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Inoculation



Inoculation, defined by the dictionary as, “the act or an instance of inoculating, especially the introduction of an antigenic substance or vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease.” To paraphrase, inoculation is proactively exposing the body to a potentially harmful substance, causing the immune system to strengthen and adapt, making the body more resilient to disease.

What if you adapted that same strategy towards other areas of your life? Afraid of confrontation? Choose small, minor conflicts that force you to stand up for yourself and what you believe in to make confrontation less overwhelming in the future. Afraid of public speaking? Start finding small groups to speak to or maybe even read in front of your family. Intimidated by the gym? Just go in and walk on a treadmill. The idea is to expose yourself to just enough pressure to cause your mindset to adapt and adjust, but not so much that it crushes you. In time, you will build up an “immunity” against that anxiety.

Unfortunately, too often people resort to avoiding those pain points completely instead of gradual exposure. This only makes the problem worse by weakening their ability to face those situations that intimidate them. Then, when they are forced to engage with whatever that fear or frustration is, it destroys them.

Build immunity in your life. Choose to inoculate your mind with a little bit of pain and discomfort now to avoid a devastating encounter in the future.

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