Michael Easter is a journalist and author whose two books ‘The Comfort Crisis’ and ‘Scarcity Brain’ reveal the ways in which the modern world has become incompatible with the way our animal brains are wired.

In fact, we’re living pretty much the opposite lives to those of our ancestors. We have an excess of food which makes us crave other fixes, we sit down all day indoors and have had to invent the concept of exercise.

His own journey to quitting alcohol made him realise that the greatest benefits in life come after short-term discomfort, and a trip to the Arctic made him appreciate the power of spending time outdoors, from lowering stress to increasing empathy levels. 

He also explains that boredom is good for us, why joining the 2% of people who take the stairs instead of the elevator can make the difference and puts forward a persuasive argument on why we should all plan an annual challenge with a 50% chance of failure.

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