Get Uncomfortable

I served in the Navy Reserves from 1993-1998, took a twenty-two year break and then commissioned into the Army National Guard as a Chaplain in 2020. I was 50 at the time. I attended the Chaplains Basic Officers Leadership Course (CHBOLC) at 51. During one of our early meals a classmate whispered to me, “You’re the same age as my dad.” I did fine with the physical training, but initially struggled with the classwork. (It had been 26 years since I had been in a formal classroom.)

There was only one time the thought of quitting went through my mind. We were spending a few days in the field. It was December, and it was raining. I didn’t ventilate my tent properly, and though the inside was warm, condensation began to build up, and then water began dripping steadily on my forehead. I thought, “I make a good living. I don’t need to be here.”

One of the things I appreciate most about the military is the main thing I complain about. It’s uncomfortable. I’m 55 now, and I don’t sleep all that well in my own bed, much less a military cot. When we’re training, it’s really hot or really cold or raining, or magically all three at the same time.

In my car, I can blast the air conditioner to keep cool, but also crank up the seat heater to keep my back from getting stiff. I can tell my house exactly what temperature I want it to be inside so I can be comfortable.

But I don’t grow.

I grow when I’m uncomfortable. That’s when I find out how patient I can be. That’s when I discover how resourceful I can be. That’s when I discover that if I use my ruck sack to prop up one end of the tent, I can at least divert the condensation away from my face and clothes.

I don’t know what you want from 2026, but I do know this. If you want to grow, if you want to change, you better get uncomfortable.

Peace.