The strain of lifting a heavy weight. The huffing and puffing as you run the last mile. The struggle to keep your mind from wandering during meditation. Wrestling with confusion as you learn a new math topic. Facing the discomfort of a cold shower. Resisting the temptation to eat during a fast. These things might not feel good, but they are good. The point of doing these things is to… Read More »It’s Not Supposed to be Easy
Pride is often described as bad. It’s associate with overconfidence,1 ego, and arrogance. Pride is sometimes at the root of racism and xenophobia.2 It can blind us our shortcomings, leading to failure. “Pride cometh before the fall,” they say. But pride can also be good. Being proud of who you are helps you stand up for yourself when others put you down. Being proud of your hard work reinforces a… Read More »Is Pride Good or Bad?
Long-time readers will know that I have a well-established morning routine: I perform the same self-care activities in the same order each morning. But what happens when the routine is disrupted? Well, last month, that disruption came in the form of a heel injury that demands to be iced for 20-30 minutes first thing in the morning. So I’ve been forced to adapt. Instead of starting my day with outdoor… Read More »How to Be Resilient When Your Routine is Disrupted
Anxiety and avoidance coexist in a self-reinforcing feedback loop. You feel anxious about a task, so you avoid it. But now it feels even harder to get started. And have even less time to finish. So you get more anxious, making you even more inclined to avoid the task. How do you get out of this downward spiral? It would be nice if you could snap your fingers and stop… Read More »You Won’t Feel Better Until You Start