As I mentioned in a previous post, 2023 was a rough year for me. As such, in 2024, I allowed myself an extended mental health break to get back on my feet. Throughout the year, I spent a lot of time reminding myself who I am, what I value, and who I want to become. I discovered that staying aligned with the highest version of myself sometimes requires me to make myself uncomfortable. Here are my takeaways on how to align your values with your behavior to strengthen your character:
How making yourself uncomfortable benefits you:
If you concede to your anxiety, you make yourself vulnerable to it.
As humans, we are hardwired to cling to comfort. Nonetheless, taking a leap of faith into the possibilities of the unknown will always teach you something important about yourself. Practice doing the hard thing, even when the stakes are low.
You only learn who you are and what matters to you once you’re forced to defend it.
Be proactive about deciding what you give your time and attention to. More importantly, clarify what you’re unwilling to waste your precious energy on.
Don’t just prepare for humbling moments; expect them.
Sure, it’s easy to dismiss sobering thoughts. However, you do yourself a solid by acknowledging the possibility of unexpected interruptions, so when life blows up in an instant, you’re ready to bounce back. Resilience is not about avoiding the moments that shake you- it’s about staying ready so you don’t have to get ready.
Learn to appreciate the sweetness in bitter messages.
Why does Western culture popularize the idea that we should never experience pain and suffering? Pain and suffering are inevitable, necessary aspects of life. Without pain, there is no growth, and without suffering, joy just doesn’t hit the same. Most notably, attachment to comfort and happiness is unrealistic because the only guarantee in life is that nothing stays the same forever.
For more insightful lessons I learned this year that can help you manage stress better and increase your productivity, check out:
