The discomfort syndrome is a group of feelings that we might have when trying to deal with new situations, tasks, and/or people, or situations, tasks, and/or people that are requiring a different from usual, unfamiliar approach, combining the feeling of uneasiness, with often itchy emotions and restlessness.
It is not exactly a comfortable place to be at, however, to have the discomfort syndrome is a very positive sign.
Some people want easy, they want comfortable and known. They want people around them who uphold that comfort and sense of stability and predictability.
And that is ok if and when we need a short rest. Sometimes we need to rest, to dose off and sleep.
But life in general is not about sleeping. It is about learning and expanding. Pushing ourselves to do better, to do more, to understand more, to learn new things, to explore, to stretch, to go where we haven't ventured before ..... None of which is comfortable !
Growth is not comfortable, it is not stable, it is not predictable ................
When you expand you feel like standing on an edge. Standing on an edge that is sometimes sharp, sometimes uneven, sometimes shaky, not knowing what comes next. It could be exciting at the same time but never comfortable !
Every new endeavour will cause the discomfort syndrome. It is because doing something new, something unfamiliar, brings about venture into the unknown which might feel, usually on a subconscious level, as a threat. So you might start to doubt both yourself and what you are doing, and might want to go back to 'sleep', to familiar, to known ...
Discomfort syndrome is a direct sign of expansion though ! It is a vital part of the growth process. When you have it, and with whomever you have it, know that you are learning, growing, expanding, and be grateful for the opportunity the situation/task/person brings about.
I feel that kind of discomfort every time I start learning a new piece or music. I feel discomfort every time I start to create a new piece of art. I feel discomfort every time I start to put a new book together. I feel discomfort every time I start to write. I feel discomfort before every public performance. I feel discomfort every time I start learning a new skill. I feel that kind of discomfort every time when challenged with a new radically different idea, way of thinking, or having to do something in a radically different way. But then I consciously push through the barrier of discomfort and let myself flow with it, allowing myself to go wherever it takes me. And every single time, it takes me to a slightly or greatly different, changed, expanded me.
I have learned to love discomfort for all that it leads me to.
And how about you ?
Do you prefer to 'sleep', or push yourself to expand and discover what lies beyond your feeling of discomfort ?
Are you the person who is passionate about discovering the limits of your expansion ? If yes then get ready for discomfort. Learn to LOVE it.
And maybe, who knows ? Maybe you will discover that there is no limit at all ........... to what you can do !
Read more about why we are feeling uncomfortable when learning, growing and expanding here:
Picture: 'Seeking The Stars" by Cameron Gray
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