Over coming your fears and getting used to being comfortable when uncomfortable

If there is one thing I’ve learnt over the past few years, it is to become comfortable with the feeling of being uncomfortable. 

While it may not feel like it in the moment, a little bit of discomfort goes a long way in terms of personal development.

If you don’t get outside of your comfort zone, you might find yourself tuning out much of your life on a daily basis. You find yourself in a routine, with no self growth. 

Understandable only a few people actually enjoy the feeling of being uncomfortable. The challenge is to get past that initial feeling of wanting to return to the norm, so you can grow and benefit from that discomfort. It can be a horrible feeling and I have now lost count of the amount of times I have put myself through discomfort but it has made me the person I am today. I know that if I am comfortable it means that I am not growing. 

Tips for Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable and Embracing Change

1. Start.

The first step is always the most uncomfortable, remember all you have to do is show up. The battle is half won if you just show up. I get it, it can be uncomfortable to start something.

Remind yourself that you made a decision. You are already committed and there is no going back.

2. Don’t quit.

You’ve decided to start. You need to remember that you may not see immediate results. It’s difficult and you may feel like you want to quit. It’s okay, just keep pushing forward.

You’re going to start thinking of a way out where you can quit and save defeat. Don’t do it. Don’t give yourself an out. Just don’t. Don’t give yourself any options, it’s simple you’ll either you succeed or you fail.

3. Push yourself past your comfort zone.

At some point, you are going to say to yourself, “I’ve never done this before” or “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

We’ve all been there. Here’s a trick, that’s worked for me: just pretend to be confident. Fake it till you make it as I like to say. It’s scary, but I promise you this, when it’s over, you are going to say, “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will.

4. Embrace “the bad situation”

The situation is bad, deal with it. And don’t just deal with it, open your arms and welcome it as you would an old friend.

5. Be around like-minded people.

Create a support network. Talk about your experiences, the funny thing is, the worse the experience it is to you, the better the story it is to everyone else.

Soon, you will be seeking uncomfortable experiences to share with your friends. Be a good storyteller.

6. Recognise your improvements.

Track your progress, you are now a changed person, seriously it’s true, I wouldn’t even recognise the old Evie. Build your confidence by going back to what before was uncomfortable and go through the experience again, this will help you recognise how far you’ve come.

7. Repeat.

The more you perform the same activity, the more confident you become. Confidence is a tangible thing, it comes from practice and repetition.

Go on then, there is no excuse now!

Bye for now Xx