"Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable"

In March I accompanied Brad to a week long course designed to prepare commanders and their spouse for their new leadership role.  We had the privilege of spending the week with several Generals and their spouses.       Of all the things I took away with me from the week, it was a comment made by the spouse of one of the few 4 Star Generals in the Air Force.   As this seasoned military wife shared stories of her experiences she said that one of the biggest things she has had to learn was to "get comfortable being uncomfortable!"   Now her stories of being uncomfortable included state dinners, meeting the President, speaking in front of thousands, etc.  My uncomfortable world is smaller...and this fact gave me the perspective that there is always someone out there who is probably just as uncomfortable as me if not more.

This entire post may surprise some who assume I'm rarely uncomfortable.  That was my exact thought about Mrs. Rice, the wife of the 4 Star...she seemed very confident and secure.  I admit that I try hard to give that same persona...and often it isn't a huge stretch in the sense that I don't mind groups or public speaking...but I confess that I have had to smile and walk into a room of strangers that seem to know what is going on several times this past month and pretend that it doesn't phase me one bit. I have seriously whispered to myself "get comfortable being uncomfortable" as I opened the door and stepped through into a room where I was truly not comfortable.

Just yesterday one of my girls was being shy and hesitant about socializing with some other kids in the neighborhood.  We were sitting on the curb talking about the situation when I found myself saying to her, "you need to get comfortable being uncomfortable".  After elaborating about that saying she thought about it and said, "ok"...then she got up and went off to play with the kids she didn't know that well.  It made me ponder that perhaps if I had learned to be comfortable being uncomfortable as a kid then I wouldn't truly ever be uncomfortable as an adult.