No one likes to be uncomfortable. Not at the dentist. Not in social situations, work, or relationships. And, not with the larger curveballs life throws at us. Our instinct is to rid ourselves of this discomfort like a splinter, ignore it until it gets infected, and often to build impenetrable walls to protect ourselves from further injury. Most of us will do anything to avoid pain. Unfortunately, these walls that we build strong and tall to protect us also keep out the good stuff, all that we need and crave for the full human experience. Only when we stop to feel our pain can we find meaning in our suffering and become stronger. Only when we can show compassion to our perfect and imperfect self can we be truly happy.
