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I Might Break My Arm (And I’m Going Anyway)





We don’t have a motivation problem.We have a comfort problem.


The irony: deep down, we already know we’re too comfortable.


There’s a quiet internal yearning reminding us that we were wired to create, explore, and expand. To move. To stay curious. To engage.

But modern life keeps calling us back to Comfortville.


Same routines. Same couch. Same scroll. Same shows. The conveniences and luxuries of modern living make it incredibly easy to stay right where we are. As Michael Easter talks about in The Comfort Crisis (great read), we’ve slowly designed discomfort out of our lives—and we’re paying for it in subtle ways.


Comfort isn’t bad.But too much of it dulls us.


Here’s what changed things for me.


Your brain has a built-in system for growth.A part of the brain that lights up when something feels challenging or unfamiliar.

It’s called the anterior mid cingulate cortex (aMCC).


Do you want one simple way to wake it up?

Dancing.


Especially the kind where you’re learning the choreography, not trying to perfect it—your arms are making executive decisions without you, and—rude—other people can see you. When you say yes, your brain doesn’t panic. It wakes up. Fear turns into energy. Resistance turns into play.


Let me give you a real example.


Three years ago, an adult longboard skate camp kept showing up on my social media. Learning how to longboard with other adults—maybe even dance on a longboard.


Had I ever been on a longboard? On land? No.


And yet this summer, I’m going to Portugal to do exactly that.


I’ve told myself, Worst case scenario, I break an arm. Very rational. Slightly dramatic. But the truth is simpler—I want to be a beginner. I want to feel awkward. I want to do something hard on purpose.


Because this is how I strengthen my aMCC. By choosing challenge instead of comfort.


It’s not our safety that’s at risk.It’s our freedom.


So I’ll leave you with this.


What could you do today to wake up that part of your brain?


Take a different route on carpool.Try a food you usually skip.Turn on some music and let your body move before your mind weighs in.

Nothing dramatic. Just one small choice that nudges you out of autopilot.


Freedom, it turns out, is something we practice.


PS. If you want to read. The Comfort Crisis, here ya go!

(Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self)

He might have misspelled wyld? :)


problem.We have a comfort problem.




There’s a quiet internal yearning reminding us that we were wired to create, explore, and expand. To move. To stay curious. To engage.

But modern life keeps calling us back to Comfortville.

Same routines. Same couch. Same scroll. Same shows. The conveniences and luxuries of modern living make it incredibly easy to stay right where we are. As Michael Easter talks about in The Comfort Crisis (great read), we’ve slowly designed discomfort out of our lives—and we’re paying for it in subtle ways.

Comfort isn’t bad.But too much of it dulls us.

Here’s what changed things for me.

Your brain has a built-in system for growth.A part of the brain that lights up when something feels challenging or unfamiliar.

It’s called the anterior mid cingulate cortex (aMCC).

Do you want one simple way to wake it up?

Dancing.

Especially the kind where you’re learning the choreography, not trying to perfect it—your arms are making executive decisions without you, and—rude—other people can see you. When you say yes, your brain doesn’t panic. It wakes up. Fear turns into energy. Resistance turns into play.

Let me give you a real example.

Three years ago, an adult longboard skate camp kept showing up on my social media. Learning how to longboard with other adults—maybe even dance on a longboard.

Had I ever been on one?On land? No.

And yet this summer, I’m going to Portugal to do exactly that.

I’ve told myself, Worst case scenario, I break an arm. Very rational. Slightly dramatic. But the truth is simpler—I want to be a beginner. I want to feel awkward. I want to do something hard on purpose.

Because this is how I strengthen my aMCC.By choosing challenge instead of comfort.

It’s not our safety that’s at risk.It’s our freedom.

So I’ll leave you with this.

What could you do today to wake up that part of your brain?

Take a different route on carpool.Try a food you usually skip.Turn on some music and let your body move before your mind weighs in.

Nothing dramatic. Just one small choice that nudges you out of autopilot.

Freedom, it turns out, is something we practice.

We don’t have a motivation problem.We have a comfort problem.

The irony: deep down, we already know we’re too comfortable.

There’s a quiet internal yearning reminding us that we were wired to create, explore, and expand. To move. To stay curious. To engage.

But modern life keeps calling us back to Comfortville.

Same routines. Same couch. Same scroll. Same shows. The conveniences and luxuries of modern living make it incredibly easy to stay right where we are. As Michael Easter talks about in The Comfort Crisis (great read), we’ve slowly designed discomfort out of our lives—and we’re paying for it in subtle ways.

Comfort isn’t bad.But too much of it dulls us.

Here’s what changed things for me.

Your brain has a built-in system for growth.A part of the brain that lights up when something feels challenging or unfamiliar.

It’s called the anterior mid cingulate cortex (aMCC).

Do you want one simple way to wake it up?

Dancing.

Especially the kind where you’re learning the choreography, not trying to perfect it—your arms are making executive decisions without you, and—rude—other people can see you. When you say yes, your brain doesn’t panic. It wakes up. Fear turns into energy. Resistance turns into play.

Let me give you a real example.

Three years ago, an adult longboard skate camp kept showing up on my social media. Learning how to longboard with other adults—maybe even dance on a longboard.

Had I ever been on one?On land? No.

And yet this summer, I’m going to Portugal to do exactly that.

I’ve told myself, Worst case scenario, I break an arm. Very rational. Slightly dramatic. But the truth is simpler—I want to be a beginner. I want to feel awkward. I want to do something hard on purpose.

Because this is how I strengthen my aMCC.By choosing challenge instead of comfort.

It’s not our safety that’s at risk.It’s our freedom.

So I’ll leave you with this.

What could you do today to wake up that part of your brain?

Take a different route on carpool.Try a food you usually skip.Turn on some music and let your body move before your mind weighs in.

Nothing dramatic. Just one small choice that nudges you out of autopilot.

Freedom, it turns out, is something we practice.

 
 
 

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