Pain Builds What Comfort Destroys.

Everything that changed me started in pain: the plunge that froze my breath, the fast that made me dizzy, the run that nearly broke me. We spend so much of life dodging discomfort, but pain isn’t punishment. It’s proof. Every time you choose it, you shatter the version of you that settles for comfort.

Biology calls it hormesis, stress that doesn’t break you, but forces you to adapt. Cold plunges flood your system with dopamine. Heat forces your cells to repair. Fasting clears out the broken parts. Lifting heavy makes your bones and muscles denser.

But the science is only the surface. The real change is identity. Every chosen discomfort is a vote for a stronger self. Step into the cold, finish the set, skip the meal, and you prove you’re harder to break. That proof stacks. Pain doesn’t just toughen your body. It rewrites who you believe yourself to be.

So here’s your test this week, one simple way to turn this insight into proof.

Choose your test:

If pain rewrites who you are, these 3 finds are the tools to make sure the story sticks.

Each week, I’ll share 3 things that have genuinely helped me, small shifts across the three pillars of ConfigurSelf: mindset, habits, and health. The kind of things that have made a real difference in my own life, and that I’d happily recommend to a close friend.

For years, I thought the hardest part was the water itself. The shock, the breath stolen out of my lungs, the fingers going numb. But the real test wasn’t physical; it was walking toward the tub every morning when every part of me wanted comfort instead.

Since May 2024, the cold has been my reset. Winter in the UK gives you 0–6°C straight from the tap; in summer, I drop in ice blocks to bring it back down. People say you “get used to it.” You don’t. What you learn is that the shiver, the sting, the urge to get out aren’t enemies; they’re the doorway.

The research lines up with what I feel: cold exposure spikes dopamine, strengthens metabolism, and reduces inflammation (Huberman Lab, sports medicine studies). But the real win isn’t the data. It’s proof, proof you can step into discomfort, stay there, and come out stronger.

I’ve tried different setups, but Nurécover has been the one I’ve stuck with since May 2024. It’s reliable, simple, and part of why this practice has become non-negotiable for me.

I have arranged a 10% discount here for Nurecover baths.

Modern life makes everything soft, temperature-controlled, convenience on tap, discomfort optional. The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter argues that this comfort is costing us resilience, health, and even meaning. The book takes you into the Alaskan wilderness, Navy SEAL training, and cutting-edge science on why controlled hardship makes us stronger and more alive.

I’ve found it’s not just an argument for cold water or fasting, it’s a call to reclaim challenge in everyday life. Every page reminds you that resilience isn’t an accident; it’s something you build by stepping into discomfort.

You can actually listen to this book for free on Audible with their 30-day trial. Sign up here. Even if you cancel before the trial ends, the book is yours to keep. I’ve grown to love listening as much as reading. I’ll still pick up a book before bed, but audiobooks calm my mind at the gym or on the commute in a way that feels effortless.

The cold, the heat, the fasting, they push the body hard. What I needed was something that steadied me on the other side. That’s when I started adding liquid chlorophyll into my routine. A few drops in water every morning, sharp green, almost earthy. Simple, but it’s become one of those quiet anchors.

I use KIKI Health’s chlorophyll (100mg from alfalfa). The research is clear: chlorophyll supports red blood cells, oxygen transport, and cellular detox. In plain terms, it helps your system handle the stress you throw at it, a cleaner burn, faster recovery, and less drag.

The real win isn’t the glass of green itself. It’s knowing you’re resourcing your body so the pain you choose builds you, instead of breaking you.

You can get KIKI Health chlorophyll here.

Most of my podcasts start as background noise, dishes, emails, and dinner. But every now and then, something catches me mid-scroll and actually makes me stop. This week, it was this.

If something in this email made you pause, think, or feel seen, send it to a friend who’s been quietly trying to make a change, too.
You never know what might land at the right moment. Link here.

And if you’d like early access to the eBook I’m writing, the real systems, mindset shifts, and habits that helped me lose 50kg and rebuild my health, you can join the waiting list here. “You’re not behind. You’re building, and that takes time.”