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Productive Discomfort
This week on the show we are going to learn about productive discomfort and our goals. Learning about this is a game changer in our midlife as it makes meeting and achieving our goals much simpler.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that it feels easy. Living a life we love will at times feel hard. Yet, it’s about recognizing that both meeting our goals and not meeting our goals feel hard.
Today’s episode is all about looking at it from an elevated way so we empower ourselves to meet our goals. New years is a time when most of us set goals and then January 17th is the day most of us give up on our goals. Not on this show.
Listen in as I explain the difference between productive discomfort and unproductive discomfort. I will also teach about the brain’s motivational triad and its tendency to be lazy. It is helpful to learn these things so we can get the brain to work for you, not against you.
Additionally, listen in to understand that the discomfort you’re feeling isn’t necessarily a sign you’re doing something wrong or need to stop. Nor, is the fact that you aren’t feeling present moment discomfort a sign that you’re living your best life.
Reflection Questions Mentioned on this episode of the Love Your Life Show:
- How do you avoid productive discomfort?
- What are some areas of your life where you could use productive discomfort?
- Can you think of a recent time when your bully brain won? What would you do differently?
Listen in to the episode to hear specific examples of how this shows up in romantic relationships, at work, in parenting, in weight loss, in goal setting, and more.
Embracing Productive Discomfort for Growth
One of the major topic we explored is the idea of productive discomfort, which involves recognizing and navigating the discomfort that arises when we push ourselves beyond our usual limits.
This concept is all about understanding how our brains resist change, and how we can actively work through the discomfort to achieve personal growth. Productive discomfort can lead to positive change in your life. As we spoke of with drift, when we don’t stop to reflect on whether what we’re doing is getting us where we want to be going, we can get off course.
It is unhelpful to beat yourself up for this very real human tendency. We’ve all chosen the unproductive discomfort. In fact, our human brain is wired to do so. It likes to habitualize our actions to save energy. However, unless we do it intentionally, we will usually be sitting in unproductive discomfort.
Self-Awareness and Productive Discomfort
It’s essential to differentiate between productive and unproductive discomfort for our midlife mental health.
- Productive Discomfort: This is the discomfort we feel when we’re trying something new.
- Unproductive Discomfort: This is the discomfort we feel when we’re not being intentional or an active decision maker in our life.
Overcoming Discomfort to Achieve Goals
In order to reach our goals, it’s helpful to set goals in an intentional and supportive way. By establishing clear objectives that align with our values, we create a roadmap towards a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life. I’m excited to share practical strategies for setting intentional goals as we continue with our self-discovery.
Navigating Relationship Dynamics
Relationship dynamics play a significant role in our pursuit of personal and emotional growth. From romantic relationships to friendships and family connections, the way we navigate discomfort and communicate our needs can shape the trajectory of these interactions. In this episode of the Love Your Life Show, I give specific examples and actionable advice on how to use productive discomfort with our relationships.
Empowering Personal Growth in Parenting
As parents, embracing discomfort and modeling proactive growth behaviors can significantly influence our children’s development. I love teaching about how we can use productive discomfort for ourselves and our kids. In addition to helping us all reach our goals, it supports the healthy development of our kids. Finally, it’s also something we can use for ourselves, whether we’re interating with our parents or our kids. This will help your mental health and if you or your child suffers from anxiety.
Put on your discomfort glasses and be on the lookout this week for where you are at that fork in the road.
Moving Forward with Purpose
As we wrap up, I encourage you to embrace the concept of productive discomfort as a catalyst for positive change in your life. By recognizing, acknowledging, and navigating discomfort with intentionality, we can unlock new levels of personal and professional growth.
Remember, warriors, the most significant growth emerges from the discomfort that propels us forward. Let’s embrace it and thrive together!
Resources Mentioned:
⭐️“Choose Your Hard” Blog Post (about the buffalo🦬)
⭐️Listen to “Be The Buffalo” on Apple Podcast
⭐️Here is a link to the End Of Year Evaluation Questions
⭐️ Choose your Word of the Year here
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