I was given a pair of bright pink thongs (flip-flops to some) for Christmas. Now, as an adult, I am not one who usually wears this great iconic summer footwear, so decided to step outside my comfort zone (couldn’t resist this one!) and give the thongs a go. Little did I know I was embarking on a daily adventure in embracing discomfort!
When I was child, thongs were made of soft, squishy, sponge-like rubber. These new pink thongs certainly looked soft and squishy but when I put them on and walked a few steps, it felt like I was walking on sharp stones. The little plugs underneath that hold the straps in place are made of hard, solid plastic (not soft rubber) so each time I put my weight on them, they hurt my feet! I considered relegating them to the back of the wardrobe and resorting to my oh, so, comfy Crocs when I realised that these thongs presented me with an opportunity to learn how I respond (and react) to being uncomfortable!
So for the past few weeks I have worn my thongs every chance I get. I wear them outside and inside, to the beach and just walking around. And I have been acutely aware not only of my physical discomfort but also my mental and emotional discomfort that certainly exacerbates the physical pain. And I have noticed the many and varied ways I have of avoiding, managing and resisting being uncomfortable. When I agree with my head chatter that says it’s too hard to wear these thongs, they hurt etc, etc, I find the experience almost unbearable. Yet when I remember that I am choosing to wear them, that I have many other choices available to me and yet I still put these things on my feet each morning, I find myself relaxing into the thongs, allowing myself to feel and be with the experience and the pain simply disappears.
There you have it. A simple little lesson in being with what is so, taking responsibility for ALL my choices and allowing myself to fully experience all that I have chosen. When I do this, everything is easier and more flowing and I find my comfort zone expands.
As I sit here, wearing my pink thongs I am reminded not to underestimate how the little things in life can be such powerful catalysts for personal growth.
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"Every situation, indeed every moment, is of infinite value,
for it is the representative of a whole eternity."
Goethe
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1 comment:
Lorna I love your newsletters and blog!
As you know I am a presentation skills tainer and if there's something that's going to help people feel discomfort it's presenting in public! I've seen people vomit, cry and swear loudly as a result of the discomfort they feel when public speaking!
In my programs I teach people how to prepare, rehearse, design and deliver their presetnation with a complete focus on their audience, and 'miraculously' they stop feeling the intense discomfort.
In other words, the more they wear their 'pink thongs'the more comfortable they become. Presenting doesn't need to cause the levels of fear that it seems to in our business community.
Your blog resonated with me because I'm often delighted at how learning to focus on the welfare of others (the audience) is such a such powerful catalyst for personal growth. Warmest wishes...Mx
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