What does it look like when someone genuinely doesn't run from discomfort — they run toward it?

Mitch MacEachern walked into a stand-up comedy course at Toronto's Second City, threw out his entire prepared set at the showcase, grabbed a bicycle from backstage, and riffed to a room of total silence. He performed open mic nights with a pigeon feather he'd found on the street. He wrote devastatingly sad songs about pigs on their way to slaughterhouses — and sang them, voice cracking, to anyone who'd listen. And then he moved on. Not because he'd conquered anything. Because it wasn't scary anymore.

Mitch lives by a quiet but radical principle: discomfort isn't the warning sign. It's the destination.

In this episode, mental health counsellor, stand-up comedian and former background Glee cast member Jack De Saram reflects on how watching Mitch model that philosophy — over open mic nights, in a smelly back room in Toronto, and in a basement full of guitars — slowly changed the way Jack moves through his own life. From performing comedy songs quietly to an audience of two, to eventually finding his voice in ways he never expected.

You can follow Jack on Instagram at @laughingfreud, and discover Mitch's music — which is genuinely worth your time — on Spotify.

If you've ever had someone in your life who made it feel safe to be bad at something new, this one's for you.