The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self
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The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Michael Easter (Author, Narrator), Random House Audio (Publisher)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 6,023 ratings
#1 Best Seller in Adventure Travel
See all formats and editions

“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 New York Times best-selling author)

Discover the evolutionary mind and body benefits of living at the edges of your comfort zone and reconnecting with the wild.

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 33-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.

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  1. Listening Length
    8 hours and 52 minutes
  2. Author
    Michael Easter
  3. Narrator
    Michael Easter
  4. Audible release date
    May 11, 2021
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Random House Audio
  7. ASIN
    B08LDX3TZ2
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 8 hours and 52 minutes
Author Michael Easter
Narrator Michael Easter
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date May 11, 2021
Publisher Random House Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B08LDX3TZ2
Best Sellers Rank #453 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#1 in Adventure Travel (Audible Books & Originals)
#1 in Adventure Travel (Books)
#4 in Exercise & Fitness (Books)

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
6,023 global ratings
Tappng into the essence of being human.
5 Stars
Tappng into the essence of being human.
Don't read this book if you're scared of hard things. Don't read this book if you're afraid to try new things. And, definitely don't read this book if you want to stay your same soft, weak, scared self.Do read Easter's excellent book if you enjoy factual, science based explanations on how and WHY you need to push yourself to improve your health. If you have young children, read this book and implement its tenants so that the next generation will be tougher and more adaptable to the world's challenges.
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Top reviews from the United States

RJ
5.0 out of 5 stars A symphony of science and storytelling.
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book offers a thought-provoking exploration into the modern paradox of comfort and its impact on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Easter challenges readers to reconsider their relationship with comfort and the consequences of an overly cushy lifestyle. Through engaging storytelling and insightful research, he delves into the benefits of discomfort, whether it's physical challenges like cold exposure or mental discomfort through practices like mindfulness. Easter's writing prompts readers to reflect on their own habits and encourages them to embrace discomfort as a pathway to growth and resilience. With its blend of science, philosophy, and practical advice, "The Comfort Crisis" is a compelling read that invites readers to step out of their comfort zones and into a more fulfilling life.
4 people found this helpful
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Sandpiper
5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone should read this!
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2024
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This is a great book and very insightful into what is happening in our culture today and why we are so emotionally fragile. A must read for new parents - your kids will thank you!
2 people found this helpful
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C. Cooper
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book that was Highly Recommended
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2024
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The book provides a lot of confirming anecdotes of how our subconscious instincts and intuition are providing us with information that we should heed.
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griffin
5.0 out of 5 stars great read after Outlive (p attia)
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2024
Verified Purchase
The elegantly woven hunting epic and considerable research on comfortability make this both enjoyable to read and eye opening. Will change lives.
3 people found this helpful
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Ethan
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024
Verified Purchase
Phenomenal book! This has helped me turn over a new leaf of discipline fueled by the knowledge I have gained from this book.
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C. Dyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
This was such an inspiring, enlightening, thought-provoking read. Great insights, loved the Alaska trip as a spring board into his research, which was all relevant and fascinating. Describing it to someone else is difficult.

The idea of misogi made me reflect on my own life. I was describing this concept to someone who said maybe my last several months working hard through past trauma and related issues is a kind of misogi.

I'll take that, it's inspiring. I'm thinking about the next one. As for "what the heck is misogi?", you have to read the book.
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Dan
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favs during 75 hard
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2024
Verified Purchase
Great read. You won’t regret this one.
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David J. Leach
5.0 out of 5 stars Impactful read on the benefits of pushing ourselves...
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2024
Verified Purchase
"Comfort Crisis" by Michael Easter is a thought-provoking exploration into the modern paradox of comfort and its impact on our overall well-being. Arguably, it was the most influential book I've read in quite some time. After reading it, I sent copies to all my young-adult-aged kids and several friends - one of whom was so impressed, that he bought a case of the books and passed them out to his team at work!

Easter challenges the prevailing narrative that an excessively comfortable lifestyle leads to happiness and fulfillment. With a blend of scientific research, personal (oftentimes humorous) anecdotes, and cultural observations, he makes a compelling case for embracing discomfort as a path to growth, resilience, and a more meaningful life.

"We are living progressively sheltered, sterile, temperature-controlled, overfed, under-challenged, safet-netted lives. And it's limiting the degree to which we experience our "one wile and precisous life," (as poet Mary Oliver put it."

"But a radical new body of evidence shows that people are at their best - physically harder, mentally tougher, and spiritually sounder - after experiencing the same discomforts our early ancestors were exposed to every day."

"Comfort Crisis" is a refreshing and timely reminder that true fulfillment often lies outside our comfort zones.

Highly recommend!
12 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Luis Faria
5.0 out of 5 stars awesome reading
Reviewed in Brazil on March 21, 2024
Verified Purchase
Amazing book, i loved how the actor played with his narrative while commenting about the insights and relation he did between current challenge versus modern life situations we are used to this moment and time.
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Rick
5.0 out of 5 stars Food for thought,ironically.
Reviewed in Canada on December 9, 2023
Verified Purchase
I came upon the book through a quick comment form Peter Attia in a podcast, glad I did. I doubt at this stage in my life I’ll experience anything like the Alaska Caribou hunt personally but loved how it served as the spine of the story with the other researched and experienced pieces woven in. Dozens and dozens of ideas and quotes to weave into my thoughts and Tiny Habit building routines. Very enjoyable read, and yes an unexpected interest to know more about Donnie’s philosophy around hunting. My shooting being restricted to a camera by choice.
One person found this helpful
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Jesús Pérez Lopez
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirador
Reviewed in Mexico on January 23, 2023
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Inspirador y revelador respecto a conservar el contacto con la naturaleza
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Tashi Namja Bhutia
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Reviewed in India on March 3, 2024
Verified Purchase
In modern times, we may live longer but we have overall poor physical and mental health, depression is on the rise and as humans we are weaker now than we were before.
In many ways, the lives lived by our ancestors of hunters and gatherers gave them strength and mental fortitude.
But what are we doing wrong and why our lives as comfort creeps have become detrimental to ourselves.
The book alongside narrates a very engaging story of his adventure filled stories in Alaska,
5/5
Customer image
Tashi Namja Bhutia
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Reviewed in India on March 3, 2024
In modern times, we may live longer but we have overall poor physical and mental health, depression is on the rise and as humans we are weaker now than we were before.
In many ways, the lives lived by our ancestors of hunters and gatherers gave them strength and mental fortitude.
But what are we doing wrong and why our lives as comfort creeps have become detrimental to ourselves.
The book alongside narrates a very engaging story of his adventure filled stories in Alaska,
5/5
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Customer image
Customer image
One person found this helpful
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sergii levchenko
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
Reviewed in Spain on February 16, 2024
Verified Purchase
One of the best books read in 2023, highly recommend to anyone interested in the role of comfort and how it is killing us in the 21st century
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