The Hard Truth About Change

There’s a hard reality we all must face when it comes to our health—mental, physical, financial, spiritual—every facet of it.

If we want change, real change, change that we can feel and that meaningfully impacts our lives—then we’re going to have to do the work.

And sometimes that sucks.

We already work all day—at our jobs, with our kids, for our families. We’ve got dishes to do, taxes to file, emails to catch up on. The list doesn’t stop.

So when it comes to our health, we don’t want more work.
We want change—and we want it fast.

And of course we do.

If you’re in pain, you want relief. Now.
If you’re depressed, you want to feel better. Immediately.
That’s human. It makes sense.

But here’s the kicker:

For the body to change—for the brain, tendons, muscles, ligaments, bones to actually adapt—they need stress.

Not the kind of stress that breaks us down or causes anxiety.
The kind of stress that builds us up.
The kind that leads to a stronger, more connected brain.
The kind that helps tendons remodel.
That increases bone density and reduces fracture risk.
That makes you harder to kill.

But it’s still stress. And when you’re already overwhelmed, even good stress can feel like too much.

This is especially true at the beginning—when everything is new, uncomfortable, awkward.

Take meditation, for example. When we ask people about their first experience meditating, many say it made them more anxious at first.
Why? Because when was the last time you sat in silence with no stimulus?
Stillness itself can feel like a threat.

Yet the research is clear: long-term meditators show brain structures that are biologically younger—decades younger—than their peers.
They didn’t start calm. They became calm.
Through stress. Through discomfort. Through consistency.

The same holds true for strength training.
In a study of older adults, participants described their workouts as both enjoyable and challenging.
It was work. But it was worth it.

So here’s the point:

Taking control of your health—your body, your brain, your life—takes work.
And sometimes that sucks.
But if you want the reward, you have to pay the price.
And that price is effort - smart effort - but effort.

Not just once. Not just when it’s convenient.
Over and over, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Especially when it’s uncomfortable.

Because that’s where change lives.