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If you had told me two years ago that I would successfully complete a half marathon, I would have simply told you: “That doesn’t make any sense. I would never voluntarily run, much less PAY to run.” I couldn’t really fathom why someone would purposely choose to do something that made them uncomfortable. Until I did it myself.
I was first introduced to the idea by the YouTube channel Yes Theory. Their motto is simply “Seek Discomfort”. By this, they mean that life’s most beautiful moments and growth opportunities exist outside the realm of your comfort zone.
One day, during my junior year of college, I woke up too late to walk to my spin class. Given that I’m very irrationally scared of the bus, I begrudgingly decided to do a treadmill run. Running had always been something I did not like. Whether it was for cross-training during my brief stint as a competitive fencer or because I just got that bored during quarantine, I never really found any purpose or enjoyment in it. This particular run wasn’t any different in theory, but for some reason, I couldn’t shake the sense of accomplishment I felt after. I texted my friend (mostly as a joke): “What if I ran a half marathon?”
She immediately responded that I should, which was NOT helpful because I was hoping she’d talk me out of it. Then, I really started thinking about it. This little voice in my head slowly morphed from “Why should you try?” to “Why shouldn’t you try?”, and I couldn’t think of a reason why not. Honestly, the idea of it kind of excited me. I created a schedule and decided to train for it. And then, I did it!
Ha. I wish it went like that. I told everyone I knew this beautiful answer about how I was trying to prove to myself that I can do hard things. I was seeking discomfort!! What no one told me was how HARD seeking discomfort is. I didn’t really believe I could do it. The same voice that had once pushed me to try was now thinking a lot of hurtful thoughts out of fear. I would call myself fat for not looking a certain way in my workout clothes. I would call myself weak for not being able to run 8 miles while on my period. I even held off on registering until the very last minute because of my doubt.
The day before, I went to pick up my bib. I remember freaking out and thinking “What the heck am I doing thinking I can run a half marathon alone??” And then, my crazy friends (pictured above) whom I now lovingly call my big brothers, Kenneth and Melkon, came up to me. They were running the full marathon, but they started talking about how WE were running a race tomorrow. And then I knew, even as I pulled away from them as the race started, that they would be there next to me every step of the way. Because they believed in me.
And so, I was off! Before I knew it, Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys was playing, and I had run 10 miles already?! My limbs were most definitely on fire, but I remember thinking to myself “YOU GO QUEEN! I BELIEVE IN YOU!” PAUSE. Did I just say I believed in myself?? Was I really running and about to FINISH a half marathon right now??? Before I crossed the line, I saw my friends cheering with joy and holding up colorful signs, ready to embrace me because they believed in me. Family and friends who had been tracking my progress excitedly and texting me even though they knew I wouldn’t see it til the end did so because they believed in me.
I remember going to bed that night completely in awe of what I had just done and reflecting on what it had taken to cross that finish line. Over those four months, I went into each run fully believing it was an impossible task. Each moment when I knocked myself down, had to drag myself out of bed, or my legs conveniently decided to stop working meant something- it gave me the physical strength to move forward. My family, my friends, and my big brothers’ wholehearted belief in me gave me the mental strength to move forward. By purposely seeking discomfort every day, I had achieved it. I started wondering about the other things I might be able to achieve if I didn’t let being uncomfortable stop me.
That brings us to where we are today. You might think that I fell in love with running after all that. You would be oh so wrong! Running and I are like when you tell your friend that your relationship with someone is “complicated”. You might think then that I stopped running. No, I’m actually training for the marathon this year! You might think that I’m less scared now. That would be false! If anything, I’m terrified. You might think... actually, just stop thinking. There’s a fair chance I won’t finish the marathon in time. I do NOT like taking risks or doing anything that does not have a 100% of success. I still have all the same struggles and scary thoughts. What’s different though, is I’ve been here before. I know what seeking discomfort entails. I’m choosing to redefine success a little here. I will be proud of myself if I have the courage to step across the starting line. That means a lot coming from me.
My challenge for you is this. What is something you’ve never done before because you didn’t want to, thought you couldn’t, felt it would be uncomfortable, or feared it? Commit to doing it. Actually. While I fully believe everyone should run a half marathon, it doesn’t have to be running. You might not discover the same things I did, but you also just might surprise yourself. If anything, it’ll make for a good story. And I can’t wait to hear it.
About The Author:
Sarah Joshi '23
Supply Chain Management
Entrepreneurial LeadHERship Student
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