Savita looked nervous and was constantly checking the time. It was 5:15 pm. My class ended 15 minutes late today.
Savita, is one of the many women who came to our classes to learn English. I founded Project Azaadi with the intention to provide free basic English education to the under-priviledged women to enable them to create a life for themselves that may have been restricted due to lack of education.
“The moment you become comfortable with comfort you stop growing in that area. Having a need and an urge for growth may or may not be a priority for many.”
I questioned Savita about her discomfort and she said, “I go late, my husband, he is talking talking”. Now Savita is a very expressive woman and has great prowess on her local language Marathi. She is just about learning English and has the determination to talk only in English while in the class, so while she struggles to make me understand her predicament, she uses her fingers very vividly to show how her husband ‘talks’. Not only that, she furrows her brows and makes an angry face as she repeats the exact same words.
The entire class is now amused with Savita’s animated behavior and are curious to know what she is trying to say. For me this was a very Somatic representation and a reminder of the deep connection I have with how the body can be so effectively used to express what the words are not able to.
In that moment I also felt a connection with the struggles and discomfort these ladies are going through to even attend the classes.
And this connection actually prompted me to write this article on how immensely important discomfort is for growth!
Think about this, when was the last time you distinctly remember you grew in life? It probably was a time when you overcame an obstacle, you created something new, you achieved a new result, you committed to a big result…it probably was when you were not ok with status quo or when you entered into a discomforting zone only because you were not ok being comfortable.
Being comfortable about results for me is complacency with the status quo. Mind you, I am not saying there is anything wrong in being comfortable. I am only reminding you that growth does not happen in comfort. The moment you become comfortable with comfort you stop growing in that area. Having a need and an urge for growth may or may not be a priority for many.
I remember during my school and college, every time any teacher asked for nominations for elocution/speech my hand would invariably go up. It was almost an automatic reaction that my body had! I used to curse myself the very next moment but since I committed to it I did a swell job at it. I distinctly remember growing when my hand went up- each time!
Before I began every class with these ladies I would connect them to their personal need to learn English and that need was always a discomfort they were facing whether it was about earning more money, or having people respect them, or being able to read their saving bank account pass book or not being afraid to venture out of their homes alone or even to be more confident when their child’s teacher speaks in English. The more connected they are to this discomfort the more committed they become to learning and growing in life.
As always, I leave you with a some reflection points –
1. In which area of your life do you feel you have become comfortable with the results? Eg- Your health, Your finances, your relationships, your career
Reflect and see if you are growing in that area and if there is scope to create better results there.
2. What is that one action that you can take this week to create new results in that domain?
3. Is that action discomforting? If yes, go for it :)
With love and warmth,
Sheeja Shaju
Leadership Coach and Somatic Leader
I Create
I conduct programs for women to help them live up to their full potential and develop an Entrepreneurial Mindset to help them thrive at work or business. If you would like a conversation around this, do reach out on sheeja@icreatecoaching.com / follow me on shaju.sheeja on Instagram
Project Azaadi is online and I have teachers taking care of the classes. To volunteer or know more about us do like our FB page - https://www.facebook.com/Project-Azaadi-644061135984605