Seneca wrote that no one really knows what they're made of until they're tested, the way a pilot is proven in a storm, not on calm water. He didn't mean you should chase suffering. He meant the hard stretch you're in might be building something in you, a steadiness that comfort never could. This is honest, not cheerful. The difficulty is still real. But it isn't only taking from you; it can also be teaching your patience and your strength how to hold. Today, if you're under strain, you don't have to enjoy it. You can just notice that you're meeting it, and that meeting it is making you more able.

Inspired by the old idea of voluntary discomfort, resilience. Written by Ugo Charles.