Student Spectrums

Comfort is the limiting factor of several individuals; I can say this because it was once mine. I used to believe that staying in familiar routines kept me safe, but what I didn’t realize was that it was also keeping me stuck. Change seemed like something to be avoided as it came with risks and uncertainty.

However, I later learned that this risk was necessary for growth. Studies have shown that adaptability is directly linked to higher satisfaction and better well-being (Zhou and Lin, 2016). Other research shows how being flexible in how we think and respond allows us to better handle challenges without breaking down under pressure (Kashdan and Rottenberg, 2010). In order to improve, feeling discomfort is necessary, and over time begins to feel like a reward.

For a while, I treated the unknown like a wall I wasn’t able to climb. Whenever I had to face something new, I froze. My instinct was to cling to what felt familiar to me. It was like planting myself in the same patch of soil, but never allowing myself to grow or bloom somewhere new. Looking back, I realize that my fear wasn’t about the scenario itself, rather what change represented; the uncertainty, risk, and possible disappointment.

As Dweck (2006) explains, people usually resist change not because they are unable to adapt, but rather because uncertainty can feel threatening. I now realize that the change I feared caged me, and only by stepping through it was I able to grow.

The first real step I took was gaining self awareness. Before, I didn’t truly stop and ponder about what was holding me back; but the moment I began to, it felt like flipping a light switch in a pitch black room. I began to notice how frequently I would stay quiet, not take risks, or tell myself that I wasn’t able to do something. After I came to this realization I was able to learn that these new encounters, experiences, and skills were not just random occurrences, but rather building blocks shaping me into a better version of myself.

What I once viewed as impossible became a normal instance, and now many of those things play big roles in the person I am. Most importantly, this new awareness sparked another shift; I began to see that growth wasn’t about keeping up with anyone else, it was about challenging myself to become stronger than I was yesterday. 

Once I stopped measuring myself against others, I finally understood what growth really meant. For so long, I had paid attention to external validation, as if it were the determining factor of my worth. But change taught me otherwise. I realized that the only true competition I had was with the version of myself from yesterday, and as long as I was moving forward, I was victorious. This shift freed me from the shackles of constant comparison; I realized that measuring myself against others was the quickest way to rob myself of both happiness and success.

Change is more than something we endure; it is the spark that lights the path to who we are meant to become. The discomfort I once avoided became the soil where my resilience and self-awareness could grow. Every new experience I embraced became a stepping stone in my journey. All setbacks proved to be lessons.

Change may never feel easy, but without it I might’ve still been the seed I was in the past—unable to sprout.