Sheri here –
Unfortunately, a couple of weeks ago, I injured my right arm. Thankfully, nothing is broken, only a sprain and some pulled tendons. However, it not only changed the way I deal with everything but also prompted me to look at the way, I deal with discomfort.
Because I’m right-handed, I have to rely on my left hand… and it hasn’t been easy! Have you ever used a mouse with your opposite hand? Do you know how disorienting it is? Unbelievably.
Turn Challenges into Opportunities
So, I could approach this situation in one of two ways. I could see it as a roadblock that stops me in my tracks. Or, I could see it as an opportunity to learn something.
First, I had to recognize and embrace my feelings – sadness, frustration, and helplessness. Acknowledging the way I felt allowed me to transform my hopefully, short term disability into something more fruitful.
Life is a continuous succession of both small and large problems. It’s how we handle and recover from them that matters.
All of us have the freedom to choose the level of determination and effort we bring to every moment. We chose how we look at things. How we approach an obstacle determines how daunting we make it.
I have watched myself struggle. And in other ways, I question whether everything I’m doing is really necessary. Are there easier ways? Are there different ways to do what I have always done?
Discomfort Leads to Growth
A state of desperation could be the catalyst that sparks your ingenuity to help you move through a difficult situation in an optimal way.
See your adversities as advantages. Each difficult moment is a learning moment in its own right.
In my case, it’s driven me to embrace a vocal use of technology (which is how I’m compiling this blog). Okay, maybe you’ve been doing that forever. I haven’t!
My past experience has shown me that if I try and push through something like an injury, it takes me twice as long to recover. It’s not about pushing through the situation; it’s about adapting and not letting the situation deter you.
Here I am, trying not to feel sorry for myself but looking at ways to use the lessons I’ve learned in the past about being outside my comfort zone.
Your Dream is Not Inside Your Comfort Zone!
The place outside of your comfort zone is a place where real magic happens!
The problem starts when you get complacent. When this happens, you stop striving to achieve your goals – you stop challenging yourself.
As you start a new year, you may have created new goals, which leads you to venture outside your comfort zone.
One of my mentors Bri Seeley has said “Your dream is not inside your comfort zone.” Which means we must get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been spending the better part of this last year being uncomfortable!
To cope, I’ve relied on prayer, meditation and journaling until injuring my hand. But what else do you do to get comfortable with being uncomfortable?
What have you been doing to support yourself in this time outside your comfort zone? What are the tools that you are using to support you?
Are you sharing those feelings of discomfort with your besties?
Are you looking for new and different ways to do things?
Are you looking at the possibility of opportunity?
What are you doing?
I’d love to hear, because I could use some new tools and some new ideas. Leave a comment below and let me know!
After all, if you have a vision of any size you’re going to be spending a lot of time venturing outside your comfort zone!
‘til the next time…
Ciao,
Sheri