In my last post, I talked about embracing fear. It was about attempting the things we usually talk ourselves out of before we even try because they seem too hard or we aren’t confident we’ll do them well or we’re worried we’ll fail altogether.
I think the companion to that tactic is resisting comfort. By that I mean avoiding the things we try to talk ourselves into because they are familiar or easy. These are things we gravitate toward because they are predictable and we know we can accomplish them. But many times, opting for the things that are comfortable comes at the expense of trying the things that scare us.
I’ve been getting a lot of ads lately for job openings at Facebook. And my friend also recently sent me a link to a marketing job at the start-up she’s working at. Shockingly, I found myself tempted to read more about these jobs that were in the same field I just fled!
Even after five months of leaving a career path I found unfulfilling and a work environment I found draining, it was almost like a knee-jerk reaction to consider these openings. And the thought that went through my head? “Yeah, I bet I could do that.”
Not “Oh, I bet I’d enjoy doing that.”
During this sabbatical, I’ve felt freer, lighter, more energetic, and more inspired. I’ve learned a lot about what invigorates me and what drains me. But I guess muscle memory is hard to shake. For so long, I pursued opportunities that I knew I could get or easily do, regardless of whether or not it was something I’m passionate about.
But you know what? I didn’t click on those links. I didn’t even want to tempt myself with the comfort of the safe and familiar.
No longer do I want to resign myself to, “Well, I have the experience and knowledge, so I guess I should just do that.”
I’d rather say, “I’m not sure I’m qualified, but it seems like I would really enjoy doing that, so I might as well try.”
