Comfortably Uncomfortable

What is it about being uncomfortable that is so miserable? Great question, right?! Here's another: What does uncomfortable mean? A quick online query tells me it means a feeling of unease, awkwardness, or slight physical pain. I can relate to this. Who doesn't experience some form of uneasiness, awkwardness, or pain on the daily? I know I do! But do I have to be miserable? Do you?

This makes me think of the chronic complainer. You know the person. It might even at times be me or you. That uneasiness doesn't always bring out the best in us. We do what we do when stressed?--retreat into our own holes, argue over what might never come to pass, or freeze in helplessness and anxiety. We all know we do these things, but do we know that we don't have to? We don't. We don't have to live uncomfortably uncomfortable.

Not changing the topic, but shifting it in another direction--Why do we hold on to thoughts and perspectives that lead us to face discomfort by creating greater discomfort? Even better than the first and second question, right?! It's a great question because if we can answer this question honestly and fully, we can do something full and honest about it. (Hold back that overwhelming feeling for just a minute and put your defenses in your back pocket where you can grab it right back to front and center if needed.) You and I have the power to rework the way we work. Fact.

I'm about to head back into a job I have had for almost 30 years. 25 of those years were spent striving to bring the values, ideas, interests, and skills of my colleagues into a workable model that made us thrive. We tripled in size. We gained notoriety. We became financially strong. We fulfilled our goals and lived our mission. And our constituents benefited which supported a strong reputation. We were a strong team on which every person was a vital player in our success. So what? Well, here's where discomfort comes swelling up--there's an incredible set of new colleagues (I'm the last of the old crew standing). Just as it should be, this new crew has values, ideas, interests, and skills that take a new perspective from an angle different from the old one. They are creating a new way of being that represents them in such a beautiful way. We have a wonderful leader who works as hard as I ever did to bring her team to a great place based on her teams values, ideas, interests, and skills. Truly, I celebrate this team and yet cannot describe the level of discomfort that arises in me. There's the uneasiness that comes with change and the requirements that I keep up, the awkwardness of hearing that the newness is "better" indicating that the old ways are less-than, and the pain of letting go of creations that represented the people and ideas and values that were once so important. And there's the loneliness of literally being alone in my spot. I'm the odd one in my job home.

Here's where rubber hits the road...I get to choose what I do with the uncomfortable position here. I choose to acknowledge my losses genuinely and rub my own back (and seek some understanding from my old teammates for comfort). It's is an honest sadness that comes with age, time, seasons of life, and the backside of a wonderful career. At the very same time, because more than one emotion lives boldly in each of us at any given time, I am choosing to celebrate my current team and all the hard work they have devoted to creating a way of being that represents them so fully and will no doubt do more great things! Not only that, but I am going to be as energetically growth oriented as I can possibly be in learning these new ways, supporting my colleagues in living their best lives, and bringing my best to all I do. In fact, I am down right tickled for my colleagues and cannot wait to see where they go from here!

In this way, I am comfortable uncomfortable. Wait, it's more than that...I have joy.