Seneca advised setting aside days to live simply, plain food, rough clothes, on purpose, and then asking yourself: is this really what I feared? Most of us carry a quiet dread of losing comfort. Tasting a little less on purpose, while you're safe, shows you that you'd be alright. Voluntary discomfort isn't self-punishment. It's a way to loosen fear's grip on you and to feel grateful for what you usually take for granted. When you learn that you can do with less, the worry of losing it stops running your decisions. You become harder to scare, and easier to satisfy.

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