Intentional Stress Challenge: Tickle or Pain Party

Progressive challenge series aimed at developing resilience in response to being tickled or in pain.

While this challenge may seem silly on the surface, especially with its ridiculous name, allowing someone free access to tickle or cause you pain without defending yourself can be extremely difficult.

The goal is to induce significant sensations that cause the desire for immediate retreat or at least resistance. Our minds have the ability to manage urges when we understand that they aren’t true threats. Sensations of pain or being tickled are just mental states derived from physical signals that are often delegated to the subconscious. Subconsciously, we are optimized to perceive threats and respond accordingly. Conscious intervention is required to override our innate coding for responding to physical sensations that aren’t dangerous. 

Another opportunity to master your urges.

This challenge is simple but not easy, particularly if you have a low pain tolerance or are very ticklish.