Kaima earned a school trip this week, but she doesn’t want to go because she usually feels motion sick after long journeys. Since it’s just a reward trip and completely optional, I told her it was okay not to go. However, the trip falls on the same day she has PE, and she’s been asking me since last week if she can skip school entirely that day because she doesn’t enjoy PE. I told her she has to choose, either attend the trip or go to school and do PE.
I explained to her, that part of growing up is learning to deal with discomfort and since PE is compulsory, she has to get comfortable with the discomfort. I reminded her that I don’t always feel like going to work either, but I still push myself to get up and go because, for obvious reasons, I need to.
Let’s face it, discomfort shows up in our lives more than we’d like to admit. It’s there when you walk into a new school or job and don’t know anyone. It’s in the moments when you’re asked to speak up in a meeting or present something in class and your heart’s racing. It’s that sinking feeling before a tough conversation with a boss, a teacher, or even a friend. Even waking up from bed, writing exams, doing house chores and so on, are not things we do comfortably.
Most of us try to avoid those moments. We play it safe. We stay quiet, keep our heads down, or convince ourselves, I’ll try next time. But growth doesn’t happen when things feel easy. It happens when you’re unsure, when your stomach’s in knots, and you do it anyway.
And here’s something important for all kids and teens to remember:
Think about your first day at a new school. You didn’t know where anything was. Maybe you worried about whether anyone would talk to you, or if you’d fit in. It felt uncomfortable, maybe even terrifying. But you showed up. And over time, it got better. You found your way around. You made friends. What was once unfamiliar became your new normal.
Same thing with work. The first week on the job can feel like you’re faking it, hoping no one notices how lost you are. But eventually, you ask questions. You make mistakes. You learn. You make friends. And suddenly, you’re the one helping the next new person settle in.
Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable is about understanding that awkward, anxious, or uncertain feelings don’t mean you’re failing, they mean you’re stretching. They mean you’re doing something brave.
It’s not easy. But every time you choose growth over comfort, you build confidence. You start trusting that you can handle things, even when they’re hard or new or messy.
So it’s okay to feel uncomfortable. That feeling is your signal that something meaningful is happening. Lean into it. You’re stronger than you think. Learning how to push through uncomfortable feelings is what builds character. The more you practice doing hard things, the easier it becomes to handle whatever life throws at you.
✍️ Amara Ann Unachukwu
