The amazing power of pressure

From the moment we are born we encounter obstacles.  In order to be born, we must push our way out or otherwise get out of our mother, in order to start the next stage of our lives.

If you think about it, how many people within that womb, warm and cosy, food provided with no need to breathe or eat would actually choose to leave?!  Biology (and the fact we keep growing) ends up strongly encouraging the birth process to begin - and whether a natural birth or any other variation, there is no going back once we are out in the world.  In that moment, everything changes and there is absolutely no way back.

If we fast forward a few years in the developed world, we find ourselves at school or in other programs which are education focused.  How often would we choose to move from one school grade to another without someone or something pushing us on? Although there is often excitement at the beginning of a new school year - there is often also trepidation, nervousness and even dread of the unknowns to come.  Suddenly the last year, which had its own ups and downs, seems comfortable, familiar and not really that much of a problem.  Fortunately, our school systems and often our chronological age determines that moving on and upwards is the next step regardless of our actual desire.  Again, there is usually no stepping back and though the changes may not be as huge as being born - how much of our progress in life is actually externally encouraged rather than independently sought after?

Learning can be exciting and stimulating.  There is no doubt that it can also be uncomfortable, disorientating and put us in high pressure situations which are challenging to understand or manage.

So, what have you constantly progressed in without pressure? What areas of life are only moving forward because of an external pressure ?
If that external pressure would disappear, would you really act or progress?  Most people would quickly say that they wish they were not put under pressure or experience unpleasant crisis situations.  However, if these moments didn't happen - would you have acted and made the decisions needed in life?