The uncomfortable truth of the comfort crisis

 

Weather forecasts, GPS navigation, taxi services, food delivery, entertainment—almost anything we want or need is just a tap away. This level of comfort and convenience is undeniably tempting, whispering sweet promises of relaxation, ease, and predictability. However, while these luxuries may provide short-term solace, could they actually be fuelling the health challenges we face today? Are we trapped in a 'comfort crisis'?

In a world so focused on convenience, embracing discomfort might seem counterintuitive, but perhaps it's the remedy we've been searching for. 

Michael Easter’s book, “The Comfort Crisis,” encourages us to step out of our comfort zones to reconnect with our true, wild, and healthy selves.

Easter believes it is our sheltered, overfed and underchallenged lives which could actually be the leading cause of many of our most urgent physical and mental health issues. Michael argues that excessive comfort may disconnect us from the wilder parts of us, and our innate abilities to adapt to change and uncertainty

It has also become all too easy to numb ourselves and escape from uncomfortable feelings and difficult emotions. Comfort food, smoking, alcohol, drugs, and our phones have become our go-to distractions. In the process, we've disconnected from the things that truly make us feel happy and alive, like genuine connection, spending time in nature, and the value of effort and perseverance. Without these important elements of living, a vicious cycle can ensue. 

“Most people today rarely step outside their comfort zones, and it is limiting the degree to which we experience our one wild and precious life” 

What would our ancestors think?

Our ancestors, and many people in other parts of the world today, have faced far harsher lives. The ease of our modern existence would be a dream come true for past generations, who would likely be amused by the sight of a gym, an iPad, or the speed of an Amazon delivery. 

In Western cultures, most of us rarely face physical stress like intense hunger, exhaustion from chasing our next meal, back breaking labor, or extreme temperatures. Few of us worry about predators or where our next meal will come from. Instead, we encounter what Easter refers to as 'first-world stress’, like being late for a yoga class.

As humans, we constantly raise our expectations and quickly adapt to every new advancement designed to make life easier and more convenient. Before we know it, we depend on these improvements just to feel like we’re living a ‘normal’ life. This phenomenon, often called the “comfort creep,” happens almost unconsciously. While our ever-adapting expectations contribute to this creep, there are deeper evolutionary reasons behind our relentless pursuit of comfort, even to our detriment.

In ancient times, our ancestors did everything they could to avoid extreme temperatures, hunger, and physical danger. This survival programming has wired us to seek moderate conditions, safety, and food— a.k.a comfort. As Easter points out, this instinctual drive to avoid discomfort has led us to overprotect ourselves, sometimes to an extreme. In the past, failure could mean death. Today, we feel crushed by failure if we don’t have the latest iPhone. 

We don’t need to all give it all up and go and live in the woods like our ancestors (although this does sound tempting). However, there are ways we can enhance many aspects of our daily lives.

Dare to be uncomfortable

 

Redefine fear. Instead of avoiding fear, embrace it as a catalyst for personal growth and transformation. Fear is a natural human emotion, and its purpose is to keep us safe from potential harm. However, in modern society, fear often extends beyond genuine threats, holding us back from exploring our full potential. By reframing fear as an opportunity for growth, we can harness its energy to propel us forward.

 

Challenge yourself physically. If you’re physically capable, consider running a marathon, climbing a mountain, or hiking a long-distance trail. By working to make our bodies more robust and resilient, we gain countless benefits for both our physical and mental well-being. The challenge of these epic outdoor endeavors can equip us with the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual tools necessary for success.

 

Explore new adventures. Stay curious. The reason time races by as we age is because we routinely do the same thing over and over. For kids, time moves slowly because everything is new and fresh, making us more present and aware of the moments of the everyday. Take a different route to work, try a new hobby, attempt a new recipe for breakfast. It can be simple. ‘Newness’ can break the trance of autopilot and force us into presence and focus, because we can’t anticipate what to expect and how to respond. 

 

Allow yourself to be bored and let your mind wander. Our time is being absorbed by technology - so the minute we experience boredom we reach for a distraction from our phones. We need the downtime of boredom and inactivity so that our brains can recharge, and allow space for creativity. Seeking daily silence by disconnecting from devices hugely benefits the brain and body.

 

Get outside and immerse in nature. Studies have proven that just 15 minutes in nature allows our bodies to reset and adjust beneficially. Spending time in nature allows the brain to enter a state of ‘soft fascination’ similar to meditation. The wilder the nature, the better.

 

Allow yourself to feel hunger. Easter shares that people have 2 reasons for eating - real hunger and reward hunger. Most of us eat far more than we need to satisfy real hunger, and most overdo reward hunger. The result is the worsening health crisis facing the world.

 

Keep moving. Our ancestors lived much more active lives. Survival often depended on physical exertion. Today, however, three-quarters of jobs are sedentary, with adults sitting for an average of 6 ½ hours a day and children even more than 8 hours. The lack of physical labor in our daily lives means we’re not maintaining the physical and mental strength we need. Our overly comfortable chairs, sofas, and beds are preventing our muscles from doing what they’re meant to do—move! When we don’t use our muscles, we lose them.

LINK TO BOOK -  Michael easter comfort crisis