Begin Again Moments: The Importance Of Discomfort

In this episode of Begin Again Moments, two powerful conversations explore the importance of discomfort, why we’ve become so afraid of difficult things and how embracing life’s challenges can help us grow stronger, happier and more resilient. Buddhist monk and meditation teacher Gelong Thubten joins Davina to explore why modern life has left us in a crisis of comfort, how our constant pursuit of happiness can leave us feeling unfulfilled and why learning to accept uncomfortable emotions could be the key to finding inner peace. Bestselling author and personal development expert Robin Sharma shares why meaningful change is never easy, how stepping outside your comfort zone can unlock your true potential and why the most rewarding things in life often require us to do the hardest work. Together, they explore the relationship between stress and personal growth, the importance of rest and recovery, and why facing discomfort rather than avoiding it can transform the way we approach life. A hopeful reminder that struggling doesn’t mean you’re failing, and sometimes the most difficult moments are the ones that help us become who we’re meant to be. To hear the full conversations, watch the complete episodes on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

• 0:02Speaker 00

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• 0:30Speaker 01

  When fall comes back around, there's a sense of a reset. And new pieces from Lululemon's Fall Drop are an inspiration to push your goals and elevate your routines. As your calendar fills, easy-to-layer styles meet the demands of your day. And as you challenge yourself to try even more, versatile sets transition with you. The Lululemon Fall Lineup brings new levels of comfort and confidence, whether you're starting something fresh or starting something over. Check out the latest arrivals in store and on lululemon.com now.

• 1:00Speaker 02

  You talked a bit about resilience in the book, about how this kind of constant seeking of happiness makes us less resilient. Stop trying to be safe or full of fear and making your world all small and not risking anything because we've got to be happy and safe. And then actually, when something does happen, and it always does in life, we're going to lose people we love. We're going to... This is life.

• 1:28Speaker 03

  Yeah, I think a lot of this is... Modern life is very much about comfort. And I often say we live in a crisis of comfort.

• 1:40Speaker 02

  That's such a great...

• 1:41Speaker 03

  Do you know what I mean?

• 1:43Speaker 02

  Yeah, yeah, yeah, God. I totally agree with that, yeah.

• 1:46Speaker 03

  And we're constantly told you have to be comfortable.

• 1:50Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 1:51Speaker 03

  And we live in a culture where you can get certain amount of comfort. I mean, we really can control the temperature in our house or in our car. We can turn the dials and try and make everything just right. But hasn't that made us more frightened of discomfort?

• 2:06Speaker 02

  Yes.

• 2:07Speaker 03

  And we're so obsessed with you must be happy that unhappiness feels like a terrible failure.

• 2:14Speaker 02

  Yes.

• 2:15Speaker 03

  But I feel that all the unhappiness I've experienced in my life has made me stronger and I'm grateful for it. But at the time, I just wanted to get rid of it. And I do think we're socially conditioned to be as happy as possible. What is that, though? What is that happiness?

• 2:33Speaker 02

  And what does it look like?

• 2:35Speaker 03

  It's so much about objects and things and people and places. And of course, that's how the machine turns, isn't it? We have to be told all the time, you need this to be happy, you need that to be happy. And of course, the problem is, is that when we are... When we're seeking happiness from a thing or a person or a situation, we're already building the habit of needing more.

• 3:00Speaker 02

  Yes.

• 3:00Speaker 03

  Because looking for happiness means you're always looking for happiness.

• 3:09Speaker 00

  The action's on the court. And as the official beer sponsor of the NBA, Michelob Ultra is getting fans closer to the game with a chance to win courtside seats, merch, and more. Visit michelobultra.com/courtside to enter. Michelob Ultra Courtside, 26 to 27. No purchase necessary. Open to U.S. residents 21+. Begins on October 1st, 2026 and ends on June 30th, 2027. Multiple entry periods. See official rules at michelobultra.com/courtside for free entry, entry deadlines, prizes, and details.

• 3:37Speaker 01

  Whenever fall comes back around, it always feels like a fresh start. This year, I've been layering in some styles from the new Lululemon Fall Drop because the weather is shifting and I find I have to be ready for the entire day and not just one part of it. Lululemon's Fall Line has some really versatile transitional pieces, so I can just wake up, throw on a matching set, add a jacket or a fleece, and head out, knowing that I'll feel comfortable enough to go wherever the day takes me. Check out the new fall arrivals in store and online now at lululemon.com.

• 4:07Speaker 02

  I think what is scary when you get to that midlife point is this kind of... It's almost like a feeling of panic. It's like you said, there's that confidence that you have in your twenties and thirties that it's just going to go on forever. And then there's suddenly a realization. And I think it is probably 40, 45, where you're like, oh, okay, this is halfway. And I think that possibly people feel like it's too late to change. That young people can make those changes, but I'm stuck in my ways. Is that true?

• 4:45Speaker 04

  Well, let's go to the science. Every human being alive today has a gift. And the gift is the gift of neuroplasticity, which is a brain that can adapt to new circumstances.

• 4:56Speaker 02

  How easy is it to change those neural pathways?

• 5:00Speaker 04

  So one of my favorite brain tattoos is all change is hard at first, and it's messy in the middle, and it's gorgeous at the end. And I better say it again because I can't stop saying it. All change is hard at first, messy in the middle, gorgeous at the end. So our society says that if there's change and it's hard, there's something wrong. It should be easy. What's this fascination with easy?

• 5:22Speaker 02

  Woben! Yes!

• 5:25Speaker 04

  A great relationship isn't easy. Climbing a mountain isn't easy. Reading War and Peace or The Prophet by Khalil Jibran isn't easy. Writing a screenplay that inspires the world is not easy. Running a marathon or raising a family is not easy. Getting into great health is not easy. What is this love affair that our society has with easy?

• 5:51Speaker 02

  I feel like that's quite a new thing.

• 5:52Speaker 04

  I just... Everyone wants it all easy and quickly in three seconds, in a nanosecond. But the best things in life are hard.

• 6:01Speaker 02

  Yes.

• 6:02Speaker 04

  And it's not... And that's not a bad thing because often it's what the journey towards the Mount Everest, what it makes of us is also part of the reward. So when we do difficult things, it introduces us to powers, abilities, gifts, and talents we didn't even know we had. So I would actually say hard is easy and easy is hard. When you do hard things, you join the 5:00 AM club, you eat clean, you keep your promises, you treat people well, you take your work seriously, and you push magic into the marketplace. You do hard things, it gives you an easy life. When you pursue an easy life,

• 6:46Speaker 04

  you know, just looking for the path of least resistance, you're going to have a hard life and be stuck in misery.

• 6:53Speaker 02

  What... Can you explain to people why it would be miserable to pursue the easy life? Because I think people think, oh, but the easy life, it's less stressful, it's less... You know, it's the kind of path of least resistance. Why wouldn't... Why isn't that good?

• 7:08Speaker 04

  Well, stress is actually not a bad thing. So science will confirm stress isn't... Stress is not the killer. Stress introduces us to our hidden capabilities. A great athlete uses stress to get stronger and to build muscle. A great writer will do difficult work to increase their mastery. So stress is not the culprit. It's we don't recover from stress. I think that's a key point. Stress makes us better. Billie Jean King, the great tennis player, said it beautifully. She said, "Pressure is a privilege." Pressure is a privilege. If there's a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders, look at the people you get to help.

• 7:51Speaker 04

  Look at the strengths and the talent you get to know about yourself. It's just we don't recover from the stress. And whether it's rest or whether it's meditation or whether it's working hard as well as taking walks in the park, that's the issue.

• 8:12Speaker 01

  When fall comes back around, there's a sense of a reset. And new pieces from Lululemon's Fall Drop are an inspiration to push your goals and elevate your routines. As your calendar fills, easy-to-layer styles meet the demands of your day. And as you challenge yourself to try even more, versatile sets transition with you. The Lululemon Fall Lineup brings new levels of comfort and confidence, whether you're starting something fresh or starting something over. Check out the latest arrivals in store and on lululemon.com now.

• 8:42Speaker 05

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• 9:11Speaker 06

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