Seek Discomfort?

While being out of school for the summer, I have had a lot of free time on my hands. I've been to concerts, traveled, and had surgery. I have also watched TV and YouTube… I even started learning how to speak French. Yeah… I have had A LOT of free time.

With that being said, I have had a lot of time to think about my future. Terrifying if you ask me…

Through my time spending countless hours on YouTube, I have been watching my favorite channel “Yes Theory” and their second channel “Seek Discomfort.” Their motto is, “Life's greatest moments and deepest connections exist outside your comfort zone.”

Comfort zone? Isn’t the whole point of having a comfort zone to stay in it? According to Ammar, Thomas, Matt, and the rest of Yes Theory, the answer is NO. To say this has changed the way I look at life would be an UNDERSTATEMENT. I have always been the type of person to stick to doing things within my comfort zone.

This group of friends travels the world doing things that challenge them mentally, emotionally, and physically. From taking strangers skydiving to traveling to some of the most “dangerous” countries in the world. Their goal is to show the world the stories of the people, not the things you see on the news.

One of my favorite series they do is called “Abandoned In…” In these videos, they send a member of their friend group alone in a foreign country without money. Their main goal is to show the kindness of people toward strangers. More specifically, “Introvert Abandoned with No Money In Thailand for 24 Hours!!” was my favorite episode. This is due to the fact that Tommy is a self-proclaimed introvert. He was sent alone for 24 hours in a country where he did not speak the language and relied solely on kind strangers to make sure he had food and a place to sleep.

I personally would consider myself an “extroverted introvert.” At times I am super outgoing, but at other times I just want to be alone. This video made me believe that I am capable of taking risks that I would not normally believe in myself to take. Now let me make myself clear, I do not plan on going to a foreign country without money and housing. I do, however, want to start doing things I am scared of or make me feel awkward.

Circling back to seeking discomfort. I do not want to regret not doing things in my life because they made me uncomfortable at the time. Moving to Denver for grad school has made me realize that I can survive on my own, away from friends and family. It has given me the skill set to make friends and form my own community of like-minded people.

Post graduation, I am not sure where life will take me. Maybe I will stay out west, move up north, move back home, or even move to another country. I am staying optimistic and open to what the future will bring.

Who knows, maybe my free time French learning hobby will be worth it in a few years. Only time will tell…

Remember, say yes and seek discomfort :)