Embrace the Chill and Lean Into the Discomfort
Thoughts from a chilly walk
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Today I learned how to embrace the chill.
And I’m not talking about the relaxed kind of “chill” — although that’s always a good thing to embrace too.
I’m talking about the chill in the air. Why the heck does this matter, you ask?
Well, let me give you some background.
I Really Hate the Cold
I’m not someone who enjoys being cold. It’s funny because I live in Canada (one of the coldest places on earth). But I really don’t like it. I like warmth.
I love bright sunshine, crackling fires and cozy sweaters.
In stark contrast, I don’t like the way the frigid cold seeps through my layers of clothing and seems to wrap itself around my very bones. It unsettles me.
That’s why I prefer the comfort of warmth. It envelopes and reassures me. Nothing calms me more than sitting by a crackling fire that kisses my skin. And nothing feels as protective as winter clothes. I like the way chunky gloves and scarves and sweaters cocoon me, shielding me from the world outside.
And I love the way the sun shines in the sky like a giant spotlight, generously spilling its rays down on me. I turn like a plant toward the light, basking in its rays (even though the Irish skin I’ve inherited from my ancestors makes me burn as easily as a vampire).
However, if I hide away too long in that toasty comfort zone it can feel very limiting. The warmth can lull me into a pleasant state where nothing ever changes or grows.
“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.” -John Assaraf
Sometimes I need the cold because it wakes me up to reality.
Sometimes the Cold Is Needed
That’s what I discovered today on my walk. It was about 13 degrees Celsius outside and since we’ve been getting some milder spring weather, I figured I’d be okay in a light long-sleeved top and wind-jacket. I still felt the chill, however.
I get cold really easily, so that’s another reason why I don’t enjoy the cold. And in my defence, it had…
