All of the time, people say you need to break out of your comfort zone. This phrase has become so hackneyed, and cliched that it really holds no meaning. Let’s stop telling people to break out of their comfort zone, and tell them to embrace discomfort. When you push yourself to do something that puts you into discomfort, that is where you are making real change.

I spend the majority of my life in relative comfort. I work in a controlled environment. I drive a car to most places. When I am hungry, I have quick access to food. All of that relative comfort leads to stagnation. My brains says, “why should I push to discomfort, when things are so easy?” It’s a constant fight to resist the urge to stagnate, and push through discomfort to change. 

How many of us spend our lives the same way? 

Since this is a triathlon blog, let’s relate this to sport. There is times in a race or hard workout where things start to suck. If you are putting in your full effort, there will be a point, where you brain will tell you to slow down. The more times you can resist that voice the stronger you become. You can call it mental toughness, will power, or being a badass. 

The key to dealing with the discomfort is to embrace it. Let it happen. When the tough times come, breath, and try to relax. You know this is only temporary, and you will come out stronger on the other side. Think about the greatest accomplishments in your life, and the struggle and discomfort it took to achieve them. Was it worth it? I say hell yes!