The Discomfort of Now

Emily Moody
Jul 21, 2017
2 min read

Ya girl is currently in Tanzania. That’s me, ya girl Em. By the time you read this, I'll have been here for 2 whole months. Being uncomfortable has become like breathing for me. But I'm learning that discomfort is okay and necessary.

Before you get all “Em how does this apply to me, I'm not in Tanzania ya dork,” just hear me out. For all you college kids, look me in my virtual face and tell me freshman year wasn't even a little uncomfortable. Remember feeling homesick and alone and exhausted? Me too. For all you incoming freshman, can you honestly tell me you aren't even a little terrified? Because I can 100% relate. But guys, feeling those feelings? Totally normal. Totally okay. You know the phrase ‘growing pains,’ right? That doesn't just apply to physical growth. Growing mentally and emotionally is just as (if not more) painful as physical growth. Because it isn't visible, oftentimes it becomes invalidated by either yourself or those around you. Well I'm here to tell you, the subtle uncomfortableness that comes with expanding your mind and your heart is so so real. And college has been one of the most growth-filled times I've yet to finish experiencing.

As humans, we are stock-full of contradictions, and one I've come to see as of late is that we have the ability to feel so full and happy while also feeling so homesick and alone. I think the important thing to remember when you're feeling those uncomfortable feelings is that it's okay to let yourself be down, as long as you allow yourself to experience the other things as well. Be open to it all. Be open to the sadness and the joy and the loneliness and the newness, because the contradictions create the experience. Embrace it all. The discomfort of now is the beauty of tomorrow. It is you becoming happy. If we allow ourselves to do that, I think we allow ourselves to truly live. So get out there kiddos, live your life, and embrace the discomfort of now.

Hi, I'm Emily Moody, snort-laugh expert and French fry aficionado! I'm a junior at UGA studying psychology with a music and African studies minor. I love all things burrito, hate when something doesn't erase completely, and am quite a talented napper.