Tips for Embracing Discomfort

[improvementedward]

I had a realization recently that the biggest thing that's been holding me back in life has been a big fear of discomfort.

My natural reaction seems to be to run in the other direction when I'm faced with any type of discomfort, whether it's the discomfort of rejection, physical discomfort with working out, or the discomfort of trying something new and potentially failing.

I've been focusing on really cultivating a bias to action recently and that's helped a ton. I've also been reframing my internal reaction to discomfort from "Holy shit, let's get away, this is horrible," to "fuck yeah, let's embrace this and go for it." And that's been helping too.

I'm wondering if anyone has any other advice on overcoming this? What's worked for you? Are there any books in particular that you would recommend to help work through this? I really appreciate your responses in advance!

[BjarkeT]

Look up david goggins. Toughen up and embrace the suck. Do something that sucks/is difficult every day.

[Hellspeed]

Want real challenge? Tap into Muladhara, then you tell us about what real pain feels like  

There is nothing around discomfort, cannot be avoided in the first stages, simple as that. 

[okulele]

31 minutes ago, improvementedward said:

"fuck yeah, let's embrace this and go for it."

I think this is great. Really take on the attitude, that your mission in life is to find discomfort and experience it. Seriously desire it and be excited about this.

33 minutes ago, improvementedward said:

reframing my internal reaction

will really do it, if you do it for real.

[improvementedward]

@BjarkeT I'll check out his work. Can't Hurt Me has been recommended from others as well! Thanks for the advice!

[Igor82]

@improvementedward You have to expand your comfort zone gradually! If your comfort zone has been small for a long while then that kind of behavior is integrated into your ego (I think), but if you take on too much too fast then "fuck yeah, let's embrace this and go for it." will not reappear for a couple of days in the midst of your ego fighting to keep itself alive.

If you expand your comfort zone by 10% then some of that ego will have to die and you gotta be prepared for that. You can handle a 30-day cold shower challenge, and go for it, do that! You will learn a lot from that. But don't go implementing cardio, self-inquiry and strong determination sitting just because a voice in your head said: "fuck yeah, let's embrace this and go for it.". 

By all means, go and do it! But please don't bite more than you can chew. That is what I have done and it does not work. Just saying. Just take the cold showers and stick with it! If you wanna implement more, do it! But if you really feel like you can't handle 2 things at once, then you will have to give up one for later. Cold showers will be the nexus for your growth as it makes you more comfortable with discomfort! And if you're able to keep that up then more habits will effortlessly be implemented on top of that. But never stop taking the cold showers! That is what I did and THAT worked.

[CreamCat]

9 hours ago, Shiva said:

Embracing one of the biggest discomforts: Cold showers

Perhaps try a 30 day cold shower challenge or something like that.

What happens to your willpower doing that is life transforming.

I think increasing willpower alone is not sufficient. Willingness to give up parts of your life is also important. This is what I call a mini ego death.

I am willing to give up addiction to security.

Edited March 6, 2019 by CreamCat