The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self
May 2021 · Rodale Books
4.6star
60 reviewsreport
Ebook
304
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About this ebook
Discover the evolutionary mind and body benefits of living at the edges of your comfort zone and reconnecting with the wild—from the New York Times bestselling author of Scarcity Brain.
“If you’ve been looking for something different to level up your health, fitness, and personal growth, this is it.”—Melissa Urban, Whole30 CEO and author of The Book of Boundaries
“Michael Easter’s genius is that he puts data around the edges of what we intuitively believe. His work has inspired many to change their lives for the better.”—Dr. Peter Attia, author of Outlive
In many ways, we’re more comfortable than ever before. But could our sheltered, temperature-controlled, overfed, underchallenged lives actually be the leading cause of many our most urgent physical and mental health issues? In this gripping investigation, award-winning journalist Michael Easter seeks out off-the-grid visionaries, disruptive genius researchers, and mind-body conditioning trailblazers who are unlocking the life-enhancing secrets of a counterintuitive solution: discomfort.
Easter’s journey to understand our evolutionary need to be challenged takes him to meet the NBA’s top exercise scientist, who uses an ancient Japanese practice to build championship athletes; to the mystical country of Bhutan, where an Oxford economist and Buddhist leader are showing the world what death can teach us about happiness; to the outdoor lab of a young neuroscientist who’s found that nature tests our physical and mental endurance in ways that expand creativity while taming burnout and anxiety; to the remote Alaskan backcountry on a demanding thirty-three-day hunting expedition to experience the rewilding secrets of one of the last rugged places on Earth; and more.
Along the way, Easter uncovers a blueprint for leveraging the power of discomfort that will dramatically improve our health and happiness, and perhaps even help us understand what it means to be human. The Comfort Crisis is a bold call to break out of your comfort zone and explore the wild within yourself.
“If you’ve been looking for something different to level up your health, fitness, and personal growth, this is it.”—Melissa Urban, Whole30 CEO and author of The Book of Boundaries
“Michael Easter’s genius is that he puts data around the edges of what we intuitively believe. His work has inspired many to change their lives for the better.”—Dr. Peter Attia, author of Outlive
In many ways, we’re more comfortable than ever before. But could our sheltered, temperature-controlled, overfed, underchallenged lives actually be the leading cause of many our most urgent physical and mental health issues? In this gripping investigation, award-winning journalist Michael Easter seeks out off-the-grid visionaries, disruptive genius researchers, and mind-body conditioning trailblazers who are unlocking the life-enhancing secrets of a counterintuitive solution: discomfort.
Easter’s journey to understand our evolutionary need to be challenged takes him to meet the NBA’s top exercise scientist, who uses an ancient Japanese practice to build championship athletes; to the mystical country of Bhutan, where an Oxford economist and Buddhist leader are showing the world what death can teach us about happiness; to the outdoor lab of a young neuroscientist who’s found that nature tests our physical and mental endurance in ways that expand creativity while taming burnout and anxiety; to the remote Alaskan backcountry on a demanding thirty-three-day hunting expedition to experience the rewilding secrets of one of the last rugged places on Earth; and more.
Along the way, Easter uncovers a blueprint for leveraging the power of discomfort that will dramatically improve our health and happiness, and perhaps even help us understand what it means to be human. The Comfort Crisis is a bold call to break out of your comfort zone and explore the wild within yourself.
Ratings and reviews
4.6
60 reviews
zahra mawani
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August 24, 2025
The information presented is interesting and, I believe, useful, but I found the manner in which it was presented was not done as well as other similar types of books. The narrative jumps back and forth between a hunting trip story and science, and sometimes the gaps of largely varying lengths meant the overall flow was interrupted. Mostly, however, I was not fond of the author's voice. A number of sentences / comments or anecdotes seemed included more to show how 'cool' / 'fit' / [insert other popular adjective] the author is, rather than to illustrate a given point. This did not make the author seem relatable to me. DNF at just over 50% for that reason.
Dewey
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January 9, 2024
Quite an exciting adventure! The book is a fantastic read. The writer has an incredible talent for keeping the reader throughly interested. The author leaves the reader to feel inspired to get out of one's comfort zone and to fully embrace a bit of discomfort in such a way that leads ones life to a place of health, happiness, and fulfillment.
Larry Fuentes
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April 17, 2025
This book is jam-packed with so much information, and not only that, but also a lot of case-studies and VERY, VERY, interesting science about improving one's performance, both physically, mentally, and spiritually. It's so beautiful. I recommend it to anyone who is bettering their lives, and cares about leveling up to the next level. I am grateful to my Coach, Coach Frank Rich, for showing me this book. Thank you so much for reading this, have a great day everyone!
About the author
Michael Easter is a contributing editor at Men’s Health magazine, columnist for Outside magazine, and professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His work has appeared in more than sixty countries and can also be found in Men’s Journal, New York, Vice, Scientific American, Esquire, and others. He lives in Las Vegas on the edge of the desert with his wife and their two dogs.
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