Anxiety Files

Simple and powerful techniques for coping with anxiety and worry.

Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D., is the author of Anxiety Free and The Worry Cure. He is Clinical Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at Weill-Cornell Medical School and Director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy. See full bio

June 8, 2009, Anxiety

Comments on "Constructive Discomfort: How to do what you really don’t want to do"

Constructive Discomfort: How to do what you really don’t want to do

By Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D. on June 8, 2009 in Anxiety Files

If you are like a lot of us, there are a number of things that you know you should do, but you simply can't get yourself to do them.But there is a little voice in your little head that says, "I DON'T WANT TO". How can you build the mental muscle to get done what needs to be done?

Using Your Struggle Muscle

Submitted by HerbMD on June 8, 2009 - 8:33pm.

I LOVED this post. I am in favor of what I call, using your struggle muscle. I share that if you don't use it, you'll lose it. If you don't try to do things that are hard, outside your comfort zone, new and push you past your old limits, you may, over time, lose the ability to do so.

Your post is so very much on track. We all do procrastinate, but having and using our struggle muscle is important to our long term personal growth.

Thanks for the reminder!!

Constructive Discomfort ?

Submitted by Legend on June 19, 2009 - 10:24am.

An outstanding post, yet thought that the last three sentences were the most important, and would like to add one: Respect of others/self, as a guiding light to acheive more! Never stand down ! This does build that mental muscle, as does faith ! Procrastination is just a simple way to say, maybe tomorrow;instead of tommorrow,WHY NOT now ? Tommorrow may hold something "better" or greater in your acheivemnet log in your life!

Good article. It is important

Submitted by Anonymous on July 13, 2009 - 10:32am.

Good article. It is important to understand that the fear is not going to go away over time. Instead of waiting for the time when you aren't scared, be afraid and do it anyway.