Sometimes, we can get a little too comfortable with our lives.

And I don’t mean it in the way of working towards a life and then enjoying it. That should come as a natural consequence of striving for what you want.

We can just become too familiar with our routines, our thinking and ways of seeing… which gets in the way of our own growth as human beings. Regardless of age, we all have the latent potential for growth and experiences.

It’s something I think about as an educator who has been forced to leave his own comfort zones, many times, for my practice. The way I like learning and what I’m interested in is not in-line with my students (or very, very few of them). However, whenever I feel myself getting comfortable with what I’m doing by thinking that because it’s been working, it’ll continue to work, I know it’s time to change it up.

Even a little bit.

It’s something I also think about as a parent and a partner. Often, a new perspective is needed as things become a little too comfortable.

Of course, there is always the danger that leaving our comfort zones may not work. They may fail spectacularly. Actually, it might happen the majority of the time.

However, the few times it doesn’t, a whole new world opens up.

And that is worth every attempt.

I’ve been recently thinking about the whole notion of following your passion. It’s always some make-shift advice given to people, especially younger ones, to pursue their passions at whatever cost because it will give them the best outcome in life.

What outcome?

Financial? Peace of mind? Happiness?

That part’s never really been defined, especially since very few actually pursue what’s in their heart.

Why?

And here comes the dark side of it…

Following a passion consumes you. Completely.

It’s the only thing on your mind and you’re willing to be obsessed to the point of giving up stability, relationships—everything—just to pursue it.

I saw it as a magician. The ones who made it are the ones who lived and breathed it all day, every day. Their relationships were far and few, if any, and their tunnel vision to make it happen was solid. There was no breaking it.

The whole idea of balance in life is out the window. It doesn’t exist.

And that’s the part we hide from people, but it’s the part they need to know.

Date back thousands of years, but the love of power consistently usurps the love of our fellow human.

Even when nations around the world, less than a hundred years ago, rallied together to create thirty universal human rights, we have been unable to implement them.

The argument that humans are naturally selfish and destructive fall short of anthropological research showing the opposite. The foundations of civilization was compassion, not dominion.

If only we could remember that.

We might be familiar with the idea of a reset in life. A time to get away, or retreat, in order to recharge and get ourselves energized. Sometimes this means a vacation, but waiting long stretches for that coveted escape may not give the fuel we need on a daily basis.

This is when a fifteen second meditation comes in handy.

I first read about it in Creative Quest by Questlove and fell in love with the idea. It works so well during the day as an opportunity step back and reset (or in my case, transition from work to home).

Simply close your eyes and let your mind wander away for fifteen seconds.

Nothing more.

When you come back, you’ll be ready.

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.

Marcus Aurelius

Just get this one thing and you’ll be good.

Once we make this particular thing happen, you’ll be happy.

Just do this and you’ll find freedom.

Does it not feel as though we are imprisoned by a society that tells us we’re going to be free and happy, only to never have it happen?

Perhaps our ancient sages had wisdom we badly need again.

I have an unfounded hope in humanity, even as of late. Not sure where it comes from, but my outlook for the future is always positive.

It’s a curse the lessons we needed early in life are always the ones that come to us late… or even too late.

Sure, there’s always something we can do right now, but only if we knew better before, right?

Our collective concern is that humanity is going to learn its lesson a little too late, and while there is something to be said for that, let’s consider where we were a hundred years ago:

We just finished a world war, entered into a great depression and global pandemic.

How much have we learned from then?

How much have we grown?

Despite the media focus, we are not in the same place we’ve always been. We are somewhere much better and the lessons we’re learning too late are the ones our future generation is learning right now.

Also, it’s never too late to start.

Ever.

When we discover that adults are not perfect, that is the end of our childhood. When we forgive them for it, that’s the end of our adolescence.

We often say that adolescence is a phase, but it’s clear not everyone grows out of it.

It’s time to move on.

Every day, I ask my students an ice-breaker question to settle them in for the class. It’s really a memory technique to remind me to do my attendance, but it also provides the extra bonus of making contact with each student, every day.

It’s actually disheartening to know that some students go through their entire day without anybody speaking with them or even saying their name.

One of my favourites is to ask whether they would rather take nothing but cold showers or perpetually always get one less hour of sleep than they need.

It’s really a question of comfort over health and as I enter the middle years of my life, the comforts I’ve worked towards don’t mean anything without my health. It’s a lesson I really wish I could’ve learned at their age, but future forecasting is almost impossible for the majority of humanity—let alone impulsive teenagers.

Given the choice, which is actually one we are presented with almost every day, the choice is simple:

I’ll take the cold showers.

This is a question I ask constantly at the risk of slipping into deep nihilism. Yes, there is a world of problems, but there’s also so much being done across the planet.

My mission statement as a teacher is that students leave with more hope than when they came.

We might be better served by making this our mission statement every day:

What gives you hope for tomorrow?

Long after these social media giants dissipate (and they will), people may recognize sitting on them all day while screaming their ephemeral rage at the latest thing did no good.

It did worse than that, actually.

It just fed other people to also feed their rage into this virtual space.

All to what avail?

Years ago, I would often challenge myself to be distant from the lure of the constant connection. But now, it’s become almost comedic to see the predictable outrage cries attached to any update and staying away is just a simple reminder these spaces has become a very low point of entertainment.

To those that cannot stop engaging, even if it’s with just your attention, it’s time to go do something.

Mad about an issue? Make a phone call to your local representative. Join a group. Go to a meeting.

Wanna see more done? Find an organization nearby and volunteer. See if there’s anything you can do.

Start something.

Go hug a friend.

Go. Do. Something.

Even if it’s simply finding a way to unwind and relax.