Dosing In Discomfort

Our minds are like detectives, always on the lookout for any signs of trouble. They receive constant updates from our bodies, telling us what’s going on inside and outside. This is how we navigate life, using past experiences to figure out whether something is okay, too much, or something we don’t like. Our brains can also predict what might happen next based on these past patterns. But sometimes, this can lead to a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

Imagine your brain as an overprotective friend, always assuming the worst. If you think about the times you’ve felt scared, you’d probably have enough stories to fill a library. Fear is a broad emotion. Now, if you thought about feeling sad, you might have fewer stories, maybe enough for a few books. If you narrowed it down to a feeling of rejection, you might have even fewer stories, just a few chapters.

So, instead of letting your brain call all the shots based on your past, it’s essential to learn how to interrupt this pattern of predictability. You do this by introducing new information and experiences that challenge what your brain already knows. This is what we mean by “dosing in discomfort.”

Let’s talk about how your brain decides when something is uncomfortable or even painful. When you touch something hot, your brain gets a quick signal from your hand, telling it to pull away. This immediate response is…