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Human beings are incredibly adaptable. But our ability to adjust to circumstances can work against us when those circumstances involve becoming more and more affluent in a flush commercial environment.
In The Comfort Crisis, Michael Easter describes the contrast between his thoughts and feelings on the plane taking him towards vs away from a month-long trip in the remote Alaskan wilderness. On the way, a cramped seat, tepid coffee, and lack of entertainment were a pain. But on the way home, after spending weeks in subzero temperatures, walking miles carrying heavy packs, and surviving off of way too much dehydrated food, a padded seat with warm coffee surrounded by other humans felt downright luxurious.
The circumstances of that flight were the same each way, but his experience of those same circumstances couldn’t have been more different.
This is because we can become readjusted to almost any standard of living over enough time. Living without air conditioning all summer feels intolerable today, whereas in my childhood, it wasn’t always a given and we survived just fine.
In addiction, the brain becomes reset to rely on whatever substance or behavior is producing its state of pleasure, to the point that the pleasure is replaced by pain if that stimulus goes away. The set point that is the center of the pain-pleasure see-saw is literally reset.
But studies show that experiencing more ‘painful’ circumstances can reverse this process and build resilience. This is some of the idea behind the benefits of polar plunges (submerging yourself briefly in freezing cold water). It’s also the mechanism behind tapering off of a drug… or spending more time out of air conditioning. One summer job out working on a farm and suddenly the constant need for climate control lessens. Because the body readapts.
In our financial lives, there are also discomforts that we must practice leaning into to avoid the constant need for more that underlies lifestyle creep – the reason the goal posts in life seem to always be moving further away. We need a better car, a bigger house, nicer clothes, better food, the latest gadget, etc. etc. etc.
To avoid the eternal pull of these supposed needs, we have to get more comfortable with having less, delaying gratification, and valuing long term goals over short term desires. And to get more comfortable, we must practice doing the uncomfortable.
The more you walk through Target without buying a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g, the less powerful the draw will become from the cute spring décor in the Joanna Gaines section. It’s literally about repetitive ‘exposures’ without indulging that reduces the power of wanting, that turns into overspending.
The discomfort of self-denial, or at least delay, changes our set point for what feels comfortable.
This is why I have people write what they want on a list “to buy later.” It quiets that initial urge to have something, without actually getting it. And then the desire lessens and a week or month later, when you look back at the list, that urge is generally gone.
If not, you know it’s something that truly aligns with your needs and values and you buy it with confidence. But with everything else, this practice retrains your brain that even strong wants usually fade.
Stairs were once a new marvel of efficiency. But why take them after the advent of the escalator? A little hard-earned lean meat and some plain potatoes was once the best meal of the year. But why have that bland combo when there are restaurants on every block offering perfectly formulated combinations of sugar, salt, and fat? A chilly teepee, yurt, or simple cabin was once a luxurious respite from the weather. But now we can dial our indoor temperatures to our exact specifications… We are terrible at noticing that comfort creep is consuming us.
Michael Easter in The Comfort Crisis
I hope you enjoyed this edition of Under 2, an email series designed to share quick bites of wisdom to empower your financial journey (while keeping it short). Be sure to sign-up below to get these messages in your inbox.
All for now,
Lindsey