Being Comfortable with Uncomfortable | Setting Yourself Up for Success

Recently I wrote a blog about working towards being comfortable with uncomfortable. Reference the blog for full details but the idea is, if we are uncomfortable we are making changes in our actions, thoughts or behaviors. Realistically however, being uncomfortable is not something most people chase after or perhaps we are so set in our routines that it is hard to remember the changes we are attempting to make. Lets say for example, you struggle with becoming highly irritable and yell often when your kids are talking nonstop.  If the goal is to practice breathing techniques to help reduce the physiological presentation and in turn allow for more awareness of the self and reduce yelling, it can be incredibly difficult to practice in the moment. In these types of situations, it is important to set yourself up for success and here I will share a few ways you can do just that when in the moment being uncomfortable feels too uncomfortable.

1. Bring Reminders To Your Daily Life:  I encourage you to have reminders around the house, your car, work etc.  Drink a tea that has calming and thought provoking statement on the tag, put a post-it note on your dashboard, set an alarm on your phone to breath, write a note or saying on a bookmark if you enjoy reading or sign up for daily emails from a sight like “Notes from the Universe” (one of my favorites. This can be a fun and personal way to remind yourself of your goals and why it is ok to be uncomfortable.

2. Practice When You Are Feeling Good: When we are already uncomfortable or distressed it can be that much harder to make changes. If we however practice making changes when we are feeling more emotionally and/or physically grounded, it is easier use the skills or goals we are working towards when we are feeling more emotionally charged. From the example above, if you want to be more patient and yell less with your children, make a priority to intentionally breath as often as possible. In the morning, in the car before you go into work, when you are sitting at a red stoplight. These are all great opportunities to use skills that help us through change.

3. Slow Down And Trust The Process: It can be easy to want to move through uncomfortable feelings in ways we are familiar but, if you can work towards slowing down the thoughts and actions, you can better tend to the situation at hand. And remember, making a change can take a while! So trust the process and trust that with practice and perseverance you will eventually start feeling more ok with being uncomfortable. 

Written by Sonja Kromroy, MA LPC

Photo Source: https://www.pexels.com/u/julian-jagtenberg-23697/