Giving Discomfort a Big Ol' Hug

Happy Sunday! This week, as winter began and cooler, rainier days pulled in around us here in New Zealand, I got to thinking back.

A year ago, I was landing in Paris, feeling those sun-drenched evening hours spread out in Jardin de Tuileries, and wrestling with basic French grammar, pronunciation and communication.

Today, I'm wrestling with plumbing leaks, a more grounded life, and the challenges of communication on a much more intimate level.

Both on the surface, and deep underneath, these feel like completely different lives - but as I make my way through, I'm struck by similarities that thread through both, no matter how different they seem.

The value of clarity, and the importance of prioritizing what matters. The need to be emotionally and intellectually flexible, adaptive, and to embrace discomfort. The reminder that - just as I found in Paris all those months ago - the whole point of having cake is to eat it.

Now, I'd be lying if I said that crawling under the house to fix leaky pipes and figuring out auto insurance are as exciting as adventuring across the globe with a single suitcase. Or if I tried to find a nice, "But it's just as satisfying because love conquers all" rationalization. It's not.

Life comes in seasons, I think - and, well, they aren't all equally exciting.

But what I'm finding is equal is the opportunity for growth, learning, and the broadening of the tools I have to handle whatever life throws at me - if I can step up, embrace discomfort, and try to grow.

So this coming week, I'm going to try to put it action. I'm going to pick one area of my life, seek discomfort, and try to grow. Next Sunday, I'll let you know how it goes. :)

And - if you're interested as well - I'd love to have you join me, and I'd love to hear what you try!

(Please note that my inbox is still a giant quicksand trap that tries to strangle me, so I'm still not finding a way to write back to everyone - but I do read everything that comes in!)

Have a great (and challenging) week,

-Steven

p.s. The best thing I read this week is making the rounds, and you've likely already seen it. But if you haven't previously read the amazing comment thread on metafilter on emotional labor, here's an excellent, comic-style version that both the men and women in my life agree does a great job shedding light on some important stuff that never gets said.