“Embrace the new, no matter how uncomfortable, and make it work for you.” — Alex Smith
About twenty years ago, I was shopping when a pair of pull-on cowboy boots caught my eye. In my teens, I developed a habit of wearing lace-up western boots, but that pair of pull-ons caught my eye. They were even on sale– my, my! Those boots and I were meant to be. My boyfriend at the time saw the twinkle in my eye.
“You should get those.”
I asked for my size, and the salesman disappeared only to return and say they did not have my size, only a half size down. I had not worn the brand before, so I decided to try them. I grabbed the pull tabs and squeezed my foot into the boot until I heard that coveted “pop” of the heel into the footbed. They were snug. I was not used to that feeling, and my expression told on me.
“They need to be tight on your foot,” my boyfriend said.
“Yeah, but they are uncomfortably tight!”
“But– they aren’t too short, are they?” He asked.
“No, I have room in the toe box. They are just squeezing my foot!”
“That’s good though. Trust me, once you wear 'em’ a while, they will stretch and be perfect!”
I was skeptical, but he was sort of a pull-on boot connoisseur. Not only that, I really liked those boots!
I took his advice. . .
Those became the best and most comfortable cowboy boots I ever owned. I broke them in and wore them until there was a giant hole in the sole, then I patched them as best I could and wore them until they were beyond repair. I have had many others since, but no others ever fit like that pair eventually did.
When this memory resurfaced, I realized there were a few life lessons in it. One: when someone knows more about something than you, listening to their advice can really pay off in the long term. Two: sometimes, things that are uncomfortable at first can turn into great things.
True, some things actually may not be a fit for us. In other cases, we may not know until we try. Great potential is often hidden behind mild discomfort. Perhaps a complex aspect of navigating life (and boot buying) is deciding whether something is not a fit or is simply uncomfortable because it is new. Either way, I hope to keep the lessons of that moment in mind as I continue living. Who knows, maybe you will, too.
Until next time,
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