Have you ever watched in awe at the amazing feats an acrobat performs – usually in the air, with minimal life-saving equipment, with a giant audience watching every move? How about watching footage of a valiant rescue where first responders risk life and limb to save someone they don’t even know? Both examples cause discomfort because under most circumstances we aren’t clad in spandex tumbling through the air nor are we facing harrowing circumstances to rescue someone. Both situations seem out of the ordinary and like something we are uncapable of since they are intense and out of the box.
Both the acrobat and the first responder are mere humans just like you. They experience the full range of emotions in the same way you do. So why can they do such spectacular things? Because they are comfortable with being uncomfortable. They have developed tolerance to feeling fear and operating under higher levels of stress. For them, being uncomfortable is part of being brave.
Neither the acrobat nor the first responder started out doing the most outrageous parts of their jobs. They started small and pushed their boundaries over time. In the beginning their risks were smaller, but the fear was greater. Over time the risks got bigger, but their fear was smaller because they learned how to work with it or in spite of it. Fear doesn’t have the same impact now that it did when they first began.
Just like the acrobat and the first responder, you can get comfortable being uncomfortable. Challenging yourself to test your limits and expand your comfort zone is the key to building bravery and being more capable during difficult times. There are lots of ways to push your boundaries and make taking risks and feeling uncomfortable more normal. Consider one of these ideas:
- Join toastmasters and practice speaking in front of crowds
- Engage in an extreme sport activity
- Eat an unusual food from a different culture
- Go on a trip without making reservations
- Speak up for something when you see an injustice
Getting out of your comfort zone doesn’t have to be Earth-shattering from the beginning. Choose something that feels just out of reach but not terrifying. Over time your bravery will develop, and you’ll find yourself taking bigger, bolder risks and leaps of faith.
In the same way that the acrobat and the first responder have learned to embrace discomfort, you can normalize uncomfortable situations and use them to serve you. Being brave requires feeling uncomfortable and taking action anyway.
