Headspace_logo_svg
VideoDefining Discomfort

Defining Discomfort

Thomas from Yes Theory and Dora discuss what seeking discomfort means to them, from pushing themselves physically to the vulnerability in trying new things.

Try 14 days free

Better mental health starts with Headspace. Unrivaled expertise to make life feel a little easier, using guided meditations, mindfulness tips, focus tools, sleep support, and dedicated programs.

Try 14 days free
Better mental health starts with Headspace

How far can I push myself? What is feasible? How do I turn down the volume on that doubting brain? (mellow music) Alright, so I have this bowl that has different experiences that you have done throughout your journey with Yes Theory. And each experience is tied to something to do with seeking discomfort, and how we can learn to work through navigating discomfort, how to get unstuck when we experience discomfort, and also, what are your practices, or the different things that you do before, during and after. Amazing. You ready? Excited to get into it. Alright. Wim Hof. Okay! (chuckling) What comes to mind? (laughing) Oh, man. Wim Hof is a man who, for the past 30 years or so, have been breaking countless world records around cold exposure. And through cold exposure, breath work and meditation, he helps people overcome their fears and live life fully. And he definitely helped me achieve that. It was definitely an experience where I had to learn how to just shatter my own beliefs of my limitations. I have picked this video because I wanted to understand what is seeking discomfort, and how has that evolved? I think seeking discomfort for me means seeking ways to live a fuller life. Yeah, to be present, to enjoy my life, to talk to the people that I want to talk to and not be afraid of being judged, or being socially anxious, or not letting fear restrict me from experiencing life fully. And I really gained a whole new perspective of all of the physical limitations I placed on myself, and learning how far can I push myself, what is feasible, and how do I turn down the volume on that doubting brain? 'Cause I think when you push yourself physically, just like you did recently on a marathon, was there any point when you did that marathon where your thinking brain was like, "I think we should just stop?" Yeah, absolutely. There was a few moments along the whole race where I was like, "I wonder if anyone would notice if I just like kinda cut the corner and left." (laughing) I'm like, "No one's watching me. There's thousands of us here." But I'm like, "I'm cheating myself then of this experience to grow past my comfort zone." So it was like, "How can I just break this down to one moment at a time? Don't think about the fact that you're at mile 16, and you have 10 more miles to run. Like, be here now." So when you moved to LA, you also had to learn how to adapt to a lot, not just moving here and making new friends, but also the challenge of being on camera for the first time in your life. How did that feel? It's been hard. I had to keep on redefining the way that I was looking at it, of like, "This is bigger than you now," you know. "You're here to be of service...

Details

TypeVideo
Duration4 min

About your teachers

  • A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.

    More about Andy
  • Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.

    More about Eve
  • As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.

    More about Dora
  • Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.

    More about Kessonga
  • Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.

    More about Rosie
Your lifelong guide to better mental health

Your lifelong guide to better mental health

Stress, sleep, and all the challenging emotions — care for your mind with the everyday mental health app that's shown to make a difference.

Try 14 days free
Look After Your Mind

Look after your mind

Proven guided meditations and programs to help you stress less, sleep more soundly, and better navigate life’s challenges

Science Backed

Science-backed

Studies show that using Headspace for 30 days can reduce stress, increase resilience, and improve overall well-being

Explore Content

Explore 1000+ 
expert-led exercises

Access our library of meditations, breathing exercises, and guidance videos for stress, sleep, focus, everyday anxiety , parenting, and more.

Member reviews

Hear from some of our members

Your app brings so much peace and tolerance to our home.

Rachel

UK

Member-Icon-01

Changing my thoughts has allowed me to change my life.

Davide

London

Member-Icon-04

The stress and loneliness courses … taught me how to comfort myself.

Alicia

Canada

Member-Icon-03

Headspace provides me with … a connection to myself, and a disconnection from negative thoughts, feelings, and sensations.

Keri

UK

Member-Icon-02

Related to 'Defining'

Understanding Your Discomfort

Video5 min

Challenging moments teach us about ourselves.

More to explore

Beginning Meditation

Explore-More-Icon-02

Reframe Stress and Relax

Explore-More-Icon-01

New and Popular

Explore-More-Icon-03

Becoming a Mindful Parent

Explore-More-Icon-04
    • Terms & conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Consumer Health Data
    • Your privacy choices
      Privacy Choices Icon
    • CA Privacy Notice
  • © 2024 Headspace Inc.
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Consumer Health Data
  • Your privacy choices
    Privacy Choices Icon
  • CA Privacy Notice