Life in our modern world is easy. We no longer worry about being preyed on by other creatures, no need to hunt and gather our food, and for most of us, we have shelter every night. Many of our “problems” are self-imposed and I don’t believe there are real issues to complain about. We are so tunneled in our vision that sometimes our problems seem inescapable, but we need only shift our perspective to see the solution. When I think of my worst-case scenario, I’m not afraid; I spend all my money, lose my house, and become homeless? Even then, there are resources to help me get back on my feet. It is not a matter of life or death, but a difference in standard of living.
The direction of society has brought us to an era where everything is centered around convenience, perhaps too much so. I find it mind-boggling that people buy into services that ship groceries to their homes, pre-measured, pre-cut, practically along with a catheter and bedpan. Not only is it detrimental to your development as a functional human, but there is also so much waste associated with supporting these services, such as the enormous environmental impact from shipping and excess packaging. I recently read online that my method of getting groceries was “extreme” – to walk to the store with my reusable bag and to only buy what I could carry home. Because now the norm is to drive the two blocks to the grocery store, pile up your cart with more groceries than you can finish, and drive back home just to order takeout because you’ve already exerted yourself for the day.
Many areas in life follow a similar pattern of excess convenience / comfort, which has then reset the norm. I want to bring up one more example, pretty specific to my job industry and location. People switch jobs here in the Bay Area every 1-2 years, as soon as something displeases them within the company. They jump ship to the next opportunity, with the mindset that the grass is greener, only to find themselves miserable again after a few months. Instead of acting so quickly on discomfort, I think we all need to dwell in it. Be uncomfortable, because quite frankly, we don’t experience enough of that in our plush lives.
When we sit in our discomfort, our mind and body start to reassess ourselves and our situation. Where is this feeling of uneasiness stemming from and what is the priority in removing it? I believe a feeling of discomfort is a blessing. It is your body telling you that something isn’t right, a subtle nudge for you to head in the right direction. But to heed that intuition takes work and awareness, a commitment that seems difficult these days. There is an aversion to doing one’s inner work, and instead, to chase the next fleeting opportunity in hopes that it’ll fix all problems. That discomfort is repressed and may disappear for a short time, but only grows within. I think these feelings of discomfort surface again in what we call quarter- and mid-life crises. At these milestones, people are reminded of the demons they haven’t faced. By continually addressing your discomforts head-on, you can avoid these crises and live a more satisfying life.
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