braving and welcoming the cold! 
last year in the Himālayas, i was bundled up in dozens of layers, and sought with my all to be as warm and comfortable as possible (which, looking back, was a futile attempt regardless!). this year, i challenged myself to wear as minimal clothes as i could (although i did succumb to the puffer jacket at times!).
the downside of the controlled environments many of us are blessed to live in (meaning, those of us who have access to amenities such as hot water, AC etc) is that we become complacent and scarcely exposed to external stimuli; and, it is by exposing ourselves to such external stimuli and by bearing through that stress that expansion occurs.
the reason why most inspirational stories of transformation occur when a stressor is introduced (be it a harsh environment or an uncomfortable situation) is because of this – willingly subjecting ourselves to discomfort and to new stimuli increases resilience and opens new pathways in the mind through which the ways we perceive and engage with life are refined and transformed.
and, there is no need to travel across the world to do it! we cling to comfort (as well as to our patterns) on a moment to moment basis. i have found that a small change (such as cold showers or introducing oneself in a situation which our programming craves to avoid) can cause wonders. here’s to challenging ourselves & letting go of comfort 
amaryllis 