Voluntary discomfort - please share your experiences!

[talltexan]

I'm serious this thread has the most hard-core people on the Mustache planet. You guys are examples.

[MasterStache]

I've been on 2 recent hikes through some pretty nasty stuff. One was a well traveled horse trail that was a swamp. About 5 miles all the way around. Halfway through you come out on a cliff above the lake. I stopped, set up my camp chair and had lunch. 2nd hike was at a local nature center. It was the only trail I had not hiked and by far the longest and muddiest. I took the dog as well. We were both a muddy happy mess at the end.

Supposed to get 6 inches of snow this weekend. Looking forward to some snow hiking.

[Gail2000]

This is one that I have to work on. I make my lunch everyday and i work in a culture of young bucks that order out every day. I gather this isn't the discomfort i see you're celebrating but as I am new to this site and the extreme side of things it is a start. I do need to get up earlier and exercise.Unfortunately the commute to work just isn't feasible between the kiddo in my life and the time restrictions I face.

Waking up at 5 am in stead of 5:45 started today. Hoping to keep myself accountable and suffer happily along with you folks.

[BlueHouse]

I was telling a family member about voluntary discomfort and how I try to keep the heat turned way down when I'm alone in a big house.  I wear a super-comfy hoody-jacket and put an afghan on my legs/feet while I'm sitting at my desk.  Family member says "I can't stand to be cold.  That wouldn't pass for me!"

Well, duh!  Me neither...that's what the jacket and afghan are for! 

I don't know how my family members are so different from me, but they seem to all want to wear short sleeves in the middle of winter and they expect to be comfortable like that.  It makes me want to scream!

[talltexan]

Rain was coming, so I walked out to my car, and took my umbrella out of the trunk, but I didn't move the car into the closer, covered parking.

Now that I type this, it seems a little weak compared to the rest of you awesome people here.

[happyuk]

The summer of 2018 in the UK was one of the longest and hottest on record.

I would spend whole weekends and holiday periods tending to my allotment vegetable plot in the bright sunshine and baking heat, with only my gardening tools and bottles of Indian tonic water for company, far away from my work office.

The memories are still vivid.  Sweat dripping from my brow on to the dry soil.  Using the deep digging technique with plenty of soil improver to the soil in a really good condition in readiness for all the seedlings and tubers I was going to plant.  Spending hours thoroughly going through the soil targeting Mare's Tail and other unwanted weeds, the feel of the warm soil on my fingers.  The same red-breasted robin hopping alongside me, scouting for freshly dug earth worms.  Giving the potatoes, broad beans, onion sets, butternut squashes, peas, zuccinis, french beans, beetroots etc a thorough soaking when needed and pulling them and eating them raw or preserving them as and when.

I had never been happier.

[I-Ranger]

-62 degree wind chill and I walked to work. It's only 3 blocks, but damn was it invigorating!

[Budgie]

Well, I had babies at home without any pain medication. That was pretty uncomfortable for a bit, but very exhilarating, too. I felt like I'd won an Olympic event AND gotten a baby as the prize :)  One time I got stitches afterward, also without pain meds. Sounds dramatic but really not even in the top ten, discomfort-wise for me.

The most discomfort I've ever endured was being a foster parent for a year to an infant we knew we would not be adopting. We cared for and totally loved the baby every day of his life until he was adopted, knowing that he would be leaving us. When he left it was more than discomfort, it was agony. But for a good purpose, and totally voluntary.

What else...tattoos, sleeping on the floor/other hard surfaces for months at a time, not using sweetener, not eating after 6pm, no AC for several years...these are things others have seen as discomforts, but didn't usually register with me as uncomfortable and were just part of meeting other goals.

[BTDretire]

 Mine was involuntary discomfort!
 After the hurricane we were without power for 8 days.
The first bath was with water from a bucket poured over myself with
a smaller container. It felt very cold and uncomfortable, however
the feeling once I dried off and got dressed was amazing.
 The second day, those buckets were put in the sun all day to warm.
Much more comfortable bath, but didn't have the same feeling after dressing.
 If I can pull it off, I might try a cold shower today. I normally take a very hot shower.

[Gail2000]

Mine was involuntary discomfort!
 After the hurricane we were without power for 8 days.
The first bath was with water from a bucket poured over myself with
a smaller container. It felt very cold and uncomfortable, however
the feeling once I dried off and got dressed was amazing.
 The second day, those buckets were put in the sun all day to warm.
Much more comfortable bath, but didn't have the same feeling after dressing.
 If I can pull it off, I might try a cold shower today. I normally take a very hot shower.

You might be a candidate for the local polar bear club. I’d have to find it but there is a link between drastic temperature variation and longevity of life.
We went to a spa that operated on that principle. 10 mins in the sauna and a run through ice water that beautifully cascaded from an ice formation into that bloody pool we ventured into. Not exactly what qualifies me to step in.

I am going with out major purchases for clothes. It’s been tempting a few times this past year but I may hav to cave for decent clothes for summer. Thrift shops, here I come.

[Michael_db97531]

I left a car in College Station TX when I packed up an apartment in a Uhaul and to move back to Houston.  Decided to get the car by riding my bike to College Station ~100 miles in the heat of July (2 days ago).  It was a challenging ride but I brought 9 liters of water + 40oz of gatorade, drank 7 and all the gatorade and survived in about 8.5 hours.  Would have been faster but google maps dumped my ass onto a gravel road which my road bike and 23mm tires were the wrong tool for.  It was pretty disheartening around mile 60 to see the road turn to gravel and think "I have no idea how much more of this route is dirt road."  (Turn out to be a little over 5 miles, the 5 slowest miles imaginable).

But other than the fire ant bites on my ankles when I stopped to pee on the side of the road, and my butt  being a little sore, I almost back to normal 48 hours later.

-M

[haflander]

I love this thread and hate to see it go dormant for long periods of time while other parts of the forum and members grow increasingly soft.

Michael definitely wins the latest round. Holy crap, that's inspiring. However, I can't help but wonder if you could have towed the car behind the Uhaul truck?

Just to contribute...A month ago we had some big storms that knocked out our power for 2 days. We lived as normal... but opened windows, lit candles, read books, and spent more time together. Ate food that could be salvaged. Slept in the apt two nights with the interior temps over 80 and no fan or breeze. We survived. The dog was fine. She is a dog, not a pampered overgrown rat substitute for a human child.

[Michael_db97531]

However, I can't help but wonder if you could have towed the car behind the Uhaul truck?

Yes, I could have but the rental for the tow kit on the Uhaul, it would have cost $200.  Basically the same amount it would have cost for a friend to drive round trip to drop me off at my car. 

I like the reframing mindset.  There are organized 100 mile bike rides in Texas which cost $30-$100 per rider.  Instead of spending $200 on a car ride, I got to have a $30-$100 endurance adventure for free.  All I had to do was carry some extra water which the "pay to ride" crowd gets to pick up at rest stops.  :)

-M 

[MasterStache]

Some badass stories on here. It's hot as hell here but I have still been trying to get out and walk as much as possible. My brother and I camped in the nasty heat last week and hiked about 8 miles. He was more badass than me as he brought a big backpack and filled it with a couple sandbags for a good workout. 

[OmahaSteph]

I've had chronic pain since childhood, so voluntary discomfort is kind of a middle finger to the INvoluntary pain I've been dealt.

I naturally "run hot," so cold temps don't usually bother me. That resistance came in handy last weekend when I volunteered at Wreaths Across America in the bitter cold and wind. Stood for three hours in it and while everyone else was miserable, I shrugged. My son and I watch YouTube videos to fix stuff (most recently replacing the windshield wiper fluid hoses and nozzles on my car) instead of taking it someplace or hiring someone. We're heading on a road trip next week and will eat stuff we packed instead of heading to a convenient drive-thru. Meh.

[GuitarStv]

We keep the house at 17 degrees C in the winter, which is cooler, but not uncomfy.  Except in our basement which dips down to about 14.  Having had the flu for a few days, I've been working from home on my computer in the basement.  It was tricky getting the layering just right, but eventually I figured something out that kept me comfy without being too sweaty.

[talltexan]

@GuitarStv anything below 15 C seems truly hard-core to me.

Also, I'm an American, so I had to do the math and convert to F in my head.

[Cassie]

This thread was fun to read. Did many of the things listed when I was younger. One of our best trips was tent camping along the Oregon coast.  Now at 65 we are sissies:))

[stoaX]

I just moved to a new house.  Slept on the floor for a week until the bed and mattress arrived.  It was nice to be reminded of how comfortable a bed can be. 

[hounton]

My favorite voluntary discomfort situation is school.  I am the only person I ever met who voluntarily sat through the first semester of Physical Chemistry a second time after passing it.  I wanted to make sure I knew it ALL.  Really paid off in grad school where the most common reasons for flunking out involve PChm deficiencies.

I studied enough Pchem to get a decent grade and never really understood it at a deep level.  Right now it doesn't make sense for me to spend my time going back to Pchem class, but when I retire I really want to audit it.  My local university lets seniors audit classes for free. 

[Serendip]

Thanks for bumping this thread..i find it encouraging, my SO thinks I'm bonkers for some of the things I try :)

Fairly consistent cold water immersions have been my most recent experiment in this realm.  Started it almost four years ago when I was dealing with a pain condition and it makes you feel amazing..alive!

For the two years I went almost daily (straight through the winter/chopping dipping holes into the ice), this last year I laid off and went only whenever I felt like it (a few times a week/or even just a few times a month). But I've been revisiting it more often recently, our lakes are mostly glacier/mountain fed so stay quite cold long into the summer. It's a great mood booster too..

[OtherJen]

My favorite voluntary discomfort situation is school.  I am the only person I ever met who voluntarily sat through the first semester of Physical Chemistry a second time after passing it.  I wanted to make sure I knew it ALL.  Really paid off in grad school where the most common reasons for flunking out involve PChm deficiencies.

I studied enough Pchem to get a decent grade and never really understood it at a deep level.  Right now it doesn't make sense for me to spend my time going back to Pchem class, but when I retire I really want to audit it.  My local university lets seniors audit classes for free.

I have never studied as hard for a class as I did for undergrad PChem, either before or since (including my doctoral coursework). I studied hard enough to earn good grades, but apparently not hard enough to ensure that I understood the material at a deep enough level to retain it. Still, that was one of the most interesting and rewarding classes I ever took.

I am a natural introvert and someone who prefers to organize and run things in the background. Six months ago, I accepted a managerial position that requires me to give semi-regular webinars. I also accepted a volunteer board presidency that will start later this year and will have a fairly high profile over the next year or two due to local situations. So much for the comfort zone.

[CJ]

For me, it's been barbell strength training with occasional challenges (about once a week) outside of my usual skill domain. For example, last week I tried out most of the new Army physical fitness test, and the week before I did sled pushes and car pushes (the car push was a lot of fun)

[GuitarStv]

For me, it's been barbell strength training with occasional challenges (about once a week) outside of my usual skill domain. For example, last week I tried out most of the new Army physical fitness test, and the week before I did sled pushes and car pushes (the car push was a lot of fun)

I get enough car pushing every winter . . . out of ditches.  :P

[Abe]

Nothing for me to report compared to the others, but this thread reminded me my friend recently recounting doing five heart transplants in a 72hr period. My first thought was “that’s insane” and my second was “like that time we did liver transplants in residency”. Those would take 10-12 hours and always started in the evening. Always!

My biggest discomfort now is operating 8-10hrs straight without sitting, so am on the softer end of mustachians. No biking 100 miles for me! In retrospect most of that seems insane, and hopefully a thing of the past.

[stoaX]

Nothing for me to report compared to the others, but this thread reminded me my friend recently recounting doing five heart transplants in a 72hr period. My first thought was “that’s insane” and my second was “like that time we did liver transplants in residency”. Those would take 10-12 hours and always started in the evening. Always!

My biggest discomfort now is operating 8-10hrs straight without sitting, so am on the softer end of mustachians. No biking 100 miles for me! In retrospect most of that seems insane, and hopefully a thing of the past.

Perhaps there are some more hardcore examples of voluntary discomfort on this thread but none compete with you for value delivered!

[Steeze]

Great thread!

Yesterday I walked 4.1 miles to work ~1.25 hrs, because Jacob said I could.

[GuitarStv]

We've had warmer than usual daily temperatures for spring, so I've been keeping the A/C off and sleeping without a fan on at night to try to heat acclimatize my body for the coming summer.  It's already feeling cooler!

[jeromedawg]

Been in a small 2/1 865sq ft apartment with my wife and two young kids for close to a year now (we sold our condo last year... should have waited until this year but were doing it with plans to move to the new area for our kids' schooling). The way the housing market is going, I have a feeling we'll be here for a while longer. While I'd like to say this is "voluntary" it often feels quite "involuntary" haha. But we made the decision to move here and this is probably one of the cheapest places we can live while still meeting our living space needs - it's cramped and we actually have a lot of stuff in storage from the place we sold, but it's cheaper than most everything else that I know of and has been working for us. It's hard focusing on work sometimes but we've been making it work. Not sure how much longer we'll be able to take it though.

[CJ]

For me, it's been barbell strength training with occasional challenges (about once a week) outside of my usual skill domain. For example, last week I tried out most of the new Army physical fitness test, and the week before I did sled pushes and car pushes (the car push was a lot of fun)

I get enough car pushing every winter . . . out of ditches.  :P

Sounds like serious involuntary hardship to me ;)

[Loretta]

What a great thread.  It’s good to remember we can do difficult shit when needed. 

[Steeze]

On the housing front - my in-laws gave us a handsome down payment for a house when we got married. Instead of going out and buying something burdensome we bought a 750sf 1br co-op on the 5th floor of a walk up. Close enough to work but far enough to be in an affordable neighborhood. The money covered about 80% of the cost and within a year we had the rest paid.

We now have a baby boy and our parents occasionally stay with us for a couple months at a time. Some people can’t imagine living in a 1br or on the 5th floor. The trade is I live in NYC and my housing costs are <$700/mo including all utilities, hoa, insurance, etc.

Our total monthly expenses are less than what some of my colleagues pay in rent alone. Allows us to maintain a 55% savings rate on gross and nearly 70% on our net.

I am looking forward to getting out of this apartment eventually though, so it’s not all great. But for a few years it will have served us well and allowed us an increased standard of living compared to where we rented before (350sf in the hood), all while giving us an extra $1000/mo+ to invest.

Also - no dishwasher, no microwave, no coffee maker - DW even hand washes most of her clothes. I am happy to walk down 6 flights to the basement and use the machines for mine :)

[Serendip]

Just finished a 6 day canoe trip. My SO was injured and he usually carries the canoe so I volunteered to solo portage an 18ft canoe (overhead, my first time carrying a canoe like that!) for the approx. 8 kms of portaging.. I only had a couple melt-downs but am proud of myself for accomplishing the task.
Now I know that I'd like to strengthen my arms/shoulders!

[Mighty Eyebrows]

We've had warmer than usual daily temperatures for spring, so I've been keeping the A/C off and sleeping without a fan on at night to try to heat acclimatize my body for the coming summer.  It's already feeling cooler!

It hit 33.4C (92F) in our home at 9pm on June 28th. No AC here. I am good up to 28C (82F) indoors, but admit to non-mustachian thoughts about installing a heat pump when it gets above 30C. At least it wasn't the 49.6C (121.3F) that Lytton hit on June 29. Right before burning to the ground :-(