As humans, we all have a natural tendency to avoid discomfort. We like to stay in our comfortable routines and avoid anything that might make us anxious or upset. However, remaining in this “comfort zone” can often limit our potential for growth. Pushing ourselves outside of what’s familiar, although uncomfortable at first, can lead to tremendous self-improvement and fulfillment.
Seeking discomfort doesn’t mean putting yourself in dangerous situations. It simply means willingly doing things that feel unfamiliar or challenging. This could be as simple as having a difficult conversation you’ve been avoiding, trying a new hobby that you have no experience in, or traveling somewhere completely foreign to you. Discomfort shows you where your current limitations are and gives you a chance to expand them.
Growth comes from the need to adapt. By putting yourself in novel situations, you are forced to find new solutions, skills, and ways of thinking. Research shows that stepping outside your comfort zone can improve confidence, emotional resilience, cognitive skills, and interpersonal abilities. Having varied experiences quite literally changes the physical structure of your brain by forming new neural pathways.
Seeking discomfort also builds courage and self-knowledge. You discover what you are capable of. Pushing through the initial discomfort and anxiety of new challenges shows you that you can handle more than you think. Growth comes when you reflect on how you reacted to unfamiliar situations and integrate what you learned into your life.
Of course, there are smart and reckless ways to step outside your comfort zone. Don’t ignore your intuition if something feels truly unsafe or unwise. But most of the time, that feeling of discomfort means you have an opportunity to grow. Keep expanding the edges of your comfort zone little by little, and you’ll be amazed at how much more fulfilled and capable you become.
The next time you feel hesitation or uncertainty about doing something new, remember that the initial discomfort is a sign you have an opportunity for growth. Leaning into challenges, rather than avoiding them, is the path to a richer and more meaningful life.
Theodore Lee is the editor of Caveman Circus. He strives for self-improvement in all areas of his life, except his candy consumption, where he remains a champion gummy worm enthusiast. When not writing about mindfulness or living in integrity, you can find him hiding giant bags of sour patch kids under the bed.