My stomach lurched with dread.
Of late, many have been congratulating me about my upcoming deployment to India. But few know I’m actually scared.
Over a decade ago, I had a traumatic experience there. My boss warned me that this Outbreak Response Training would be highly stressful, simulating a real outbreak crisis. Every year, someone has a meltdown. I don’t want that person to be me.
I leafed through my journal and found my own words to a recent question- how can I prepare myself for cross-cultural/ mission/ humanitarian work?
I wrote:
“Get comfortable with discomfort.
1. READ about discomfort: Read biographies of people of grit.
2. LIVE through discomfort. Challenge yourself with new experiences to broaden your worldview.
3. CREATE disciplines that embrace discomfort. Exercise regularly, sleep without air-conditioning, try hard things.”
This video of me overcoming my fear of the tall soft box reminds me of why it’s important to venture into the unfamiliar: Discomfort, when embraced, grows our inner resilience, courage and strength.
This is why we must keep facing our fears, head on.
Today, as I’m reading my own words to myself, as I steady myself for a trip that I’m afraid of, I hope they’ll encourage and strengthen you, too.