Why suffering is your greatest teacher.

Hi there, and welcome to my newsletter.

My name’s Ryan, and I specialize in helping people be active and thrive in and out of the gym. This newsletter is about challenging the status quo of healthcare and fitness and summarizes what I’m learning, thinking, and teaching.

Thanks for reading and being a part of The Movement.

You should embrace pain and suffering.

That may sound a little counterintuitive coming from someone who talks a lot about getting OUT of pain.

But it makes sense. Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It shouldn't be nor is it supposed to be. You're not here to be comfortable. You're here to grow, to evolve, to transform yourself and your life into something unimaginable. Guess what?

That process hurts. It's supposed to.

Pain and suffering aren't your enemies. They're actually your friends, your teachers, your biggest supporters. They forge you into a stronger, more resilient person, capable of whatever life throws at you. Don't run away from them, actually welcome them.

It may be opposite of what you may think, and that's exactly why it's so fascinating.

You need to stop always being comfortable. You need to stop numbing yourself to anything that may inflict some form of discomfort. Without discomfort, you are only a fraction of what you could be.

You're crippling yourself.

Just because you don't like being uncomfortable? Why? It's in discomfort, in pain, in suffering that you find the real you. Your real strengths, your real courage, your real bravery.

When you're comfortable, you're stagnant. You're withering away. It's pain and suffering that uncovers what you're really made of. Embrace the pain of working out. Embrace the suffering in a hard endeavor. Embrace the discomfort of putting yourself out there. This is where life really begins. It's profound: you haven't even started living yet. That should make you beyond excited.

This doesn't mean seeking out needless pain and suffering.

It's well-intentioned. It means you see them as a part of a well-lived life, as opportunities not obstacles. You're not fragile. You're not going to break. You're designed to endure, to overcome in the face of adversity. Next time everything inside of you screams at you to quit, resist. Embrace the suck. Because, the person you're meant to be is on the other side of that suffering.

Suffering is optional and is a good thing. Selective suffering and stress allows us to grow.

Stress + Rest = Growth.

My goal is to help others realize that suffering through pain isn't something they have to live with. You can get out of pain. But selective suffering - with intense exercise, self-reflection and personal development, taking on adventures and challenges - is a part of life and something that should be encouraged.

Embracing discomfort and pain is the key to unlocking your true potential. Pain is an inevitable part of life, but suffering is a choice. By welcoming selective suffering through challenging activities and self-improvement, you can transform into a stronger, more resilient individual.

Remember, growth comes from stress and rest, and it's on the other side of adversity that you find your true self. So, don't shy away from discomfort; embrace it and let it guide you to greatness.

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See yah out there,

Ryan