#16 Where growth happens

     "Learning takes place at the point of tension between credulous appreciation and wary dismissal. ... Exploration and discovery ... call for an abandonment of this +/- dichotomy and an occupation of the open middle ground." Glenn Wallis

     To grow as individuals, we need to be out of our comfort zone, but not too far beyond it. The "no pain, no gain" approach may work for marines, but tends to impede growth for most of us regular folk.

     Athletes, musicians, academics - all train within this zone of discomfort - past comfort, but before pain. This is where training effect happens - aerobic fitness improves, muscles enlarge, new neural circuits laid down, skills are perfected.

     Likewise, for benefits to occur, mindfulness training must take us beyond our comfort zone. If we practice mindfulness with curiosity, patience, persistence and the right level of intensity, we will inevitably become progressively more mindful.