The Necessity of Suffering
I got to take my first official cold plunge at Swell Clubs! I hopped out of the hot tub, into the cold plunge, and eventually back into the hot tub! What a sensation!
I’m not very used to that kind of cold, but I went straight in; I now understand why people can go into shock when they fall through the ice. Having soaked in the hot tube for 20 minutes prior, my muscles started contracting in a way I had to mindfully breathe through.
And I’m sure you’ve seen the wall of text by now, so here’s my point! It was not pleasant. It was not enjoyable. These things aren’t really about that. I’ve been learning about its health benefits on the nervous system (like perking up your mood and focus, helping heart rate, staying calmer under stress, and even helping you sleep better) and although I wonder if I could accomplish most of the same things in a less excruciating manner…
It’s not about that! I wanted to do it… just to do it! And I knew it was gonna suck! And no it’s not just a “me” thing or a “that kind of person” thing. I never desired to get out of my comfort zone until certain people pushed me over the fence, throwing me onto truly greener grass.
We know how you feel! Maybe we don’t know the exact shape of your pain, but we know experiencing life through pain. We live in a constant state of it, and more importantly, we have walked, socialized, and kept going through pretty much everything that’s hit us. Physical or emotional. In the end, our experiences have been made far more remarkable because of it!
In some part, because we have learned reframing, contentment, and presence amid pain and distress. But also, because we do not limit our experiences to those we can have while feeling comfortable. New forms of suffering are new forms of experience. Everybody likes different forms, but it takes time to appreciate suffering in various ways.
Does that sound crazy at first? This is why people eat spicy food. It’s why some people workout and others box. It’s why some like roller coasters and sour things and the sensation of smoking even when it doesn’t have what you’re addicted to in it! It’s why From Software fans meme, “git good scrub!” and thru-hikers exclaim, “embrace the suck!”
But MAN, when it comes to trying on a new form of suffering do we flail about! And I think so much of it is because we don’t understand the necessity of suffering. Suffering is, in some way, woven into every experience; it is pleasure’s other pole, which lends invaluable meaning to everything we overcome in the attainment of happiness. Suffering instills memories, fosters feelings of accomplishment, and is a catalyst for all kinds of growth.
Our motto might be that you can find contentment under nearly any kind of circumstance and that perspective determines the quality of our experiences, but growing beyond that means seeing so many more experiences worth experiencing,
even those you suffer through.
