We should be afraid of being comfortable. When we are comfortable, we feel safe which is not an inherently bad thing, but this safety we strive for can lead to complacency. There exists within us a capability for growth and to embrace safety over growth it so sell one’s self short.
I often find myself embracing the mindset of safety for a few months which is then shattered by a month of willful discomfort that enables personal growth. I am no paragon of growth, for comfort and safety are positive for a certain amount of time. However, one should be careful not to sink too comfortably into the deep sofa cushion of life.
This mindset is laid out quite well in the song Himalayas by Scott Mulvahill which I first head at a concert at my hometown church during my Winter break from school. The song talks about escaping the complacency which accompanies being comfortable.
Scott Mulvahill, Himalayas
I wanna go where I’ve never been, gotta know what I’ve been missing
I wanna come back different
My first week back from Winter break, I accepted an invitation to go on an impromptu camping trip with a few friends. This definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone as it was a pleasant 18 degrees outside. The bitter cold, however, did not worsen the experience, it made it infinitely better due to the camaraderie that came along with the growth we experienced as a result of being uncomfortable.
E. Aaron Baughman's Eclectic Mess 