In work and life, the paths we walk are often full of ups and downs.
While we can anticipate some of them, especially if others have walked a similar path before us, for the most part, there’s no saying what’s beyond the bend. We’re all figuring it out as we go.
This week, the path I’m walking has been rather “hilly” to say the least. Maybe you can relate?
You get comfortable in your routine, your surroundings, and your responsibilities, and then you turn the corner, and the road before you makes a sudden change you could never have anticipated given how well things were going.
But as a wise mentor once told me: you cannot grow when you’re comfortable.
Sudden changes snap us out of our carefully constructed world(views) and ultimately shape us into better versions of ourselves.
(Depending on your chosen perspective, of course.)
But in situations like this, instead of pressing into the pain and discomfort, our inclination is to chase our next high, to distract ourself, and to find the thing that will make us feel good.
We often think a mountaintop experience is the answer – a giant reset button of sorts. But while mountaintops are certainly good places to gain perspective, they’re an unsustainable habitat.
Most mountaintops are barren and despite the occasional wanderer, void of life.
Valleys, on the other hand, are lush and green, the place where water runs, food grows, and where LIFE is found.
So maybe when the path we’re on takes an unexpected turn downward, we shouldn’t see it as a setback, but rather an opportunity to encounter the thrill of life in a new way.
That to say, this week I’m remembering to lean into the uncomfortable moments because, just maybe, I might grow up and become a little bit of a better human as a result.
Does this resonate with you? Reply with a comment and let me know.
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