
As you know by now, I gave up a very comfortable life to be where I am now. I was married, had what many would consider a great job/career, owned a beautiful home in a beautiful city, and was able to participate in many activities that made me 'happy' outside of work. I'm not sure where it came from exactly, but it was engrained in me that I had to do/achieve/have all of these things in order to live a productive life or be, well, happy. Turns out, I was there and found that none of it had much to do with my own personal growth and happiness.
Over the past few days I've been struggling with some depression and found myself at a bit of a 'low'. At first I chalked it up to a combination of being on the road for almost seven months, having my friend Sam around, which was a reminder of my life and responsibilities at home, bike/mechanical issues that have cropped up, and a general lack of direction on where I'm headed next. In addition, I let those negative feelings marinate enough to where I started to look back on my past life, and yearn for the comforts of what was, and even mourn the loss of it. I spent a LOT of time over the past few days thinking about this. Why, when I was unhappy then, would I ever want to consider backtracking down the same path? It became obvious that it wasn't the past that I craved or wanted, but it was simply the comfort it provided.

This morning I woke up very early, unable to sleep. Then and there I decided that I could continue on in that grey mood, or I could make a conscious decision to get over myself, and enjoy this absolutely amazing city, and the remainder of this spectacular journey. I chose the latter, and decided to celebrate the beginning of my day with a run. As I was jogging along the beach enjoying the crisp morning air and beautiful scenery, it made me extremely happy that I'm in this uncomfortable time in my life. I'm growing as a person, I'm seeing and experiencing things that others dream of, and I'm becoming comfortable being uncomfortable, which for me has been very, very challenging. When I got back to the hotel a bit ago, I immediately reread a quote by T. Harv Eker that has stood out for quite some time...
"Nobody ever died of discomfort, yet living in the name of comfort has killed more ideas, more opportunities, more actions, and more growth than everything else combined."
Maybe I was high on the much needed endorphins from the run, but after reading that quote I had an immediate sense of elation and remembered why the hell I decided to take off on this crazy adventure in the first place.

"Avoiding pain wouldn't be a problem if we did it once or twice a year. But for most of us, it's a deeply ingrained habit. We barricade ourselves behind an invisible wall and don't venture out because beyond the wall is pain. The safe space is called the Comfort Zone... The Comfort Zone is supposed to keep your life safe, but what it really does is keep your life small."
Again, a shot to the chest. Granted, some would say this entire trip is a bit outside of most people's comfort zone. However, it would be easy for me to consider the issues of late as a journey outside of my personal comfort zone (current comfort zone being - riding with no issue, perfect weather, having an idea of where I want to live and what I want to do, no crime related issues, having an income, etc). This morning I looked back on previous 'outside the comfort zone' moments in life. I thought long and hard about some of them, and was reminded that while challenging at the time, "at the end of the comfort zone, life truly begins". That said, I'm not ready to hang this journey up just yet. In fact, I feel like it's just beginning. I know as soon as I'm done I'll long for the freedom and adventure that I'm experiencing currently. I don't want to take that for granted, I want to soak in every moment. I know I'll look back on the 'issues' that arose and smile. I know the hard parts will be the most memorable, and the moments where I learned the most.


A life of comfort is appealing. This is why people stay in jobs, relationships, and situations that they aren't happy in. Unfamiliarity (i.e. being uncomfortable) scares us, and this fear of the unknown is what limits growth. For some reason society thinks that personal comfort is the meaning of life. I for one won't forget the importance of being uncomfortable. Because for me, that's where the gold is. That said, it's time to flip the lid closed and ride on!!!
Thanks for reading,
~ D
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***Post edit*** - I'd like to say that I don't under appreciate how incredibly fortunate I've been throughout my life (both past and present). I know I've had many, many opportunities and good fortune along the way that has allowed me to live a lifestyle that many would envy.
I don't want to come across as selfish when I talk about my 'past life', like I don't realize how amazing things were (or are for that matter). I just want to stress the point that, without constant effort/change/lack of fear to branch out, a life of comfort and monotony can seriously limit personal growth and well being (in my opinion - which may not even be worth $.02).
Also, I'll share one final thing. My father wrote a few notes to me the other day. I love and cherish receiving advice from him, and respect most everything he says. Figured others might get something from it as well.
Wisdom from pops (my personal zen master)...
- There is nothing bad about comfort, or desiring comfort. Be grateful that you have comfort. Enjoy the comfort that your education and hard work afford you. Just stay awake, don't take it for granted, and don't be lazy. Invest excess energy in your family, hobbies, volunteer work, job, etc.
- Don't chase 'happiness' as the goal. Happiness will come and go.
- Do look for jobs, hobbies, and relationships that are compatible with your personality, goals, and your gifts. This is where satisfaction comes from.
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