Stand Up!
What does your life entail? Do you get up in the morning with a smile on your face, or do you slog out of bed draining your energy away with negative thoughts?
The point of this cross platform blog post today is to explain the necessary parts of life you are not going to enjoy.
The challenge is to put yourself in a position that is foreign, something that you do not like, and most of all is relatively hard to wrap your around why you are doing it.
Aiming for new heights will allow you to gain new experiences, and face new events in your life. The problem is that when doing so it is bound to make you feel uncomfortable.
We are beings of decisions being made all the time, whether to walk a certain path, wear a certain shirt, or do a certain thing. Your brain is making those decisions on the spot, and it can be a draining process.
I have spent most of my adult life teaching other people, getting them to become better versions of themselves. I created techniques to surprise their psychological presets, and to fulfill my duty as an instructor. I have taught a multitude of things such as how to build a computer, how to swim (for 5ish years!), Water Aerobic Fitness, and much more. The reason I bring this up is because of the level of discomfort the person feels when I first get started with them. Not because of any real reason at the pool, the people, the area, or thing, just because they are literally in the water.
First thing I have to do every time is get them past that mindset, or else they will never swim!
What happens is in their mind they are afraid they will drown, the most crucial part is how ridiculous the idea is! Alright let me elaborate, as drowning is a serious issue, and should be respected as it can be quite dangerous to be in a pool. The problem is that there are so many levels of security against drowning, especially at my facility that it won't happen. So lets put it into perspective, I am teaching a person in front of me, the deepest part of the pool is 4 feet. Even that person is plenty tall enough to stand in the pool. Despite the fact that they can literally stand up anytime there is an outrageous fear for them. I exclaim that you can stand, the lifeguard is right there ready to go at a moments notice, and most of all I am right here to keep you safe.
This is what I say, and their usual response: "What will happen if you fall?- 'I drown!'- No! You stand up!".
This is something that happens pretty much every time. It works so well that they generally will be ready to put their face in the water at that point, but if not then I keep chipping away.
One of the biggest things to keep in mind is that overall it is the fear sitting in that is causing this behavior. The feeling of being uncomfortable, and they let it happen. The joy I get when I get them past it is one that of accomplishment. I feed off of their happiness, which sounds bad, but it really isn't. I love seeing them make progress, that process of them making mental or physical progress is like cat nip for me. Seeing the change is one experience that creates pride. The point to be made here is that if you were to walk away with anything today it should be that you are not always going to feel comfortable. In fact that you will probably go through most of your life uncomfortable, but if you stay in that MENTAL zone when doing so you will not accomplish anything in your life!
You need to surpass your mental block, and create a new situation where you are in control. One that you have the confidence to fulfill your needs at that point. Create a new dynamic for your life!
Here is the second part of the post:
Life is Not Comfortable Part 2
Cheers!