Are you happy or comfortable?
There is a difference and this passage from Colin Whrite sums it up pretty well:
“There’s a big difference between comfort and happiness: being happy means that you are overjoyed about what you’re doing, who you are, the people you’re meeting and the things that you’re doing.
Being comfortable means that you’re not feeling too bad or too good… you’re neutral. Neutral is what suburbs are for. Comfort is for people who are looking to relax, not to grow and learn and experience new things.
You may save yourself from any potential lows by keeping yourself comfortable, in an easy-chair, watching reality TV and eating Doritos, but you won’t experience any truly happy moments, either.
You need the bad (or even just the possibility of bad) to truly experience the good, and to fully appreciate the difference between the two.”
So are you happy or comfortable? Comfortable means being stuck — settling for easy, the known, the safe. It’s time to get out of the easy-chair and get in with happiness.
How? Here are some tips:
- Get comfy with being uncomfortable. It’s exactly like it sounds — do something that gives you butterflies in your stomach. Find your life bliss.
- Let go of the grip on your emotions. The stiff upper lip is not doing you any favours. Allow yourself to feel, you’re allowed (I will admit I have cried my way through Costco more than once). Neutral is a gear in your car, not a way of life.
- STOP! Stop filling your time. This keeps people, connections, and your emotions at bay. It keeps you numb. Start making more time for life happiness with something small, like turning off the TV!
- Do something new TODAY! It could be something as little as trying your coffee a different way.
- Take stock, make a list, and be honest. Are you happy or comfortable? If the answer is comfortable what can you do differently?
Here is a great video made by Dov Baron about the secret to happiness. Have a watch. It’s excellent.
Remember that we are responsible for our own happiness. Isn’t it time to do something about it?