The Comfortable Life is Killing You

We feel alive, capable, and purposeful when we overcome something difficult.

Nietzsche’s famous line, “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,”

In the United States alone, Depression rates have been steadily rising for decades. More than 40 million American adults are riddled with an anxiety disorder.

To truly live—rather than merely exist—one must reject the illusion of safety and embrace the uncertainty that defines life. Growth, passion, and fulfillment lie beyond the walls of comfort, in the unpredictable terrain of risk and self-discovery.

If you’re constantly fleeing friction, you’re dying.

There’s no hope for a fruitful existence if you refuse to face the inevitable uncertainties of life. The more we shield ourselves from uncertainty, the more vulnerable we become. Each safeguard deepens the very void we seek to escape.

Eustress—stress of the beneficial sort—arises when we stretch our limits. A 2015 study by the American Psychological Association found that individuals who routinely undertake demanding activities, such as mastering a skill or solving complex problems, experience greater life satisfaction than those who linger in ease.

A 2015 study by the American Psychological Association found that individuals who routinely undertake demanding activities, such as mastering a skill or solving complex problems, experience greater life satisfaction than those who linger in ease.

In 2022, total drug overdose deaths hit 106,600, with opioids dominating the death march.

Studies show that physical stressors like exercise or fasting trigger adaptive responses in our cells, boosting resilience and longevity. Mice exposed to mild stressors (e.g., temperature changes) outlived their pampered counterparts. Apply that to humans: a 2021 study in Nature Aging linked regular physical challenge—hiking, running, lifting weigh... See more