Which is better: too cold or too hot?

Which is better: too cold or too hot?
For humans in extreme temperatures, there's only one answer:
Cold 🥶

Here's why: We can always put on more clothes.
But we can only take off so much. It's that simple.

Our bodies are better at fighting cold than heat. When we're cold, it happens from the outside in. Our fingers and toes get cold first. This gives us time. We can add layers, find shelter, make a fire, or cause our body to generate its own heat.

We have options.

Heat is different. Heat builds up inside our body. When we overheat, it starts in our core. Our brain and organs heat up. By the time we feel it, we're already in trouble. And there's nowhere to hide from our own body heat. Our bodies are already heat factories, running 24/7.

With cold, we have asymmetric control over the outcome.

Life's pressures work the same way.
Pressure has two elements: force and surface area.

Life pushes on us with a certain force.
When pressure builds, our instinct is to reduce or eliminate that force.
But we can't always do that.

The forces are responsibilities, commitments, needs, demands on our time and attention. Most can't be removed.

But we can always expand.

We can grow our capacity.
Build better support systems.
Learn new ways to cope.
Spread the force around.
Change.
Adapt.

Just like with cold, we can keep adding layers of protection, margin, and capacity. We can always create more surface area.

With growth, we have asymmetric control over the outcome.

We can't expect life to demand less.
We must become capable of more.