Finding Your Comfort Zone During Shelter in
During this shelter in, it’s been easier than ever to sink into the couch of comfort. Our comforts are like our favorite chairs. We sit down and know that we are home. Everyone tries hard to move past their instinctual comforts and convince ourselves that these are holding us back, but now is the time to take advantage of having that chair and take care of ourselves throughout this uncertain time. Just like sitting in a literal chair for too long can be harmful, sitting the metaphorical chair of comfort for too long runs the risk of being inflexible and set in our ways. Above all, our comforts represent our personalities, especially our emotions and fears. Even more than our comforts, our discomforts, like a seat of chair with thorns, make us unique. Actually, our expectations of discomfort often define our reactions to life events because of our instinct to recoil from potential pain regardless of the chance it might be happy. Part of enduring life events is being comfortable with discomfort. Since that can be difficult, most people put on a facade of comfort and bury their discontents to fit in. Comforts are personal, but most often, the societal view of comfort defines how it is treated. For example, people who are comfortable with themselves can be viewed as reclusive even if they simply are not lonely. Strange comforts are often defined as eccentric, so most people do their best to fit their comforts and discomforts to the perception of normalcy. Figuring out the best way to adjust to the most comfortable position will be useful during these confusing circumstances.
I am also learning to be comfortable with uncertainty as in impromptu speaking. I am learning that not knowing what to say is alright, as long as I have the self-confidence to believe that I can successfully improvise. The most tricky part of impromptu speaking is speaking one sentence confidently while coming up with the next sentence in my head and still maintaining all the expressions and gestures. A smile and standing up straight can increase your confidence and convince the audience better. Thinking that I am asking the question and delivering the answer instead of simply answering the question gives me enough control to speak.
Every afternoon, my family makes a pot of Indian tea. When school was still open, the tea would motivate me to do my homework and get rid of any of my exhaustion. The refreshing smell of tea never fails to bring a smile to my face. It makes my worries feel more distant and increases my confidence that I can finish whatever needs to be done. Whenever I take a warm sip, I am reminded of the sights and sensations of visiting India. I always feel more at ease and ready to face the world. I recently learned how to make Indian tea and the way the ingredients combine makes me feel happy and impatient at the same time. The impact food has on our mental state is another important aspect of comfort. Especially during this tough time, going back to my fundamental comforts, like familiar foods, makes me a little bit happier and takes away any potential cabin fever.
Recently, I started sketching again. I used to draw constantly when I was younger, but my third-grade art class had us try to replicate Van Gogh’s Sunflowers painting. That experience made me realize how terrible I actually was at drawing, so over time, I slowly stopped because I thought that you could only do something if you were good at it. All your comfort has to do is bring you pleasure and take the stress off your brain because your happiness is paramount. I had a similar experience with dancing, and now I am more willing to dance at parties than before when I try to dance for myself. Doing things for myself without considering my actual skill has been very comforting for me.
Get out of your comfort zone is a common phrase that I hear. We constantly stigmatize our comforts and try to constantly live on the edge because of the misconception that we need to change our personality to be successful. Altering our true self causes unnecessary stress, which impacts our health and creativity. Instead of skydiving out of our comfort zone, we can expand it gradually at a sustainable pace. Also, we can try to explore our unique personality traits and see how we can contribute most productively. Our comfort zones also show us what strategies work for us, so we can successfully adapt and learn in new situations. The comfort zone is highly misunderstood in today’s fast-paced world, but you can build it up slowly and be a better person every day.
Going back to your comforts is crucial to seek some certainty during these troubled times, but it also made me see the consequences of having my comforts all the time. I am comfortable by myself, but some human interaction is necessary for my peace of mind. Furthermore, as delicious as tea can be, too much can definitely be unhealthy. This period of isolation has also helped me make some headway into my discomforts. This made me realize that there is no harm in being vulnerable and that people can tell when one is honest. While staying in my home, I should sink into the chair of my comforts, but I should also make sure to stand up after some time and overcome my discomforts.