Our world has never been more convenient and comfortable. With just a few taps of our fingers, we can order food to our door, access endless entertainment options, and keep our climate at a steady 72 degrees. We don't have to put in much effort, much less face any risk or challenge, in order to sustain our daily lives.
In some ways, this quantum leap in humanity's comfort level is a great boon. But in other ways, it's absolutely killing our minds, bodies, and spirit.
My guest says it's time to reclaim the currently-hard-to-come-by but truly essential benefits of discomfort. His name is Michael Easter, and he's a writer, editor, and professor, and the author of The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self. Michael first shares how his experience with getting sober helped him discover the life-changing potential of doing hard things, before digging into what fleeing from discomfort is doing to our mental and physical health. We then discuss the Japanese idea of misogis, which involves taking on an epic outdoor challenge, and why Michael decided to do a misogi in which he participated in a month-long caribou hunt in the backcountry of Alaska. Michael shares what he learned from the various challenges he encountered during his misogi — including intense hunger, boredom, solitude, and physical exertion — as well as what research can teach all of us about why we need to incorporate these same kinds of discomforts into our everyday lives.
Resources Related to the Episode#583: How to Stay Mentally Sharp and Fulfilled as You Age
#582: Essential Lessons From Great Wartime Leaders
#581: The Tiny Habits That Change Everything
#580: Why People Do (Or Don't) Listen to You
#579: Jack London's Literary Code
#578: Figuring Out If You Should Change Careers (And How to Do It)
#577: An FBI Agent's 6 Signs for Sizing People Up
#576: A Treasure Trove of American Philosophy
#575: Counterintuitive Advice on Making Exercise a Sustainable Habit
#574: The Power of Bad — Overcoming the Negativity Effect
#573: Why You Don't Finish What You Start (And What to Do About It)
#572: The Unexpected Upsides of Being a Late Bloomer
#571: The Voyage of Character
#570: St. Augustine's Real-World Spirituality for Restless Hearts
#569: How to Perform Your Best Under Pressure
#568: The Untold Story Behind the Famous Robbers Cave Experiment
#567: Understanding the Wonderful, Frustrating Dynamic of Friendship
#566: How to Have a Hyggely Christmas and a More Memorable New Year
#565: Stillness Is the Key
#564: Assault Your Assumptions Through Red Teaming
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free