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Is discomfort really the start of growth?


A Life Discussion thread response

That's totally normal, feeling discomfort about going to work. There are jobs that are made for you and some that you just aren't compatible with. If you're a very social and outgoing person, perhaps working as an accountant isn't for you. If you are a very small and timid person, perhaps working as a security guard isn't the right fit. As for you, I don't know what work you do, but if you don't like it find some way to keep yourself focused, having a goal in mind.

I am one of the lucky people who loves their job, but I used to have a job that gave me that feeling. When I worked with homeless I had a few that would not want to receive any help. A few who didn't want to get plugged back into the community or have a shot at getting plugged into a home or crisis housing. The saddest cases were ones who knew drugs or alcohol were destroying their lives, but kept going back to it even after getting put into rehab. There was a sick feeling in my stomach too, and I distinctly remember feeling it for months after one particular painful event happened. However, I learned something that got rid of the feeling. I learned that I can choose to let those events cause me discomfort, or I can choose to accept them as outside my control, and accept myself as someone who did all they could and would continue to do all I could to help. I broke out of that feeling and found that I was happy again, even amidst the suffering and self-inflicted pain of others. Eventually I did leave that job, just to help recuperate my mental health because it was very draining, and much harder than any other job I've ever had before, but the experience had really changed my outlook on life and had made me more thankful.

I have no clue what you are going through, but I can only hope that it gets better and you grow into a more tolerant person, able to be unwavering in all circumstances. This may be part of growth, but I believe that everyone grows differently based off demographics, culture, experience, and just plain luck. Certain people who are wealthy but have done little to earn it will grow much differently than someone who was born in poverty yet climbed their way to success. Growth happens every day with every experience, you can tell if you're growing by how you handle your experiences. If you make active changes in your life based on what you experience, you are indeed growing. One thing that shows me growth is the fact that you have asked for advice on what you are experiencing right now, so you seek some kind of change in your life already.