Uncomfortable, awesome new shoes.

So, let's say you're used to things being less than fabulous, then suddenly your world is shaken up and though it's rough for a while, you start to settle into something amazing... But like, amazing? What? What's this about? And you have no idea what to do with the amazing.

I've experienced this myself recently: at my awesome, flexible new job that I can leave at the office and never have to take home with me, I suddenly feel myself stressing out about work and deadlines and how am I going to get it all done and I realize that, um, hey. I don't have to stress out anymore. Apparently I am just used to being stressed at work and have no idea how to handle having it easy.

When I mentioned this recently a friend replied that she had experienced the same thing with her new relationship: she has no idea how to handle having a partner who actually wants to spend time with her.

I was thinking about this and realized it's kind of like buying awesome new shoes. They look fabulous on you, you're getting tons of compliments on them, you absolutely love them... but are you sure they go with this outfit? Normally you'd wear those shoes; do these shoes really go better? I don't know, maybe I should go with the old shoes. Besides, I'm not used to these shoes. What if wearing them too much gets them scratched up sooner? Maybe I should reserve these shoes for special occasions.

Is it like that with happiness, too? Do we just get so used to our old feelings that we're not sure what to do with the awesome new ones?

So: Do you wear your new shoes with pride and know that even though they're a little stiff right now, as soon as they're broken in they will be the best shoes ever? Or do you throw them in the closet until the old, scuffed shoes completely fall apart and you have no choice but to wear new shoes, even though the new ones are a little dusty now?

It's your choice, of course. But that's the cool part: You get to choose. There's no rule; it's entirely up to you.