This picture says it all.
Great things never come from your comfort zone.
Whether it was losing weight, or building muscle mass. Working towards your degree or diploma, starting a business or a new job, moving into your own place, buying your 1st home, taking your first family vacation, climbing your 1st mountain, driving a race car, cliff jumping, skydiving, white water rafting, canoeing with your kids, sticking to a budget, saving for a new car, or deciding to go 100% remote. It doesn’t matter what it is, it takes you being uncomfortable to get it done. You see our brains move away from pain and discomfort so if you put yourself in an uncomfortable place it will work hard to get out of it and to get out of it means accomplishing your goal then your body is working with you.
Oh it’s still a struggle don’t get me wrong. But I’ll never forget the 1st mountain my daughter climbed with me. We were told it would be much less time than it took us. So we left with false expectations. Good thing the Lord gave me good wisdom and good snacks to help coax her through. It felt like the complaining and “when are we going get there” was never going to stop, but I just kept reminding myself how worth it it would be at the top.
Her reaction was priceless!
We got to the top and she went completely silent. Then she turned to me and screamed “you can see the whole world from here, this is awesome!” Then she crawled out to the farthest point on the top she could and just sat and drank it in. It was amazing to see her 12 year old mind realizing what she just accomplished. All because she was willing to be uncomfortable and push herself.
Sometimes we spend too much time focused on the uncomfortable part and quit. When all we need to do is refocus on the goal and get back in motion. Sometimes that is easier said than done and sometimes it is easier with a partner. As a mom, I loved being able to partner with my kids and show them how much bigger the world is, how much more they could do, love them through the ups and downs of the process, teach them all kinds of new things like mechanics or carpentry, gardening or budgeting, or even how to mess up in relationships and work to make it right.
Every part that is uncomfortable just gets us closer to the reward. So hang in there, refocus on the goal, and celebrate the progress that is being made, you’ll be glad you did!
Until the next adventure…
