Making an Effort to be Uncomfortable…

Is the best way to prepare your mind for hardship. Purposefully putting yourself in a stressful situation can and will strengthen it.

We build muscle by putting them under stress. Have you ever seen a bodybuilder or powerlifter working out? Did they look comfortable?

I'm guessing your answer was no.

What can we do that isn't life-threatening, something you can do every day or every other day, like going to the gym, to build a stronger mind? And you can do it in 30 to 60 minutes?

First, walking. Sure, you could walk for 20 to 30 minutes daily, which will increase your health, especially if you go for a walk in nature. But it's not hard to walk; you've been doing it since you were 18 months old. How about you put on a backpack with some weight (I use a 25kg bag of sand)? This is called Rucking. Not only will it improve your overall health and fitness, but it'll also strengthen your joints and your core muscles. But how is this going to improve your mind? That's easy (no pun intended); pick a route with opportunities to quit sooner. When you get to these points, acknowledge them, look at them, imagine how much easier and quicker it would be to go that way, and then walk right past. Do it the hard way. Sweat, burn calories, burn fat, and in the process, you decide to accept hardship. It should never get easier to go Rucking because as your body changes, you'll do one of two things; stop because you like your reflection or add more weight, though 25kg (about 55Ibs) is enough for me. Stopping will mean you will lose, over time, the hardship mind and, of course, your flat stomach. So pick a few routes to keep things interesting, uphill, downhill, easier, and harder. It's all good.

Second: Cold showers. I'm guessing that you shower every day. That's great. When you have your next cleansing session, turn that hot tap down a little, not too much mind, just until it's a little uncomfortable and stay there for 15 seconds. You can now get out or turn the hot water back up. The point is that you did it. I mean, who can't last 15 seconds in cold water? The next time you shower, turn that hot tap down a little more and stay in there for 20 seconds. Every time you shower, turn that hot tap down more and stay in longer. You want to get to the point where the hot tap is off, and you can stay there for at least 2 minutes. Besides all the other benefits (Improved alertness, reduced stress, improved circulation, reduced muscle soreness, reduced inflammation), why does a cold shower create a more robust mind? Because you can stop at any time, you can get out or add more hot water, but you will choose not to; you'll decide to stay in the cold.

Both of the above allow you to either not do it or stop and get off the train. But if you keep going, willingly enduring the hardship, your mind will grow stronger; like those bodybuilders and powerlifters you watched earlier, the difficulty strengthens your mind the same way it increases your muscles.

Now, stop reading this blog and go for a walk, then take a cold shower. Thank me later.