Zoning Out in Comfort. By Dean Christopher
One PrimeCrush writer argues that staying in your comfort zone is, well, the easiest road to comfort.
I have never understood why so many "life coaches" and "self-improvement" books urge us to "Get out of your Comfort Zone!"
In my view, with so much discomfort overwhelming the planet -- physical, societal, financial, psychic -- most of us are already out of any possible "Comfort Zone." It seems far more reasonable to go deeper into your Comfort Zone.
The comfort of any kind these days is a rare commodity. And how can anything significantly soul-nourishing, productive, or gratifying come from removing whatever slender comfort we may have already found?
Nevertheless, pop-psychology junkies and philosophers keep insisting that Self Improvement, Spiritual Growth, and Turbocharged Wisdom can come only when we leave our "Comfort Zone." All this despite the predominant theory that the only personal motivation stronger than pleasure-seeking ... is the avoidance of pain!
So "Get out of your Comfort Zone," is not unlike urging someone to "Get out of your Healthy Zone," or "Get out of your Financial Security Zone!" This poppycock appears to endorse the abandonment of rational intelligence in favor of illogic and stupidity.
I say, whenever you can find any comfort in anything, pile it on! How much have you got? I'll take it all.
By this, I do not suggest reducing homo sapiens to a species of un-adventuresome, blankie-wrapped thumb-suckers. But in this increasingly cold, angry and painful world, we must appreciate the opportunity to find any small shred of comfort.
But comfort itself is highly subjective.
Certain undesirables find it comforting, for example, to saw squirrels in half; to short-sheet the beds of hospitalized veterans; to deface great paintings in the Louvre. These are people who really need to get out of their Comfort Zones as soon as possible; indeed, to be forcibly removed from them if necessary.
For most "normal" folks, Comfort Foods are great spirit boosters, especially traditional family home cooking. This is probably because it evokes strong memories of a happy, secure childhood.
Every family has its own menu, its own memorable recipes. But we can probably agree that common examples of Comfort Food include: Meatloaf; Mac and Cheese; Chili; Ice Cream; Franks and Beans; Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes ... almost anything high caloric, chock full of gluten, sugar and fat.
All those comforting carbs and calories! Do calories equal comfort? Here's what comforts me in time of need:
- The fragrance of lamb and oven potatoes cooking in my Greek grandfather's old iron roster.
- Little children's merry laughter.
- Improvising at the piano.
- One (well, maybe two) of my crisp dry Beefeater martinis (two olives, please).
- An old friend's voice on the phone, or a visit on Skype.
- Mom's old rosary, a gift for her First Communion in 1922.
But best of all is to be with my daughter and grandsons. Unfortunately, they live 5,500 miles away, in England. So I must settle for visual chats, which comfort me -- long distance.
Hey, I'll take even that. Comfort is wherever we are lucky enough to find it.
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