It’s true, isn’t it? Discomfort can be an incredibly powerful force that keeps people firmly rooted in one place. It’s that nagging question that lurks in the background: “Why should I change?” 🤔 And when we start seeking answers, that’s when cognitive dissonance creeps in, presenting us with all the reasons we shouldn’t change. It’s a mental tug-of-war that can leave us feeling frustrated and trapped.

But here’s the twist: our natural tendency is often to direct that frustration and anger outward, blaming others for our discomfort. “Others are the problem,” we tell ourselves. “Others are wrong.” It’s a common narrative, especially in an era where information is just a click away, and social media platforms serve as battlegrounds for various perspectives.

In today’s age of the internet and social justice movements, it can feel like we’re constantly bombarded with reasons to be angry. There’s no escape from discomfort; it’s everywhere. When we scroll through our feeds, the heart-wrenching cries of parents seeking justice for their children disrupt our superficial comfort zones. The images of neighborhoods reduced to rubble shatter the illusion we’ve carefully built. Every second feels like we’re tiptoeing on metaphorical landmines, fearing that one wrong step will expose our façade.

But here are the question that lingers: How many of us can truly confront our discomfort and push past it? How many of us are willing to go past what we know or what we’ve always known? How many of us is willing to listen to others, we’ve ‘othered’?

I’ve learned that when I find myself stubbornly clinging to an idea, holding on for dear life, that’s when I recognize it’s fear at play. Fear, the grand puppeteer, pulling the strings behind the scenes. But I’ve also learned not to let fear take the lead. Instead, I let curiosity guide me. 🌟

I ask myself, “What may I find here, beneath the layers of my fears?” And what usually emerges is a narrative that doesn’t always cast me in the best light. I see myself as the villain, or as someone ineffective, or perhaps even apathetic. It’s uncomfortable, to say the least. But here’s the beauty in confronting these uncomfortable truths.

Once I’ve seen them, I can’t unsee them. And because I’ve trained myself to focus on what I can control, I tackle the things that I can change head-on. Those hidden truths, the ones I used to keep buried deep within, they no longer hold power over me. They’re not taboo anymore; they’re acknowledged and actively addressed. It’s a transformative process that wouldn’t have happened if I had stopped at that initial pinch in my stomach, at the first sign of discomfort.

As an independent author and advocate for inclusivity and diversity, I’ve learned to view these moments of discomfort as a quest, a journey into the depths of my emotions. It’s in these moments of unease that I’ve found the genesis of my own biases and misconceptions, and it’s from there that the path to growth begins. 🌱

So, if you are reading this, remember that opening ourselves up to new knowledge, even when it’s uncomfortable, can be a life-changing behavior. It’s in the willingness to explore our discomfort, to challenge our preconceptions, that we become better humans. It’s a journey worth taking, a path that leads to greater understanding and a more inclusive, compassionate world.

XOXO

Johanny

Here are some books that have disrupted the way I think:

1. “The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown
2. “The Body Keeps the Score” by Bessel van der Kold, MD
3. “Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha” by Tara Brach
4. “The Mastery of Self: A Toltec Guide to Personal Freedom” by Don Miguel Ruiz