On day 21 of this reboot I discussed embracing discomfort and how discomfort is the currency of our dreams.
I mentioned how when we practice the skill of allowing negative emotions, we should expect that discomfort will arise.
Today I want to discuss the opposite – creating comfort.
Creating comfort is something that we naturally want to do based on the motivational triad. Remember that the triad consists of seeking pleasure, avoiding pain, and being efficient.
According to this triad, embracing discomfort is not a natural human motivator, so it takes effort to overcome this.
Seeking pleasure by creating comfort, however, is one of our natural human motivations, so doing this should be easy and something we can take advantage of to help us through the hard parts.
Creating comfort for yourself in a way that does not rely on external sources which are transient and lead to net negative consequences is an important thing to learn and practice on a regular basis.
How can you create comfort and pleasure for yourself that doesn’t rely on food?
Here are some things that come to mind for me:
- Walking my dog
- Listening to a podcast
- Playing music while I’m making dinner (rather than sampling while cooking 😊)
- A warm cup of tea, fuzzy socks or slippers, and a scented candle on a cold day
- Sitting by a fire indoors or outside depending on the time of year
- A great book
- A funny or heartwarming movie
- An engaging show (think Ozark or This Is Us)
- A massage
- Getting my nails done, especially while sitting in a massage chair
- A bike ride with my family
- Sleeping in
- A great class that expands my mind
- A conversation with a friend
What are some things that bring you comfort and pleasure that don’t rely on food?
Make a list somewhere that you can easily access to go to when you are having a rough time. Maybe you are in the sugar withdrawal phase and feeling kind of yucky with headaches and cravings and low energy. It’s the perfect time to go to this list. Pick something easy you can do right now instead of turn to food to bring you comfort. Maybe text a friend instead or go to bed early in cozy pjs and a soft blanket. A million ideas of things that can bring you pleasure instead of food will come to you if you just allow yourself some time and space to brainstorm.
Once you develop your personal go to comfort list, you’ll have a better way to deal with the discomfort that comes with your growth and evolution as a human being.
You won’t be so afraid to face the discomfort, because other sources of pleasure are always available to you.
If you want to learn more about embracing discomfort and how these tools can be used to reach your personal goals, schedule a free mini session with me at the link below. You can also ask me any questions by emailing me at mindfuldocmom@gmail.com.
