Change happens when the desire to grow becomes greater than the desire to stay comfortable. — Tony Robbins
What is comfortable is predictable and familiar. It is human nature to seek the familiar because it is safe and helps conserve energy. As humans, we are hardwired to take the path of least resistance because it is assured survival. Our brains, roughly take up just 2% of our body weight but consume about 20% of our energy. Our brains naturally seek what is comfortable to save energy consumption because too much expending of energy will lead to burnout.
The paradox is for us to gain more energy, we have to expend energy. We have to push and stretch our boundaries. Staying in our safety zones, will, in the long run, keep us stuck in less-than-ideal circumstances. It can keep us comfortable in situations that are no longer good for us. Because it is familiar, sometimes we allow ourselves to stay in painful places because we know how to manoeuvre in these spaces. We avoid the unfamiliar peace and stay in the familiar hell because we already know how to survive it. I know this because I’m living it.
The trick is, apparently, small, consistent changes. I say apparently because I am a work in progress. I am anxious and uncertain, but I know something has to change. I know that in order to recover, in order to heal, I need for there to be real change. I know I am misreading the anxiety I’m feeling. I’m anxious because there has been so much upheaval in my life. But I need to reframe this in my mind. The upheaval is good. It is necessary for me to change. I just need to break this down into small, manageable chunks.
I’m sitting in the discomfort. I know it signals change. I need to stay the course. I will get there. I need to stop putting things off (because I’m terrified of the change it’ll demand from me). But I do know I need to figure out how to move forward…and soon
Yellywelly 