Get Uncomfortable

Ever try writing with your non-dominant hand? It’s very awkward.  You become aware of every movement, each dip and swoop. Something as second nature as writing suddenly demands your complete attention and forces you to reconsider micro decisions you had not given a thought to since the second grade.

Human beings are very adaptable, and our brains are wired to seek efficiency. Once a decision has been made, it will not be reconsidered unless there is significant new information to process. All of this is a good thing. If we had to put as much thought into which way the bunny ears are supposed to be looped while tying our shoes as we do other more complex concerns, we wouldn’t get anything else done.

But there’s something to be said for getting uncomfortable now and then, too.

Sometimes, this happens as a result of events outside of our control. A broken leg forces you to think about how to carry a lunch tray…while on crutches. The departure of someone dear forces you to think about which side of the bed you want to sleep on or how you will celebrate a holiday.

As strange as it may sound, getting uncomfortable–purposefully–can be a powerful tool. As a leader, an artist, or a parent, we can stimulate a change in our perspective by simply changing something commonplace in our day. Our brains engage differently. Try it. Take a different route to work. Or even more disconcerting, leave your cell phone at home. Pay attention to what you notice.

When we are uncomfortable, our brains are thrust into the present. We become aware of our environment and our choices. And if we’re lucky, we will learn something.

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