Happiness. The ultimate goal. For ourselves, our children, our friends & family. It’s the pursuit of happiness and the avoidance of discomfort.

But why?

Discomfort is the place in which our souls grow the most. Happiness isn’t even a factual, tangible concept. In fact, if you’re feeling something you’d otherwise choose to evade, well then, you probably need to sit and really feel it.  Yet, we placate ourselves with wine, television, social media, Buzzfeed, burrata.

And this past week was one of those that was completely riddled with discomfort… and massive bouts of anxiety. Anxiety about absolutely nothing important. At one point I was really worried about sheets. That’s not a thing.

By the end of the week all I wanted to do was go home, snuggle up on the couch, and drink a little red wine with my roomies. True, glorious avoidance. With a sprinkle gluttony. But that wasn’t in the plans.

Instead I got REAL uncomfortable and ventured solo to the lululemon residency 7 at the Zuma Sanctuary to see what on earth a drum circle actually entails.

(You better believe I texted my support system, asking them to pray that I wasn’t incredibly  awkward. Just, like, normal awkward.)

It was an appropriate end to the week. The benefits of discomfort, magnified, whilst under the Malibu stars.

I made some rad new friends, listened to IN-Q speak about the dichotomy of life and all it’s chaos; Madame Gandhi told her story and lead us in a drum circle, which I somewhat participated in, given my immense lack of rhythm; and the Wanderlust Director of Meditation led us in… meditation (obviously).

#RealTalk: If an axe murderer or scary clown is a comin’ it’s definitely going to be when the entire party is meditating with their eyes shut chanting, Om shanti shanti shanti to themselves. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. 

It was new, uncomfortable, and really awesome. Magnified by the fact that I got to bask in the individuality of these creatives.

lululemon you are rad. Thank you for including me in your shindig.