Killing comfort
Throughout our lives, we’ve been told to seek pragmatic careers in hopes of obtaining a secure future. We’ve been told taking risks is okay as long as we’re equipped with names followed by all of the letters in the alphabet. For many of us, comfort is nirvana.
The definition of comfort has been associated with happiness for quite some time, but take a moment to imagine comfort being represented by one color. Imagine yourself staring at that same color and, sure, for the first five minutes, it may be seem relaxing. Hell, it may even be cathartic. But imagine staring at that color for two hours. Imagine staring at that color for 18 hours. Imagine sleeping for six hours and waking up to stare at the same color yet again.
In the end, you’re stuck with one color that elicits no emotion, no adventure and no substance. That is comfort: a mediocre and lifeless shade of one color. Simply seeking comfort and complacency is a waste of potential and a poor use of your time.
Comfort does not guarantee happiness. Sure, it may provide good things, but seeking comfort means to seek an average life. It means to live your life with an end goal in mind. The worst feeling that comes with seeking comfort is regret. Our mind is wired to think about all the hypotheticals, but our actions are always normal. We choose the norm because we have the blueprint; we know the outcome, and deviating away from it elicits fear.
People say to not fly too close to the sun, but straying away creates a ceiling for your opportunities. Think of all the people you’ve read and heard about in school; they were not afraid of the unknown, but instead were afraid of comfort. The thought of an action, a product or an idea continuing to be stagnant and undisputed was these individuals’ greatest fear. They sought change and accepted fear as a part of their daily routines.
As a college student, I often hear my peers talk about wanting an internship, a job or a comfortable life free of financial burden. However, it is very rare to hear a student wanting something so ambitious that the impact stretches beyond his/her personal network. In an age where sharing thoughts and ideas is easier than ever, we may fear our voices will get lost in the mix. Have an idea? Share it and make it happen. Want to do something? Figure out a plan and go after it.
As Nike would say, “just do it.” If you want things to be easy and monotonous, go ahead and seek comfort. If you want the adventure, challenges and more color, seek out and seize different opportunities. Your fear is deviating from the norm and taking chances, but what would your future self want for your life? A life lived full of life and different colors or a life lived filled with that single shade?
-Rishav Khanal
