something for the first time? In order to achieve great things and work on your crazy-stupid ideas you need to step out of your comfort zone… By getting out of your comfort zone more regularly, you’ll increase the number of things you’re comfortable with. You’ll also be able to enjoy more things in life, since familiarity makes us more likely to enjoy something, even if it turned us off at first.
The best part is, you can cut your teeth on new, uncomfortable things that are low risk, like watching a movie you aren’t sure you’ll enjoy, to help ease the transition into uncomfortable areas where the stakes are higher. The point is to get yourself used to being outside your usual habits so those habits are less entrenched overall.
8 Principles to live by for an Epic Life [Dumb Little Man]
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