What I’m talking about here is, physical discomfort.
Everyday I’ll endure some form of physical discomfort.
Because I’m a sadist? Nope, quite the contrary.
I’m using the body to calm the mind.
Aside from the myriad of physiological benefits there are massive psychological benefits to the right kind of physiological discomfort.
Exercise, for example, induces structural and functional changes in the brain. Determining enormous benefit on cognitive functioning.
And cold exposure increases the production of feel good brain chemicals. But unlike nicotine & alcohol, there’s no come down (when those chemicals fall below baseline).
Although you should know, it’s rare that I want to put myself through this discomfort.
But knowing that I’ll feel better for doing them and more importantly, worse for not, is enough to see me get them done.
So, I schedule them in to make them habitual.
And if you’re thinking that I’m spending some ridiculous amount of time doing these.
Think again.
I’m an advocate of the minimum effective dose. The least amount of work that will get me the results I’m after.
Each week I’m doing 4 x 45 minute weight sessions, 7 x 20 minute cardio sessions, 7 x 1 minute cold exposure sessions, 1 x 43 minute swim (the time it takes me to swim a mile).
What daily discomfort do you make part of your day?
