Since prehistoric times, there have always been situations that forced us out of our safety zones, testing us to adapt and grow in a world full of possibilities and dangers. Despite their being uncomfortable, or even frightening to deal with, we have survived and thrived due to our ability to face these challenges.
In today’s high-tech world of modern conveniences, however, we can enjoy comfort and pleasure with little effort. Far from risking our lives to provide food for our families, we can have whatever we like — delivered on a moment’s notice. Rather than exhausting ourselves with physical labor, many of us sit in a comfortable chair to do our work.
While there are obvious benefits to skipping the grueling struggle to survive, our reliance on technology is approaching the extreme. As we become more comfortable and complacent, we lose important opportunities to grow.
If you don’t challenge yourself with difficult tasks, you run the risk of becoming weak and lazy in body and mind. We need to continuously encounter obstacles if we want to move forward, but how can we travel on a rough road when we don’t need to?
The pitfalls of comfort
Humanity has always been driven by two powerful instincts: the need to push our limits and the desire to find relief and enjoyment.
Success
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Success
Check your email to complete sign up
Technology seems to satisfy both aspects by simplifying everyday life. If the mundane tasks are quick and easy, it gives us more time and energy to do other things. We can get all our shopping done without even entering a store. From dishwashers and email to 3D printers and AI-everything, we can avoid “wasting” our time, thought, or effort, but to what end?
Ordering food for delivery might save you the time of shopping, cooking, and cleanup; but you also miss a good chance to get outdoors, exercise, be creative, and take on responsibility. On top of that, take-out food is rarely as healthy or satisfying as home-cooked meals. In fact, fast food is linked with obesity and diabetes.
In pursuing any easier path, we avoid challenges — which not only eliminates the risk, but also the reward of overcoming difficulty. Consider athletes: they work hard to hone their bodies for competition to enjoy the satisfaction of achievement.
If we condition ourselves to give up, rationalizing that other, less demanding tasks are “more worth our time;” this ultimately fosters complacency and laziness, eroding the willingness to put forth effort and encouraging us to remain still. Moreover, choosing the easy path fosters a sense of personal weakness. When we observe the successes of others, we might feel inferior, cementing a state of inertia.
So yes, we can do many things without lifting a finger or leaving the comfort of our homes, but what we gain in ease is lost in integrity.
READ MORE:
- The Spiritual Benefits of Physical Labor
- Transcending Pain: Understand, Accept, and Become Comfortable With Discomfort
- When Miracle Shines: A Mother and Her Autistic Boy
Challenge yourself out of your comfort zone
If you feel imprisoned in your easy chair, it is definitely time for a change. It may be difficult at first, but you can build up your momentum by starting small. Choose more active options to challenge yourself physically.
Instead of streaming a movie, go to the cinema. Instead of texting someone, try actually talking to them on the phone — or better yet, in person. The small rewards from these little changes will give you the incentive to take bigger steps.
One of the greatest inhibitors in life is fear. From catastrophic events to minutiae, we worry about how we will deal with all sorts of unknowns. No matter how hard we try to avoid them, in the end, we have to face these uncertainties. So why not do this up front?
Next time you feel uncomfortable and unsure, grant yourself permission to make a mistake and move forward. You will soon discover all the skills you need to tackle life’s setbacks, growing stronger and more resilient with every challenge.
Still, just facing the obstacles you encounter is somewhat passive. As you progress, you’ll begin to think about pursuing your dreams. Did you want to write a book? Make a movie? Build a boat? Invent something indispensable? The comfort-loving you might have written those ideas off as impossible, but the new you is up for a challenge, right?
