Getting out of your field of comfort

What you are looking for in life is comfort. Why do you need money? Because you want comfort. The end objective of all your actions boils down to one thing: comfort.

There are many levels of comfort. The first is physical comfort. If you are sitting on the grass you think, “Oh, it would have been better if there was a cushion.” Then there is mental comfort, which is even more essential. You may have a comfortable home, but if the mind is disturbed you cannot sleep even on the most luxurious bed, isn’t it?

There is also emotional comfort. You may have everything, but if someone close to you withdraws or says something hurtful, your emotional comfort is lost. And finally there is spiritual comfort: the comfort of the soul, which is total peace, an uninterrupted flow of joy and serenity from within.

Comfort really means to be yourself. But where does this comfort lie—in the body or the mind? It is in a combination of both. Sometimes when the body is uncomfortable, the mind too becomes restless, and vice versa. You may have a very nice bed to lie on, but if the mind is disturbed, sleep will not come. More than the body, comfort of the mind is important. The mind is three times more powerful than the body, so mental comfort is three times more important than physical comfort.

And your comfort is based on commitment. The commitment of others brings you comfort. For instance, the milkman’s commitment to deliver milk gives you comfort. In the same way, your commitment should bring comfort to others.

Sometimes people say, “Oh, I am stuck with this commitment, so I am unhappy.” But don’t expect every commitment to be smooth from the beginning. If you are committed to completing your medical course, you will naturally face some difficult periods. Yet commitment has the power to take you across all obstacles. The greater the achievement, the greater the commitment.

The more you commit, the more your capacity grows. Commitment always involves doing something beyond what you think you can do. You don’t say, “I am committed to drink a glass of water,” or “I am committed to walk one kilometer.” These are things you do anyway. Real commitment is about stretching your capabilities.

(Writer is a is a globally renowned spiritual leader, humanitarian, and peacebuilder. He is also the founder of The Art of Living foundation, according to the Art of Living)