Are you ready to make uncomfortable your new comfortable? If so, here are three ways to do it.

1. Notice Your Comfort Catches 

We can’t create discomfort if we keep deferring to our comfort routines.

Do you opt for silence in disorganized team meeting instead of asking, “Guys–how can we get more organized?” Do you stay in the same job or career because others have said “you’ve got it great”?

What’s your comfort catch? Notice the times when you long for change, but hear yourself saying “yes, but. . . ” Your “buts” are great clues that you’re in a comfort catch!

Our comfort routines are there because, well, they keep us warm and safe, which is a lovely place to be–for a while.

But as the old saying goes “A ship in port is safe–but that’s not what ships are for.”

What’s waiting inside you, ready to launch? The world is waiting for you to let it loose.

2. Build the Discomfort Muscle  

What’s the one thing you could do to make yourself really uncomfortable today–but could open up new paths toward better outcomes, greater possibilities, and getting what you want?

When I asked some of my clients this question, they said things like:

• Tell my boss I disagree with her decision, and why
• Keep my phone turned off all morning so I can plan this afternoon’s meeting
• Say no to being on the volunteer team 

What’s yours?

3. Affirm the Squirm  

When you build a physical muscle, it’s inevitable you’ll sweat. When we’re building an mental muscle, we squirm. We wriggle and twist and talk ourselves out of it a hundred times. We twist and we fidget and feel out of place.

To make uncomfortable your new comfortable, affirm the squirm. When you start feeling antsy about your new, more challenging actions, have a little chat with yourself that can go something like this:

• “Ah, yes, there you are, squirmy feelings–I’ve been expecting you to pop up soon! Nice of you to come visit while I’m challenging myself to do something different. Thanks for stopping by. You can go now.”

The squirm confirms, so be firm, affirm.

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Make Uncomfortable Your New Comfortable