CRISIS OF COMFORT

A friend of mine invited me to join a "Backcountry Hut Trip" in Golden, BC for 7-days. Outside of the beauty of the backcountry with an incredible guide for 7-days and 7-nights, this trip was rustic: no running water, outhouses, sleeping bags on planks, no meal prep (we bring all meals), communal sleeping arrangements, patchy wifi at best, you get the picture. Maybe in my younger years I would have jumped at a trip like this but these days, a little comfort goes a long way. I wasn't up for the hardship of a trip like this.

After informing my friend that it was not the trip for me, I tuned into this fascinating and revealing podcast with Dr Peter Attia and Author Michael Easter on the topic of our current “crisis of comfort” and how the removal of many of life’s discomforts through advancements in modern society may actually be a leading contributor to many of our most urgent physical and mental health issues.

Michael explains the benefits of challenging oneself and the immense positive carryover which can come from doing things we find difficult. He describes the consequences of technology like smartphones, which have effectively eliminated boredom—a discomfort that comes with many benefits. The conversation was such a pivotal reminder about how and why hardship creates capacity, resilience, appreciation and tenacity for almost everything life tosses at us. While I have not yet changed my mind to join the Hut trip, I have reflected on the many years of training and racing and the hardships and associated rewards and why I continue to encourage athletes to see sport as a conduit to strength and courage, health and productivity, resilience and clarity. Sport creates countless opportunities for discomfort and when leveraged, also creates durability and appreciation.