One second I was jogging along at a steady beat. The next, I felt myself falling and knew there was no stopping it. One more second and I was lying in the road, stunned.
Just call me Grace. I tripped over nothing and totally ate shit. A quick assessment confirmed only scrapes and a couple of spots that would likely turn purple over the next few days. No major damage done, just a bit of road rash.
As I pushed myself up from the asphalt, I had a choice to make: finish my jog or call it quits. My first thought was, “Welp, that seems like enough excitement for today. I don’t want to do that again, so I should probably just call it.” I was only halfway through what I had planned, and I could tell there was no physical need for me to stop.
Now, you should know that I am a loud and proud, self-proclaimed “quitter”. If something isn’t working for me, you bet your ass I will quit. I have nothing to prove to anyone and will happily set aside what no longer serves to find a more aligned path.
However, I’ve learned that it’s not always clear from my initial reaction if something has truly run its course. Being an explorer in life means trying new things, which is always accompanied by a bit of discomfort.
These are moments when I need to get curious and dig deeper — do I want to quit because this is out of alignment or because continuing will push me outside my comfort zone?
Let me tell you, those are two very different things, though they feel the same on the surface — uncomfortable.
Of all the events of that particular morning, taking a spill on the road provided an opportunity to make a small but significant choice. Physically, I felt fine. Mentally, I wanted to stop feeling any amount of discomfort, whether physical from exerting myself or simply the embarrassment of eating shit in the middle of the road.
During my yoga teacher training many years ago, I learned to clearly recognize the difference between discomfort and pain. We trained ourselves to sit in uncomfortable positions but were also taught not to push our bodies to the point of pain. By making peace with discomfort, my body and mind were able to transform and shift in ways I never imagined possible.
As we embark on new seasons of life, we must allow ourselves to become uncomfortable in order to transform into the person who can show up for and navigate whatever is coming.
What seemed like a small choice between finishing my jog and calling it quits for the day was really a different choice completely. I was really choosing between who I want to become and who I’ve been in the past. This time, I chose to get up and keep going, even though it was the more challenging option.
There will certainly be times that I choose the comfort of what’s easy and familiar because that’s what we humans do. When I make that choice, it does not undo any of the progress made up to that point. It simply gives me a place to rest for a moment before stepping into a new opportunity to choose and possibly becoming uncomfortable again. Today, I celebrate this specific choice, this small step forward.
Progress isn’t linear, it’s built one small decision at a time. We can’t choose to get back up again if we never stumble and fall.
Next time you find yourself in a moment where you get to make a similar choice — discomfort or what’s familiar, new you or old you — give yourself a moment to pause and make the choice with intention. Choose whatever you need that day and know that all the progress you’ve made is never lost. If you choose comfort, do it consciously and without shame or guilt. You also deserve to rest. You’ll always be presented with more opportunities to make a new choice.
