{"id":21631,"date":"2025-05-28T17:20:29","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T17:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/?p=21631"},"modified":"2026-02-21T00:25:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T00:25:55","slug":"while-listening-to-ebook-embrace-discomfort-by-michael-easter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/2025\/05\/28\/while-listening-to-ebook-embrace-discomfort-by-michael-easter\/","title":{"rendered":"While listening to ebook &#8211; Embrace Discomfort by Michael Easter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"nfd-container nfd-text-md nfd-wb-text__text-1 wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"nfd-max-w-prose wp-block-group is-vertical is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c0ca7d81 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"nfd-text-xl nfd-text-balance wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dtg.sites.fas.harvard.edu\/LEVARI2018COMPLETE.pdf\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/dtg.sites.fas.harvard.edu\/LEVARI2018COMPLETE.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Prevalence induced concept change<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Chapter or Section<\/strong>: <em>Explore the Edge<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Prevalence-induced concept change refers to&nbsp;the tendency for people to expand their understanding of a concept when the frequency of its instances decreases.&nbsp;This means that as something becomes less common, people might redefine it to include things that they previously didn&#8217;t consider part of it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Here&#8217;s a more detailed explanation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Mental illness:<\/strong>&nbsp;If the perceived prevalence of certain mental health symptoms decreases, people might broaden their concept of mental illness to include more symptoms.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>The Phenomenon:<\/strong>When something (a concept, a problem, a category) becomes less prevalent, people&#8217;s understanding of it can change, often expanding to include more things.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Color perception:<\/strong>&nbsp;If blue dots become rare, people might start calling purple dots &#8220;blue&#8221;.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Ethics judgments:<\/strong>&nbsp;If unethical requests become rare, people might start seeing innocuous requests as unethical.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Why it happens:<\/strong>The exact mechanism is still being studied, but one theory suggests it&#8217;s due to a kind of &#8220;range-frequency compromise&#8221; where people compare the current stimulus to recent stimuli.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Consequences:<\/strong>This phenomenon can have significant social consequences because many real-world tasks require consistent judgments over time.&nbsp;If judgments change based on prevalence, it can lead to problems like misidentifying problems as intractable or overreacting to changes in prevalence.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">In essence, prevalence-induced concept change highlights how our understanding of things can shift based on how frequently we encounter them, even when we are aware of the phenomenon.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">A difficult takeaway here is that humans , as comfort expands, simply lower the threshold for what we consider a problem. <a href=\"https:\/\/dtg.sites.fas.harvard.edu\/LEVARI2018COMPLETE.pdf\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/dtg.sites.fas.harvard.edu\/LEVARI2018COMPLETE.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">The study (click here)<\/a> describes multiple examples and try to display their research to demonstrate this phenomenon. I find it interesting that many people surrender their control of choice for comfort. It occurs in such a nuanced way, many just aren&#8217;t plugged-in enough to realize that is what they have subtly done. As the world becomes better our problems often become more hollow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Excitement or Anxiety? A Subtle but Powerful Difference<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">A fascinating question posed in Justin Easter\u2019s audiobook caught my attention recently:&nbsp;<strong><em>Can you describe the difference between excitement and anxiety?<\/em>&nbsp;<\/strong> One participant shared that many people he asked couldn\u2019t clearly distinguish between the two. That stuck with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">So, with this new curiosity, I asked my almost 10-year-old daughter the same question last night. Her answer was simple but profound:&nbsp;<em>\u201cOne makes me happy, and the other makes me sad.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">That clarity from my child made me pause. Knowing the difference between excitement and anxiety seems to carry real meaning\u2014especially for her. She often \u201cfreezes\u201d in moments of worry or anxiety, and I\u2019ve started to wonder: <mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-primary-color\"><em>What if we could help her reframe those feelings?<\/em> <em>What if, over time, she could learn to recognize and navigate them with more ease?<\/em><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This has become a small experiment between us. If we can shape her understanding of these emotions now\u2014giving her tools to name and work with them\u2014my hope is that she\u2019ll be able to approach life with more confidence and resilience. It\u2019s a skill I didn\u2019t realize I needed when I was younger, but one I now wish I had tuned into earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">By simplifying this emotional awareness into something she can recognize and reflect on, I believe she\u2019ll be able to deepen her emotional well far earlier than I ever did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nfd-container nfd-text-md nfd-wb-text__text-1 wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"nfd-max-w-prose wp-block-group is-vertical is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c0ca7d81 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"nfd-text-xl nfd-text-balance wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\">Some thoughts: Deepening the well<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Swimming in Deep Waters: Lessons from <a href=\"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/2022\/11\/01\/zentriathlete-blog\/vlog-podcast\/shane-livingston-you-are-an-ironman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">2022 My California Ironman<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">When I crossed the finish line of the <a href=\"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/2022\/11\/01\/zentriathlete-blog\/vlog-podcast\/shane-livingston-you-are-an-ironman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">California Ironman in 2022<\/a>, I didn\u2019t just complete a race\u2014 I uncovered something deeper within myself. In the months that followed, I realized one of the most powerful lessons wasn\u2019t about endurance or training\u2014it was about learning to interact with the depths of my own internal well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">One recurring theme in my life has been the disparity I often feel between my efforts and those of others. I know the saying:&nbsp;<em>\u201cComparison is the thief of joy.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;And while I try not to dwell in that space like I once did, the truth is, I\u2019ve gathered a lot of insight from simply observing. Those observations don\u2019t define me, but they do inform me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">What I\u2019ve come to understand is this: I get to choose when I draw from my well. I decide when to dive deep, and I accept the comfort\u2014or discomfort\u2014I find there. That choice is mine alone.  My partner Liz and I often say,&nbsp;<em>\u201cWe only know how to swim in deep waters.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;It\u2019s a phrase that\u2019s become a kind of mantra for us. We\u2019ve been through enough to know how to navigate the depths, and we\u2019ve built the muscle to keep going when things get hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Yes, we enjoy comfort when it comes. But I\u2019ve noticed that comfort, like happiness, is often overly transactional. It always wants something in return. And if you sit with it (comfort) too long, it starts to spoil. That\u2019s the nature of comfort\u2014it\u2019s fleeting, and if we\u2019re not careful, it can dull our edge. It reminds me of the psychological concept of&nbsp;<strong>prevalence-induced concept change<\/strong>\u2014how our standards shift as we become accustomed to ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">So I keep choosing the deep waters. Not because it\u2019s easy, but because that\u2019s where I find growth, clarity, and truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"165\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/thoughts-lucas.gif\" alt=\"A fun gif from Empire Records - When Lucas states to Joe - Who knows where thoughts come from, they just appear\" class=\"wp-image-19770\" style=\"width:655px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Illusion of Comfort and the Call to Depth<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">I&#8217;ve come to realize that comfort often brings with it a subtle companion: variety. And variety, in turn, can disguise itself as freedom. But this version of freedom\u2014when filtered through the lens of comfort\u2014can become distorted. It can lead to misframing our challenges and avoiding the deeper work of exploring our inner well. Like any muscle, if we don\u2019t use it, it weakens. The same goes for effort, resilience, and purpose. Without regular engagement, they fade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This is where the struggle often begins. Comfort, by its nature, doesn\u2019t demand effort once it\u2019s achieved. Sure, reaching a place of comfort may have required immense effort\u2014I know mine did. Completing a 140.6-mile Ironman demanded everything from me\u2014physically, mentally, and emotionally. It deepened my well and forged resilience that I carry with me still. But since then, I\u2019ve found myself coasting. Resting. Recovering. Then the injury occurred adding a different layer of challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">It\u2019s taken time to recognize this. Sometimes I\u2019m hyper-aware of these shifts; other times, it takes an external jolt\u2014some discomfort beyond my control\u2014to wake me up and remind me to recalibrate. I\u2019ve needed this season of rest, both physically and mentally. But now, I can feel the embers beginning to stir again. I don\u2019t yet know what they\u2019ll ignite, but the spark is there\u2014and that brings a quiet excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">In the meantime, Liz has a few events coming up: Drop 13, the Cache Valley Gran Fondo, and the St. George Half Marathon. I\u2019m proud to support her through these challenges, alongside our little family. We\u2019ll be cheering her on every step of the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Here we go!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"857\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_7901-857x1024.webp\" alt=\"Fun image about madness and my methods!\" class=\"wp-image-21637\" srcset=\"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_7901-857x1024.webp 857w, https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_7901-550x657.webp 550w, https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_7901-820x979.webp 820w, https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_7901-251x300.webp 251w, https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_7901-768x917.webp 768w, https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_7901.webp 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 857px) 100vw, 857px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nfd-container nfd-p-lg  nfd-wb-media-embeds__embed-17 is-style-nfd-theme-darker wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(145deg,rgb(26,26,94) 0%,rgb(0,0,0) 22%)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-e3bc7287 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"nfd-gap-0 wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cf370e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"nfd-text-sm nfd-text-faded has-color-7-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e0ddc1cc00922113f8409f98205d6777\">Social Distortion<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"nfd-text-contrast nfd-text-xl nfd-text-balance wp-block-heading has-color-7-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-113fb6c2eeeb5d5dd3ce96e96a892bcc\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:500\">Don&#8217;t Drag me down<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nfd-shrink-0 wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);margin-bottom:0\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Social Distortion - Don&#039;t Drag Me Down (Live DVD)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8JarpZfzCXk?feature=oembed\" style=\"border: none\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@zentriathlete\/video\/7509733530528714015\" data-video-id=\"7509733530528714015\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px; min-width:325px;\"> <section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@zentriathlete\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@zentriathlete?refer=embed\">@zentriathlete<\/a> <p>When the noise escalates &#8211; I get on my gravel and detune.  It takes discipline to not be dragged down and distill the noise to what\u2019s of most value.  For me that is my wife, my kids, my peace!  <a title=\"mementomori\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/mementomori?refer=embed\">#mementomori<\/a> <a title=\"reasonableselfscrutiny\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/reasonableselfscrutiny?refer=embed\">#reasonableselfscrutiny<\/a> <a title=\"notadouchebag\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/notadouchebag?refer=embed\">#notadouchebag<\/a> <a title=\"gratitudecookies\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/gratitudecookies?refer=embed\">#gratitudecookies<\/a> @~Liz~ <\/p> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c Don't Drag Me Down - Social Distortion\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/Don't-Drag-Me-Down-6696830950589859842?refer=embed\">\u266c Don&#8217;t Drag Me Down &#8211; Social Distortion<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prevalence induced concept change Chapter or Section: Explore the Edge Prevalence-induced concept change refers to&nbsp;the tendency for people to expand their understanding of a concept when the frequency of its instances decreases.&nbsp;This means that as something becomes less common, people [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21636,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"nf_dc_page":"","_eb_attr":"","pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","rs_blank_template":"","rs_page_bg_color":"","slide_template_v7":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[674,817],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2025-check-ins","category-prnci"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21631"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24169,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21631\/revisions\/24169"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}