It’s way too cold.

Then again, it’s almost always too cold. You’ve been through this before. You know how this thing works.

So you start with your toes. You feel the nippiness of the water wash over your skin. The contrast. The discomfort.

But all of a sudden the feeling passes. And out of the discomfort comes a new normal.

In go the ankles.

Then the knees.

Next thing you know, you’re waist deep, contemplating the idea of going all-in.

And then … well, you know.

Such is the experience of overcoming our fears. The path of little by little is generally more effective than the plunge.

With the passing of each discomfort we discover a calm. With each dip, a new normal. With each small step, a curiosity about the next.

On today’s episode of The Quote of The Day Show, Martha Beck discusses how “graduated exposure” to the things we’re afraid of can create the calmest versions of ourselves.

Enjoy today’s quote. Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!

Sean