“Normality is a paved road; It’s comfortable to walk but no flowers grow.” – Vincent Van Gogh

Discomfort- pretty sure this term is the main descriptor we can all agree on over the past 20 plus months. It’s has traumatized our thinking, our goals and more importantly our complexion. Adulting has reached a pinnacle for myself and mostly others regarding being thrust into change and just “dealing with it.”

However, during one of my extensive contemplative sessions this morning, whilst consuming caffeinated bean water and outdated Zillow listings, motivated by organic Piscean escapism, I was overwhelmed by heart burn (“this is 30”) and one word – threshold.

A threshold has two definitions. 1. A wood, metal, or stone bottom of a doorway. 2. The magnitude or intensity that must be exceeded to elicit a reaction or phenomenon. Now my fellow triathletes know this terminology well. When training we have to a reach threshold to gauge cardiovascular strength/ health. (I’m a shrink not an Olympian, bear with me on this magic carpet ride). Basically push the self in increments so that the adapts to the physical stress of the activity.

What society often forgets is the fact that physical, mental, emotional and spiritual balance is all connected. We cannot successfully focus on one without considering all the other facets. Now my challenge for those reading is to ask ourselves, can anxiety and depression be seen in the context of thresholds and if so can we process this anxiety and depressions as mile markers for the growth that lies before us whether externally or internally inflicted?

As a therapist, it is hard to effectively consider the instant gratification we as society seek. Don’t like your profile picture? Get a new one. Don’t like a car? Get a new one. We have so much at our finger tips. But in having these options are we forgetting that it is in pushing past the threshold are we are missing the beauty in the process of aligning mind, body and spirit to adapt to what lies before us?

When ill equipped for passing a threshold we set ourselves up for physical cardiovascular stress. In emotional terms, we become lost in anxiety, depression and/or rage….

That homemade cup of coffee this morning was worth every ounce of mood stabilizing caffeine….

Stay Classy….