It happens to the best of us. We find ourselves in a situation or set of circumstances that, after a while, leave us wondering how we got here. Suddenly, we find ourselves feeling stuck or trapped or imprisoned. Well, how did we get here? How did we become comfortably uncomfortable?

What does it mean to be comfortably uncomfortable? What it may mean for some people is that we have become numb to or even tuned out from the emotional pain we have endured for days, weeks, months, years, even decades. What may have started out as something promising, even hopeful, somewhere along the road became painful. We may not even be sure how that happened.

Likely, though, is that we have made a series of choices, however big or small, to remain in a situation or set of circumstances that no longer serves us, is unhealthy or even downright dangerous. These choices may have seemed reasonable, even right, at the time but things have changed. Something has changed. Maybe us.

Now, we find ourselves involved in something that no longer serves a purpose or no longer makes us happy or no longer leaves us feeling fulfilled. Yet, for some reason we have chosen to stay. We have become comfortably uncomfortable. We may not yet be at the breaking point. We may have subconsciously decided that leaving this particular situation or set of circumstances takes far more emotional and physical energy than we can muster right now. We may have subconsciously decided that we deserve to be where we are. We may have subconsciously made the choice to remain. We may have convinced ourselves that we haven’t the courage to change our circumstances or leave a given situation.

My guess is that you are more courageous than you give yourself credit for. My guess is that you are far braver than you think you are. Yes, leaving the situation you have found yourself in may be scary. Yes, abandoning the set of circumstances that have left you comfortably uncomfortable may leave you feeling grief. Yes, this could be difficult. Yes, you can do difficult things.

We have the power to make the decision to stop doing the thing that no longer brings us joy. We have the power to leave a situation that no longer serves us. We have the power to take back our lives so that we feel fulfilled, happy and healthy. We have that power. We just have to give ourselves permission to take our lives back. We deserve to take our lives back.

Sometimes, the thing that keeps us feeling comfortably uncomfortable is actually us. We’ve fallen prey to a series of choices that, while once may have served us, no longer make sense. We have the power to say “I’m done with this.” We have the power to say “No” to the thing that no longer brings us joy. We can take back our power by intentionally making healthier choices. We can take back our power by making choices that truly serve us. We can take back our power by making choices that are right for us and us alone. What can you do today to take back your power? How will you choose courage over comfort?

~ Karri Christiansen, MSW, LSW, CADC, CCTP