How Can Feeling Discomfort in Changes Benefit You?

LIFT: ElevateX newsletter 003

Read time: 3 minutes

Content included: change management, mindset, reframe and relearn

When change feels too much to handle

Retrenchments are filling the air. Uncertainty around job security is mounting.AI and technology are moving faster than anyone expected.

And beneath all that? A quiet panic. An invisible pressure that many of us carry but few talk about.

Let’s talk about it now honestly.

Because if you’re feeling anxious, uncertain, or even afraid, I want you to know:You’re not alone.

I’ve been in this space many times, when everything felt like it was shifting beneath me.When I questioned where I stood, what I could offer, and if I’d still matter tomorrow.

It’s uncomfortable, deeply so.But I’ve also learned this, and I believed you had too.It’s in the discomfort that we can access a different kind of strength, one that doesn't come from staying in control, but from learning to respond with clarity and courage.

The power hidden inside discomfort

We often see anxiety or fear as something negative.But the truth is, they’re signals. They’re the body’s way of saying:

“Something matters. You care. And it’s time to pay attention.”

It’s what scientists call the Fight or Flight response; our in-built survival system that kicks in during moments of perceived threat. Your heart beats faster, your breathing shortens, your senses sharpen. You’re on high alert.

In ancient times, this helped us outrun danger. But today, that same response can help us sharpen our focus, adapt faster, and take decisive action, if we know how to channel it.

Think about the time you accidentally burned your hand. It wasn’t pleasant, but it woke you up. It made you learn FAST. And that pain became part of your growth.

What if we use this discomfort to rise?

So many people want comfort; but growth rarely comes from comfort.Discomfort, when used wisely, can ignite the part of us that’s been dormant.It reminds us that we are not passive observers of change, we can choose to be active creators of our future.

What we decide to do now, even if it feels small, determines who we become next.

This is not about having all the answers.

It’s about being the kind of person who keeps learning, evolving, and moving. Especially when the path ahead feels foggy.

Try This: Small, Brave Steps to Reclaim Your Power

You don’t need a full plan today. You just need a shift, from frozen to moving.

Here’s how:

1. Name What You’re Feeling

Take 5 minutes. Write down the discomfort, it could be anything from fear, worry, uncertainty, anger etc. Just name it without judgment. Awareness is the first step toward agency.

2. Find What’s In Your Control

Circle what you can act on. Upskilling. Reaching out to someone. Limiting the noise. Even resetting your boundaries or changing your morning habits.

3. Take One Small Step This Week

It doesn’t need to be bold. It just needs to be yours. Sign up for that course. Pitch a new idea. Start journaling again. These acts remind your nervous system: I’m not stuck. I’m moving.

Think about a great athlete.

They don’t wake up perfect. They don’t master their skills after one training. They practice - daily. Repeatedly.

The same shot. The same movement. The same mindset. Until what once felt hard becomes second nature. Until their body and mind become used to pushing through limits.

You’re no different.

If you commit to doing these three small steps, every day for just one week, something will shift.

Name what you’re feeling. Find what’s in your control. Take one small action.

And then do it again.And again.And again, until this becomes your new rhythm.

It’s okay to feel shaken.It’s okay to feel fear.But what’s not okay, is letting those feelings stop you from showing up for yourself.

Because this is your training ground.This is where you build the muscle of being uncomfortable — and still showing up.This is how you learn to move through the fog, instead of waiting for it to clear.

So breathe. And take that next step. You’re building something more powerful than certainty - you’re building you.

We’ll be here next week, cheering you on.

With you in the climb,

Cassandra and the LIFT team