Pigeon pose
I was reminded while doing a couple hundred seconds of pigeon pose at yoga how much it has in common with doing hard things out in the real world. Things you’ve been avoiding. Things that are awkward. Things you haven't started because they seem too uncomfortable.
The first 10 seconds of pigeon are brutal. There is no way around it. The moment you get into the pose, the hip is thrown into a state of piercing discomfort. The instructor may ask you to bring one leg back and the other leg forward... yeah right. All anyone can think about is getting through those first 10 seconds. To hell with proper form.
The thing is: If you can just get through that first part, you will begin to settle in. There are days while doing pigeon where it’s excruciating all the way through, but most of the time after a couple minutes the muscles relax, the stress slips away. It's glorious. What's even more interesting is that many yogis report an emotional release as well. I've never seen it, but I've heard people say they will often cry as a result of the pose.
All it took was a little time: dedication to overcoming the initial hurdle, and then sticking with it. It’s no different than bringing up hard conversations or starting on the coding task you’ve been avoiding for days. In the beginning: dread and resistance. By the end: peace.