Too comfortable?

I recently read The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter and it highlighted for me how much of our lives are sent being surrounded and all-encompassed in a bubble of comfort. This has led, I believe, to so many problems from our health and our ways of communicating.

Societally, Easter mentions that the rise in mental health issues is from not being challenged and living lives steeped in any comforts you can think of. He mentions that the challenges of our ancestors living in such taxing conditions helped them live fulfilling lives, whereas the most challenging thing we have to decide is what food we want someone else to bring to our house, in most cases. When he talked about how we get out of our nice, comfortable beds, go to an air conditioned gym to watch TV while we sweat and then go and sit in our comfortable chairs and then lay back down in our comfortable beds, I was like . Also, low key triggered. YYYeeeaaahh, that would make any person feel depressed and unfulfilled.

Also, as per usual, I thought I wanted to go hunting in the Alaskan wilderness. Haha. I don’t know what it is about reading these books that makes me want to try to do the things they are doing. Maybe it’s my own dissatisfaction with my day to day annoyances and habits, the desire e to break free.

When he was talking about how he read every word on the wrapper to his protein bar, I was like, oh wow. haha. I don’t know if I’ve ever been that bored, but I appreciate the need to be bored sometimes. We don’t have to fill our lives with “stuff.” We can just sit and “be” for a while and let our brains have a little rest.

From Easter’s writing, I was inspired to change some things in my own life to get more uncomfortable. One thing I started doing, is rucking, which was awesome. I need to get back into it, but I also started going to the gym regularly and eating a healthier diet. At work, I’ve been standing a majority of the day instead of sitting. I’ve also learned to embrace a little discomfort and have been working to push myself towards activities or experiences I would typically shy away from.

I think this book is a great reminder to all of us to do that thing that we’re afraid of doing or to try something that may be uncomfortable because the outcome is always worth it in the end.

I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do as my Misogi. Have you done a Misogi before or have suggestions?