Improving Your Ability to Tolerate Discomfort and Improving Emotional Stability.
Your ability to tolerate what you think is uncomfortable is not fixed, it is a thing that you can grow or reduce.
Temperature influences people’s behavior and tendency to go outside. The purpose of these exercises is to explore your personal narrative and subsequent thoughts around temperature. You can control your environment to an extent but what you can always control is how you respond to your thoughts and sensations.
Former Podcast guest, Mike Curiak, racing bikes on the Iditarod Trail in Northern Alaska
Depending on what current temperature extremes your climate is heading, I recommend you try one of the following exercises:
When it is cold outside, go outside for 5 minutes with less than warm clothing. As your body reacts to the cold, pay attention to all of the sensations that you feel without thinking of them as good or bad. Do your best to redirect your attention to the sensations of your experience. You might get carried away by judging and other thoughts. That’s okay, redirect yourself to sensation. This is an opportunity to see the difference between experiencing a sensation and the feeling of that being good or bad. You might see the opportunity to reframe your experience in the cold. For me, the cold can be invigorating, electrifying, and a way to maintain awareness of the present moment. That feeling of cold commands my focus and attention.
When it’s hot, dress in something that will make you slightly warmer. As your body reacts to the heat, pay attention to all of the sensations that you feel without thinking of them as good or bad. Do your best to redirect your attention to the sensations of your experience. You might get carried away by judging and other thoughts. That’s okay, redirect yourself to sensation. This is an opportunity to see the difference between experiencing a sensation and the feeling of that being good or bad. You might see the opportunity to reframe your experience in the heat. For me, the heat can be calming and a way to maintain awareness of the present moment. That feeling of heat commands my attention and slows my pace.
Another way to simulate these extremes in temperature is by doing Cold plunges or showers or Sauna.
I recommend practicing cold or heat exposure weekly. As with any new habit, start very small like once a week, and expand it as your curiosity develops.
https://www.gq.com.au/fitness/health-nutrition/ice-baths-immunity-and-inner-peacegq-roadtests-the-wim-hof-method/news-story/01e51d60cd75ae4973d16c3ec9abcdc3
Here is an awesome video worth watching if you want to learn more about building your tolerance to withstand discomfort.
Here’s some photos of times where I remember being distressed and uncomfortable. During these three trips, we also felt we were having the time of our lives. The conditions never changed, only the thoughts passing through my mind.
