Ben Aldridge, an author and musician, shares his transformative journey of pushing comfort boundaries to combat anxiety. He discusses humorous moments like sleeping on the floor next to his partner and climbing Everest on his staircase. The conversation highlights practical strategies for resilience through discomfort and the impact of intense experiences on memory and personal growth. Aldridge also reflects on learning Japanese and creative challenges during lockdown that turned monotony into innovation. Embracing discomfort emerges as a powerful tool for emotional resilience.
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First Panic Attack
Ben Aldridge's first panic attack felt like dying, causing intense physical symptoms without a clear trigger.
This experience motivated him to explore philosophies like Stoicism and Buddhism to manage his anxiety.
insights INSIGHT
Importance of Education
We aren't taught how to deal with anxiety or create change, which is incredibly important.
Educating ourselves on these topics through podcasts and books can be transformative.
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Embrace Voluntary Discomfort
Explore Stoicism and its concept of voluntary discomfort.
Try practices like sleeping on the floor, cold exposure, and fasting to build resilience.
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Ben Aldridge is an author, musician and teacher.
After finding himself increasingly anxious and suffering regular panic attacks, Ben purposefully spent an entire year doing things which really pushed the limits of his comfort in an effort to regain control of his mindset.
Expect to learn what Ben's Mrs thought of him sleeping on the floor next to the bed, what he discovered when he climbed Everest up and down his house's stairs, why acupuncture in the face can be useful, how exposure therapy spills over into regulating your daily emotions and much more...
Modern Wisdom 
