It was about a month after I had been officially discharged from the hospital. I was home alone and I was scared. Not the "I'm uncomfortable" scared, the "I am going to die" scared = terrified. You would think, after months in the hospital, weeks in the ICU, home would be a breeze. It was not.
It had been suggested to me, on more than one occasion "you should try yoga" "yoga will help with your recovery" "yoga will be good for your anxiety" "yoga will help with mindfulness". Well, my mind was full alright, but it was full of all scary, no-good, very bad thoughts. You know the ones, picture the thought at the top a spiral staircase and before you know it, you've spiraled all the way that staircase into a deep, dark bad place. Yoga was not going to help me up that spiral staircase - I would have to pull myself up, keep pushing through, and climb out myself.
Now, maybe if someone had said "find comfort in the discomfort" I would have welcomed yoga into my healing process. Those are the words I desperately needed to hear - today, right now, I find those words so incredibly powerful and inspiring.
As of late I have been embracing the challenge of stepping outside my comfort zone and embarking on my own mini-adventures. Becjourneys. I have made a concerted effort to branch out and do new things. "Do one thing everyday that scares you." It was during one of my becjourneys I first heard the statement find comfort in the discomfort. MIND. BLOWN. Now this is a philosophy I can get behind. A philosophy after my own KPT heart.
Now that I've had some time to let the concept permeate my life and my thoughts - it hit me. I, without a doubt, unknowingly, did that very thing throughout my life-threatening-pancreatitis-experience. I was able to find comfort in the discomfort - both literally and figuratively. I mean, KPT was born!
When you are in a hospital bed for months, you learn how to finagle the bed and pillows (microscopically thin and miniature) into just the right position to sleep. The bed was almost at a 90 degree angle; meaning I was nearly sitting upright, I would encase myself with pillows, lean awkwardly on my left side, using the pillows to ensure my body did not actually touch the bed because of the pain. I was able to find comfort in the discomfort.
The practice of yoga is truly a place of self- discovery, showing you exactly what it feels like to push through the uncomfortable and find comfort in the discomfort. Through yoga I have been able to calm my mind, calm my nerves and calm that evil beast of anxiety.
I would challenge you to take a step outside of your comfort zone, that is where the magic happens. It only took me three years and a personal challenge to get here, but I did. It's not the destination, it's the becjourney, right? I think if we all take a step back and incorporate this philosophy into our everyday life - it can be applied to any situation. It can be as simple as, what is this life experience teaching me? What opportunities exist for me? Where is this new path taking me? You ask any of those question with the mindset of finding comfort in the discomfort, you will grow by leaps and bounds and your heart and soul will thank you!
Namaste y'all and remember to keep pushing through, even if that means tipping over in your first triangle pose - I bet you find some comfort in the discomfort.
