Oh, for life on easy street. The good life - where the living is easy and the frogs are jumping and the cotton is high. We all want things to be a little smoother, a bit more effortless, without any hiccups or heart ache; hassle free. It's a Disney-esque dream yet us innocent, optimistic humans cling to it like a Rock Candy Mountain just waiting for normal business to be resumed without stress and aggravation after this blip has passed.
Thing is, that's what life is mostly about - hurdles and hindrances and just getting on with it, until the good times roll in again. So why then do people balk at a bit of discomfort when reaching for a significant upgrade in their lives? Given we are all enduring a series of up and downs, highs and lows and aggravation as a major part of life then a bit of pain is worth the gain.
All good things worth reaching for which elevate your existence take a bit of commitment and graft.
Learning a new language or musical instrument, taking up a new sport or hobby or embarking on an unknown creative process can leave many floundering at first base. Clients say “I want to be an expert” but aren't willing to be the newbie student and risk going through the slog and often embarrassing first steps to get adept at something. The trouble is every new avenue comes with a degree of discomfort and the unknown and this is what immobilizes people. “What if I fail?” is the common cry when thinking about a smart new business idea or taking a risk.
So, here's the insider news – if you want to improve areas of your life - get out the comfort zone, lose weight, get fit, learn an exciting new skill then get used to pain or at least some discomfort. Life is rarely plain sailing and we put up with host of disagreeable and far from pleasant trials on a weekly basis. Why not then tune in to your new goal with the stoical expectation is going to feel odd and bumpy at first, as many things in life do, but at least with the intention that this time something really great is coming out of it?
If it was easy to change your life then coaches, personal trainers, shrinks and dietitians would be out of work. It takes belief, slog and commitment to write a book, which is why we are not all best sellers and winning literary awards. It's not easy but often embarking on a journey of dream realisation or self-improvement can be world changing and makes you a hero in my books. Given that most people choose to play safe and not bother, which ultimately leads to the latent agony of “if onlys” and regrets in later life when you realised you had everything to play for.
Don't fear discomfort and don't expect rapid results. Play the long game and rest easy on the cushion of self-satisfaction that says, “at least I had a go”.