Embracing Discomfort

Hey Friends,

One concept that I’ve been drawn towards is the idea of embracing discomfort. I guess it stems from the old saying, ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’.

In today’s world, comfort sells. Our homes are perfectly regulated so that we never experience extremes of cold or heat. Our chairs are ergonomically designed leaving little need to squat or sit cross legged. Even when we think of food, how often do we eat based on biological cues? Food is so abundant, that we rarely go hungry.

And then there’s boredom. Our phones are designed to provide an endless stream of entertainment, keeping us hooked day and night. The average adult spends close to seven hours a day on their phone, a number that is rising year on year. Unsurprisingly, mine is also north of four hours a day.

But what are the consequences from our push to irradicate stress and discomfort?

Despite having less problems than generations before us, satisfaction has not really improved. Instead, it seems that we have just lowered the bar for what constitutes a problem and what is an acceptable level of discomfort.

Our phones keep us constantly switched on. Our time is always filled, from Netflix binges to Candy Crush sprints between tube stops. But this addiction comes at a price. Our minds aren’t free to imagine and create. These attention-grabbing apps drain our batteries, contributing to the chronic stress found all around us.

On the flip side, people that have overcome hardships tend to live more fulfilling, meaningful lives. Students that push through tough times are more resilient and have more grit, correlating with greater future success. Even from a biological viewpoint, there appears to be benefits to discomfort. Seeking new experiences and challenges strengthens neural connections, delaying the onset of dementia.

So this got me thinking. How can I really embrace discomfort in my life?

One area was clearly my phone. Simply being more conscious about my phone time, setting timers and sticking to these has helped. Spending more time in nature, being disconnected and letting my mind wander has given me back some well needed freedom.

I also found myself thinking about the book Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. It doesn’t surprise me that the difficult nature of flow activities bring so much happiness and pleasure. I make an active effort to note down flow activities and try and replicate these as often as I can.

The last idea I had refers to the Japanese concept of Misogi. A practice of asking yourself ‘what are you mentally and spiritually willing to put yourself through to be a better human?’

Misogis are inward facing, really hard and are different from person to person. For some it may be a cold shower each morning, for others it could be a marathon. It is not so much the result that matters, but as with most things it is the journey. The beauty in the struggle.

Earlier this year, I set myself a hard goal, something I may not achieve at all, my own misogi.

In today’s world, it is easy to survive without being challenged, but I think by embracing a little discomfort, we can lead more meaningful lives.

Heer.