I’d like to share some thoughts I’ve been having lately. The past few months have been ones of incredibly growth for me. I have been intently focused on some pretty important internal changes and the confrontation of some of my more glaring weaknesses. This has been painful, challenging work, but incredibly rewarding. Through all this I have noticed how hard it can be to sit still through feelings of discomfort. You know, that pit in your stomach, the itch in your mind that says “Exit stage left IMMEDIATELY!” That flutter in your heart that expresses your body’s fear response kicking in. Not knowing how to act, respond, think or speak. Have you ever felt this? Well I have been looking that dread monster, Fear and Discomfort, straight in the eyes and I am learning a lot by doing so.

One of the great lessons I have learned is that experiencing Fear and Discomfort can be fertile ground for profound personal growth. Our conditioning and our ingrained habits can become manifest when we hit this wall. I won’t try to tell you how to overcome your own fears. We are all different, with different anxieties, worries, strengths and weaknesses…but what I would love to share is that the perception of this experience can shift from “Danger” to “Opportunity.” When this state is reached…Stop, take a step back, take a deep breath and PAY ATTENTION. When we take a moment to think and process, new ideas and ways of problem solving come into view. We find the razor’s edge between reaction and action, the point between shrinking in fear and lashing out in aggression.

When discomfort strikes, May you find that space where it’s ok to be uncomfortable, calm and at peace. Much can be resolved when we maintain our center and act from this balanced place.

Be well my friends,

Ann-Marie Hall-Pond