Voluntary Discomfort is as it Sounds
The Stoic practice of voluntary discomfort is as it sounds – voluntarily making yourself uncomfortable. You may be thinking: why would I genuinely want to make myself uncomfortable? Well, you do not make yourself uncomfortable for the sake of it; there is a purpose behind this practice. That purpose is to train ourselves to be comfortable when we would otherwise be overwhelmed by our discomfort, in order to achieve discipline, self-confidence, joy, and to increase our moral compasses.
A Life of Discomfort Adds Value
So, how do you practice voluntary discomfort? First, put yourself through an uncomfortable situation: sleep on the floor for a night, exercise early in the morning, give up sugar for a day, take a cold shower, etc. By forcing yourself to give up some small comfort, you will learn to appreciate the comforts of life and will be better prepared for life’s hardships. As you may remember if you read our article on self-control, the idea of preparation was a tenet of Senecan philosophy. Stoics believed it was important to discipline themselves in discomfort by minimizing their desire for material and sensual comforts. Stoics were also firm believers in the idea that this discipline would make them more appreciative of what they had.
In the modern world, we have far more possessions than the citizens of ancient Rome and Greece, which only makes it all the more difficult for us to practice voluntary discomfort. However, the fact that we are blessed with more possessions gives us the opportunity to become even more disciplined than the ancient Stoics. There is so much that we have, and yet so much that we can do without. Of course, we’re not suggesting that you have to give up all of your belongings. Our advice is to start off with baby steps. First, try to live without some of the things that you do not use on a daily basis. Once you are disciplined at that level, maybe try distancing yourself from some of your daily comforts as well. You may be amazed at just how quickly you stop relying on certain comforts that you used to be unable to live without.
Imagine Living Without
Imagine giving up your phone, tablet and laptop for just one day. Imagine not checking your newsfeed on any of your social media platforms, such as Instagram or Facebook for one whole day. Imagine not texting anyone, not watching any YouTube videos, not even using the internet. Imagine completely detaching yourself from the digital world. If a person can achieve that then they might be on their way to true self-discipline. Of course, in our contemporary digital age it may seem near impossible to rid yourself of life’s technologies, even for just a day.
So, how does one practice self-discipline when there are so many wonderful distractions surrounding us on a daily basis? Use your imagination. The human imagination is one of our greatest gifts; it is a powerful and useful tool when it comes to achieving self-control. Take your time to imagine that you were born into a different and cruel life: a life of hardship, pain and misery. Imagine that you are poor, oppressed, persecuted, malnourished, and living in a warzone. Put yourself in the shoes of a man or woman, or even a child, who has been bombarded with all of life’s trials and tribulations. That person does not have to practice voluntary discomfort; they don’t have to imagine being temporarily detached from life’s comforts, because they live it every second of every day.
We ask you to think about this question for a moment. If the poor can live in discomfort on a permanent basis, then can I not try to live that way for a mere 24 hours? Voluntary discomfort develops our empathy and gratitude and is a great way to learn discipline. In fact, one reason the Muslim Prophet Mohammad told his followers to fast was to practice self-discipline in order to feel empathy for the less fortunate and gratitude for what God had given them.
Voluntary Discomfort: A Path to Happiness
Stoics had a unique way of acquiring happiness through the practice of voluntary discomfort. They slept on the floor, wore extremely light clothing in cold weather and ate the most basic foods. So, how did that bring happiness? It may sound as though it provided quite the contrary. Well, the important thing to remember is that it is not the discomfort itself that brings happiness, rather it is the result that comes out of it. The process of voluntary discomfort is only a means to an end in order to get yourself out of your comfort zone. Those who stay in their comfort zone forever can never achieve their true potential. In fact, remaining in your comfort zone signifies a lack of ambition.
When you have experienced life out of your comfort zone, you will discover new feelings of self-confidence and inner pride that you might never have thought possible. It is that feeling of yes, I did it! I accomplished what I set out to accomplish and most importantly, I never gave up. Once you have obtained that feeling, you will believe you can do anything you set your mind to. With this newfound pride and confidence, you will feel an inner joy that you may never have previously experienced.
Finally, the Sweet Taste of Victory
Those who do not experience suffering usually do not reach greatness. The greatest medicine for a successful life is living through hardship and failure. Successful people have the knowledge and wisdom to turn discomfort into comfort. People learn from hard times just as they learn from their past mistakes and failures. There is a common saying: “failure is the greatest teacher”. This is because you are unlikely to recommit the same mistakes that originally led to your failure; instead, you will learn from those mistakes and try a new approach that may elicit success.
The same concept can apply to overcoming a difficult life. Intelligent human beings learn from their mistakes and from what caused their suffering, and then they try to avoid such missteps in future. It is through difficult experiences, reflection and analysis that people develop new insights into the best ways to cope with future challenges. The experience of suffering through discomfort can provide us with the knowledge and wisdom to turn a disadvantageous situation into an advantageous one. Sometimes, we only learn who we truly are during difficult times. It is easy to succeed when life is going smoothly, but it is the mark of true greatness to overcome our discomfort in order to accomplish something that previously seemed impossible.
