We often have to get out of our comfort zone if we want to improve, and that will likely feel awkward and uncomfortable at first.

This can create barriers to personal growth, because those feelings of discomfort that we experience will come well before we will notice any improvement in our skills. As a result, we might feel that the negative emotional experience is not worth it, and give up on our goal.

But what if we reframe our attitude towards discomfort, seeing it as a sign of progress and something to strive for rather than avoid?

Studies carried out by Kaitlin Woolley from Cornell University, Ayelet Fishbach from the University of Chicago and other researchers showed that we should seek out the feelings of awkwardness or discomfort that are often associated with personal growth, and interpret them as signs of progress towards our goals. This can motivate us when faced with what we might otherwise simply see as negative emotional experiences. Indeed seeking out feelings of discomfort can motivate people in a range of situations.

In one trial, participants took part in a writing exercise that they were told could help them work though an important emotional issue. Some were told that the goal of the exercise was to feel awkward and uncomfortable, and that these feelings were a sign that the task was working. After finishing the task, these participants were more likely to believe that the exercise had helped them to grow emotionally and develop coping skills, and were more motivated to repeat it in the future, compared to a control group.