A Case for Calamity

It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but I was the kid who didn’t watch scary movies because I was scared… to be scared. I also rarely watched sad movies because I didn’t want to cry… well, in front of other people. When given the choice of what to watch – the preference was always comedy. I just wanted to laugh, ya know?! And feel good. So my rationale was simple: why expose myself to anything that would make me feel uncomfortable?

Oh, the irony. I now coach people to willingly submerge their entire body in ice water – an understandably uncomfortable feeling (at first)… and enjoy it.

All this to say, you don’t have to like discomfort, or scary or sad movies, to appreciate that when it comes to different genres of exposure – and I use the word “exposure” broadly here – there are benefits to subjecting yourself to things that won’t necessarily make you feel good, at least not initially. More specifically, a short & sweet argument for you to appreciate tragedy just a bit more after reading this post today:

Because it exists as a function of the effect it seeks, catharsis. And because catharsis, a purging of emotions, enables correction and purification.

Don’t get me wrong – this is not a call to abandon all the exposures that bring you joy and exclusively seek out sad stories, ones that make you cry so hard you crush a box of tissues. Yeah, no. Instead, I’d simply like to encourage you to curate a more tolerable relationship with calamity.

Of course you don’t like the feeling of missing a lift, failing a test, or rupturing a relationship with someone you love. But remember: the space between dissatisfaction and satisfaction yields a ripe environment for learning, and there’s always another scene to be written.

Calamity’s a damn good teacher, if only you’ll lean in…