This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008 at 8:36 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
Comfort
Yesterday’s Oprah show was on quitting smoking, which, of course, I don’t need. But it was interesting anyway. Dr. Oz was on there with his plan on how to “breathe free” and he said something very interesting:
“America’s number one problem is that we’re not comfortable being uncomfortable.”
He said that in relation to why people who do quit end up relapsing.
Now I don’t know if it’s America’s number one problem but I definitely see this characteristic in our culture. It shows up in many different ways:
- All the “convenience” items invented here
- Remote controls for everything
- Wanting the front parking space, even at the gym
- Desire for immediate gratification
- Credit Card debt
- Diet pills instead of good ol’ eating right and exercising
- Focus on entertainment, relaxation, and luxury
- Addictions and bad habits
- Obesity
- Depression and the need for therapy
- The “service” industry (dog grooming, diaper service, spas, etc.)
- Automatic devices and technology
- Everything “at our fingertips”
- Discontentment
And the list goes on and on. As I posted earlier I am an emotional eater and saw this in myself when I was in Africa as well. I think the doctors statement may have touched on where emotional eating even comes from. I mean, what a tragedy that I would ever feel discomfort. Better treat that with my favorite comfort food.
Even transitioning to Africa overall is hard when you’re uncomfortable being uncomfortable. Our friends who have come from other places like Switzerland or Germany don’t have near the problems adjusting that Americans tend to have. We end up giving up much more as far as convenience and luxury than they do. They used a communal washing machine, never had a dryer, and didn’t own a car – so what’s the need for any of that anyway? Eeeks. So us adjusting to the lack of these things along with “over-the-top” stuff like dishwashers, automatic water/ice dispensers on the fridge, and microwaves really makes us look spoiled. And I guess we are.
What I need to keep in mind when I go back is that when I do feel uncomfortable it’s not the end of the world. My brain, body, and emotions may tell me it is. But it isn’t. It will pass. I will adjust. And I don’t need mom’s mashed potatoes to get me through it. Because when I think I do need comfort food to get me through the discomfort of adjusting but that food isn’t available, it can lead to more discomfort along with frustration and almost a feeling of sadness.
I have discovered many things about myself from my time in Africa and being around other nationalities. The biggest one up until now is: I am SO American!! 
2 Responses to “Comfort”
January 23rd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I really resonate with this. I am a 57 year old man that has pretty much been pampered his whole life. All the way to the point of “Eww, I don’t like the main course business class is serving on this flight”. We have four cars, hot tub, almost every appliance there is, and so much food in the house the floorboards must groan. I have a hard time imagining what folks like you and Julia are giving up. Yet there is a part of me that also knows that the comfort food and comfort stuff never really bring all that much satisfaction. So good on you for learning so young.
January 24th, 2008 at 8:40 am
I guess as long as we don’t try to find happiness in the comfort things, we’re doing okay. (Hey, nothing wrong with all the wonderfully luxurious things we have here in the States!!) It really is still hard to give those things up, even if you don’t necessarily revel in them. It will be interesting to see how I feel in a few years – after adjusting much more to Tanzania. And how Asher does growing up without those things. He probably won’t even miss them. Funny how that works.