The Subtle Trap of Coasting
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been purposely choosing discomfort.
I went all in on my Joy Revolution group launch, began teaching a 12-week women’s circle, joined a BNI group where I knew no one, and started cold plunging and sauna sessions four to five times a week.
Each one stretched me in a different way. The fear of putting my intellectual property into the world. The vulnerability of guiding women through yoga and spiritual practices for the first time. The nerves of networking weekly with strangers. And, of course, the physical sting of sitting in 40-degree water with ice floating on top.
So why did I choose all of this? Because growth doesn’t happen in the comfort zone.
I noticed that in my early forties, I was comfortable—confident in my career, my health, and my routines. For a while, that comfort felt like peace. But eventually, I realized it had turned into stagnation.
When you stop stretching, you stop evolving. And if you’re someone who’s driven, passionate, or has achieved success on the outside, that quiet stagnation can start to feel like restlessness or dissatisfaction on the inside.
Comfort becomes the cage that keeps you from your next level.
Why Discomfort is a Gateway to Fulfillment
During one of my cold plunges, I was procrastinating getting into the water. The owner looked at me and said:
“We choose the cold so we can build resilience for the rest of life.”
It hit me. We’re not really practicing how to endure the water; we’re practicing how to endure ourselvesthe fear, the hesitation, the inner critic that says, “I can’t.”
Those few minutes in freezing water become a metaphor for everything else:
Speaking on a stage when your voice shakes.
Introducing yourself to new people when you’d rather hide.
Releasing control long enough to grow.
When you willingly step into the cold, you build the emotional muscle that lets you stay grounded when life gets uncomfortable.
Bringing It Back to You
So, let me ask you: Where in your life could a little discomfort open a new door?
Maybe it’s signing up for the class that intimidates you. Maybe it’s applying for the promotion that feels out of reach. Maybe it’s taking a weekend to be still with yourself—without distraction.
Discomfort is not the enemy; it’s the initiation. It’s the portal between who you are and who you’re becoming.
The Reward on the Other Side
The accomplishment you feel after giving a killer presentation, connecting with someone new at an event, or stepping out of the ice bath with your heart pounding—it’s electric. It’s aliveness.
That’s dopamine, yes, but it’s also evidence. Evidence that you’re still growing, still daring, still choosing to live fully instead of coasting.
Your Invitation
If you’re ready to lean into your own edge but need guidance getting started, I’d love to help you. Together we can work on shifting fear into fuel and creating the confidence to choose the kind of discomfort that leads to fulfillment.
Because on the other side of discomfort is freedom the kind that no achievement can give you, only growth can.
