Why Uncomfortable Emotions Are Good For You

Hi!

As my two gorgeous children (a boy 3.5yrs and a girl 4 months) age and develop, I have really been noticing the emotional 'discomfort' they often go through as they challenge the physical and cognitive boundaries of where they are currently at in order to move to the next developmental phase in their lives. For example, the slightly more complex Lego set often finds itself being smashed into a million pieces a few times before it is finally put together in triumph! Or the frustrated and agitated looks and sounds coming from my daughter as she lies on the floor mat teaching herself to roll over for the first time!

This really got me thinking about the importance and the almost necessity that emotional discomfort plays in us as adults moving from our current reality ('the known') towards our hopes and dreams and the life we truly want to be leading ('the unknown').

It is near impossible for us to learn a new skill, or to start up a new business, or to let go of old and non-serving ways of operating and behaving, or to leave an old relationship (or start a new one) without feeling some form of emotional discomfort - whether it be stress, anxiety, overwhelm, frustration etc etc.

It's in these times of change and emotional discomfort that the role of a coach is so HUGELY important. In my experience of both working with coaches and working with clients - the main reason people don't end up going for what they want is the fear and the emotional overwhelm that comes from stepping outside of their comfort zone.

As a coach, one of your main roles is to help your clients take regular and conscious action towards their goals, whilst helping them be aware of and manage effectively the emotional resistance they will experience as they own their goals and take action towards these goals. From my perspective, this is one of the most fulfilling elements of being a coach - because you get to help your clients create real and tangible changes in their lives and help them create a life they can truly be proud of!

To your legacy,

Josh Stone