How’s Your Stress Lucky?
Issue #134: How to reframe everyday stress and discomfort as proof you’re living the life you once dreamed of.
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A few months ago (July 2025), I flew to Canada for a very special event. About 150 people in one room—millionaires, billionaires, YouTubers, authors, comedians, health experts, AI founders. A wild, fun mix.
The moment I checked in, I grabbed my badge and the swag bag. Inside was a pair of white socks with a strange line printed on them:
“How’s Your Stress Lucky?”
I laughed out loud. What does that even mean?
Later that day, the organizer—Andrew Wilkinson, an entrepreneur that I admire—took the stage. He told us that even now, with all the success, he still wakes up stressed: meetings, decisions, endless messages, people wanting his time, advice, intros—the usual “rich-person problems.”
Then he paused and smiled.
“Wait,” he said. “Every single thing I just listed as stress… was a dream I had 10 or 20 years ago.”
A successful business. People wanting to talk to me. High-impact decisions. Being in demand.
He looked at us and asked, “This was the life I prayed for. Now I have it. So why am I complaining?”
The room went quiet. That question landed in my chest like a soft punch.
Because it is true for almost all of us.
By putting the question “How’s your stress lucky?” on our socks, he wanted to give us a gentle nudge every time we put them on.
We Often Complain About Things We Once Prayed For
Sahil Bloom sent this message to a group of parents:
“We complain about the kids we once begged God to give us.”
Same idea.
Many of us spent years in temples, hospitals, interviews, empty bank accounts, lonely evenings—praying, hoping, waiting.
And now the prayers are answered… and we call the answers “stress.”
The Life Today Is a Dream Kings Couldn’t Buy 50 Years Ago
Fifty years ago, even kings and queens could not:
Video-call their child studying on another continent in real time
Get fresh mangoes flown in during winter
Have a doctor see them within minutes on their phone
Adjust the house temperature from bed
Learn anything, anytime, for free on YouTube
Fly across the world in one day and land safely 99.999 % of the time
Yet today we wake up inside that miracle… and the first thing many of us do is complain about Wi-Fi speed.
Everyday “Problems” That Are Actually Privileges
I’m not asking you to become a monk or pretend everything is perfect. Real pain exists — loss, illness, betrayal. Those are not “lucky stress.” Feel them fully.
What I am suggesting is a tiny filter for the everyday stuff.
When the air conditioning breaks, instead of “Why me?” pause for three seconds and think:
“I grew up in a house with no AC in 110-degree heat. Millions still live that way. I’m lucky to have an AC that can be fixed.”
Here are a few daily stresses I now catch myself smiling at:
The alarm goes off at 5:00 a.m. → I’m lucky to have a meaningful reason to wake up early
Long line at the restaurant → I’m lucky to have money and the freedom to eat wherever I want
Being a founder is stressful → I’m lucky to lead something that matters
My calendar is packed next week → I’m lucky that people value my time and want me in their lives
Car won’t start → I’m lucky to own a car
Delayed flight → I’m lucky to be able to travel around the world
These little annoyances are the minimal entrance fee for luxuries most of humanity still dreams about.
We Also Need Small Daily Discomforts (They Keep Us Alive Inside the Growth Zone)
Modern life is engineered for comfort. Food arrives at the door. Seats heat themselves. Your favorite show start with one click.
I love every bit of that convenience.
But the body and soul still crave challenge. We feel most alive when we are slightly stretched.
A meaningful day is not a comfortable day. A meaningful day contains small, chosen discomforts.
Examples I use myself:
Waking up early to read and write
Wearing a weighted vest on my walks
Doing yoga or workout even when I don’t feel like it
Having the honest conversation I’ve been avoiding
These tiny discomforts are not punishment.They are reminders that we are still growing, still strong, still becoming.
Comfort all day feels nice. Comfort + chosen discomfort feels alive.
Peaceful Growth Takeaway
The fastest way to inner peace is not to remove all stress and discomfort.
It is to see most of today’s stress as answered prayers wearing a stressful mask… and to welcome small, chosen discomforts as the quiet proof that you are still growing.
Your stress is probably very, very lucky.
And your willingness to feel a little discomfort every day is the gentle fuel that keeps the growth peaceful and alive.
📚 I’m writing a book
I wanted to share a quick update on my book progress. I’ve finalized the introduction, completed around ten chapters, and locked in the full outline. I’m really excited about how it’s coming together, and I’ll keep sharing updates as I go.
I’ve also been playing around with book cover design using Google’s Nano Banana Pro. Nothing is final yet, but here’s the one I’m liking the most so far. Would love to hear your thoughts!
👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.
May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴
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