Comfort and relaxation are worlds apart

 'Do one thing every day that scares you.'

- Eleanor Roosevelt 

I've heard and read it so many times, but I finally understand it. Comfort zones are crap, and we only truly thrive outside them. Comfort and relaxation are not necessarily the same thing, and nothing better exemplifies this for me than practising yoga.

Some yoga postures can be difficult. As yogis, we sometimes fall flat on our faces; our muscles are less stretchy on some days than others; feet and calves cramp up; chaturangas tax our strength; trikanasanas instigate ankle burn; some days our wrists just cannot take crow’s poster; the core can be pushed to its limits with all manner of advanced postures and flows. And yet, any yoga practice will leave me feeling far more relaxed than an hour lying on a sofa in front of a television will.

We have no objectives when we lounge on a sofa, but striving to achieve a new yoga posture or sequence is a tangible goal. Achieving the goal is not even the relaxing or invigorating part; the journey towards it is. There are no real goals when sitting around in front of a television, phone or computer screen (unless we're creating something), and so there is no journey. All we have is stagnation.

Journeys trump stagnation all day long, and I truly believe that movement and focus is infinitely more relaxing than lounging in perceived comfort is.

Yoga is a physical and mental example of how leaving comfort zones can relax, invigorate and inspire enjoyable journeys towards planned objectives. Anything which takes us out of our comfort zones has the same effect, though. I had a terrible week a few weeks ago; I had never felt lower, spent two days crying, and completely lost my appetite due to anxiety. I had a phone-call telling me that I had to start my new job on the Wednesday; it was not good timing. By the Friday morning, I was exhausted. I wanted to cancel absolutely everything I had planned, because I couldn't imagine doing any of it, and just wanted to stay in bed. That's not me at all, and if there's one thing that makes me really sad, it's when I don't feel like myself. I couldn't even bring myself to cancel anything. I went to work, taught my yoga class, then raced to the astro-turf to coach my football team. As I drove home, I caught myself smiling. I wasn't tired anymore, and felt totally alive. I had been out of my comfort zone all day, and the focus it took to embrace the three things I did that day had brought me back to life. Being forced to connect with people gave me no time for self-pity, and I finally felt present again.

In other anecdotal news, I started a new kettlebell programme yesterday. (It's the one that everyone's doing; I don't usually like to follow fitness trends, but this one seemed right for me at this point.) I swung a 16kg kettlebell 500 times and did 60 goblet squats (yes, I made it harder) with it. It was not comfortable; it taxed my grip, endurance and just about every muscle in my body. And I didn't stop smiling. I was so far out of my comfort zone, but I was in control, and I was repeatedly amazed by what my body could do. I never feel strain or burn whilst watching television or messing about on Facebook. Physical taxation reminds me of what I have and what can do, and nothing makes me happier than that. I may not say the same thing after the twentieth session of swinging that 16kg kettle-bell 500 times, but until I stop smiling and instead start dreading picking up that humbling piece of iron, my pondering stands.

So that's my little take on how relaxation and comfort are worlds apart, and how leaving comfort zones enables us to thrive both physically and emotionally. Perhaps it only applies to the more masochistic among you, but I hope it makes some sense to someone.

 Namaste,
 Emma

xxx