Diving In

When things get tough, it is our nature to want to escape them. We want to run away.

Over time, that tendency can lead us be less flexible, less open. Our views become more rigid. Our relationships become more limited. We tend to develop "requirements" of people and situations, in the guise of "having standards." But these are really defense mechanisms. They begin to shut us down to life.

Instead, we could plunge right into the cold waters of discomfort. When we do this, our ability to tolerate discomfort expands. If we are anxious, that's OK. It happens. If we are tired, that's OK. It happens. If we feel like we were judged or misunderstood, that's OK. It happens.

We begin to learn that most of the time, life is just happening, and it really doesn't have an opinion of how we should react. That part is up to us.

And as we learn that we can control our reactions, our ability to tolerate, and even embrace, all aspects of life and death increases.

The good news is that we don't have to dive into the deep end of the pool.

We can take one step, and hold. And then take another step.

The important thing is that we begin to embrace our discomfort, rather than run away from it.

Jeff