March 21, 2025 • 12 mins
In this episode of The Unscripted Mind, licensed professional counselor Jim Cunningham explores the impact of modern comforts on our well-being. With references to studies and literary works, Jim delves into how our pursuit of convenience and ease may be leading to increased anxiety, depression, and a lack of gratitude. He offers five actionable challenges to help viewers re-introduce a bit of discomfort into their lives, thereby rediscovering appreciation and the feeling of being truly alive. Tune in for practical insights and fun suggestions to shake up your routine and boost your mental health.
The goal of The UnScripted Mind Podcast is to give you fresh perspectives, practical insights and tools you can use to give you more choices, self-awareness and control of your feelings, reactions and behaviors.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jim Cunningham (00:01):
Imagine this you're lounging on a velvet
couch sipping a perfectly brewedlatte, surrounded by gadgets
that do everything for you butwipe your butt.
Life's a dream, right?
Well, what if I told you thatdream might be quietly sucking
the soul out of you?
Do we have life too easy andturned ourselves into lotus
(00:21):
eaters?
And turned ourselves into lotuseaters.
We spend so much time chasingcomfort, soft beds, instant food
, endless streaming, instantgratification.
But what if all that ease issecretly making us weaker and
more miserable?
Stick with me, because we'renot just going to complain about
it.
I've got some fun, quirky waysmaybe to shake things up and
(00:43):
bring back that spark ofgratitude for all the stuff we
take for granted.
Let's get uncomfortable on thisepisode of the Unscripted Mind.
Welcome to the Unscripted Mind,where our goal is to give you
(01:06):
fresh perspectives, practicalinsights and tools you can use
to give you more choices,increase your awareness and have
better control of your feelings, reactions and behaviors.
I'm Jim Cunningham, I'm alicensed professional counselor,
and today we're talking aboutsomething that might sound a
little counterintuitive.
So let me paint a picture foryou.
Imagine this you roll out ofbed.
(01:28):
That's basically a cloud.
You hit a button for coffee.
You order dinner with a swipewhile Netflix queues up your
next binge.
Life in 2025 is pretty sweet.
We're living better thanroyalty even just from a few
centuries ago Indoor plumbing,heat on demand, groceries and
food at our fingertips.
A 2023 Pew Research study foundthat 87% of Americans say their
(01:53):
quality of life is better thantheir grandparents, thanks to
technology and convenience.
And globally, the UN reportsextreme poverties dropped from
36% in 1990 to under 8% in 2022.
We've engineered strugglealmost completely out of
existence.
We don't appreciate summerbecause we don't have to endure
(02:15):
the harshness of winters anymore.
I asked my teenage clients whatthey want for Christmas and the
answers these days is nothing.
Lord Alfred Tennyson nailed itwhen he wrote the Lotus Eaters.
He wrote in the hollow lotusland, to live and lie reclined
on the hills like gods together,careless of mankind, surely,
(02:36):
surely slumber is more sweetthan toil.
He describes these sailors whoeat magic lotus flowers and just
well, check out.
No more storms, no more rowing,just blissful apathy.
Sound familiar?
We've got our own lotus flowerssmartphones, doordash, 24-7
streaming, and it's seductive.
(02:58):
A 2022 Gallup poll found that61% of adults in developing
nations say they avoidunnecessary effort whenever
possible.
We're choosing the shore overthe ocean.
But here's the dark side.
Too much comfort can tank us.
Studies like the one from theUniversity of Chicago in 2020
(03:20):
link excessive routine and lowchallenge to a 15% spike in
anxiety and depression over time.
Why?
Well?
No struggle, no growth.
We get risk averse, scared tolose our bubble.
Meanwhile, we demand our kidsand coworkers stretch themselves
.
But us, we're good.
Monotony's magic stability,predictability, turns into a
(03:44):
trap when we stop moving.
And here's the real rub.
We're really good at thiscomfort game.
Psychologists call it hedonicadaptation.
We adapt to the good stuff sofast it stops feeling special.
That heated car seat wellthrilling for a week, then it's
just a seat Well thrilling for aweek, then it's just a seat.
A 2021 study from the AmericanPsychological Association says
(04:07):
68% of people in high-incomecountries report feeling numb to
everyday luxuries within monthsof getting them.
We're drowning in ease and it'smaking us forget what good even
feels like.
And the mental healthstatistics that have gotten
progressively worse since the1950s back this up Worse.
(04:29):
Without challenge, we stagnate.
Why?
Well, because overcoming stuffmakes us feel alive.
It's like we're built for itTurns out.
Humans are made to solveproblems.
We're built to push, not justrecline.
Now we're wired to adapt andthat is a great survival skill.
But it kind of sucks for stayinggrateful.
(04:49):
And it's not just aboutgratitude when life's too easy
we miss out on something else.
Challenge and struggle, thatgritty feeling of actually
earning something.
Think about playing a videogame on easy mode or playing
chess with a first grader.
At first it's great, you'recrushing it, you're killing it,
you're invincible, there's nostress.
(05:10):
But after a while it's boring,you stop caring.
Life can feel like that too.
And when there's no resistance,no stakes, we start drifting.
And when there's no resistance,no stakes, we start drifting.
We actually start to invent newproblems for ourselves.
Staring at our navels, maybe youfelt it that vague blah-ness,
even when everything's fine.
(05:31):
And here's the kicker we takethe good stuff for granted
Running water, boring, the warmhouse, whatever.
But talk to somebody who'scamped out in the woods for a
week or been on a deployment andthey'll tell you that that
first hot shower afterward feelslike a miracle.
A flushing toilet is great,comfort is awesome, but without
(05:53):
contrast it's just backgroundnoise.
So what do we do Now?
I'm not saying we should burnour mattresses and live in the
woods and eat bugs.
Now I'd like to suggest somesmaller, more doable things,
maybe even some fun ideas tosprinkle in a little intentional
discomfort into our cushy lives, not to suffer, but to wake us
(06:16):
up, to make us feel the goodstuff again.
Up, to make us feel the goodstuff again.
Psychologist Dr ElizabethLombardo says people who chase
new experiences are morecreative and resilient up to 25%
more per her research.
Here's how to test that.
Here are five challenges.
You can try to mix things upand boost that appreciation.
(06:37):
Now, these are low stakes,totally optional and honestly
kind of fun to experiment with.
Pick one, try it.
Journal it, use an app likeDaily Habits, if you like.
If you struggle withfollow-through, though, here's a
little trick Go public with it.
Tell your families, post yourgoal on social media.
Let everybody know what you'redoing.
(06:58):
The more the better.
Research from the AmericanSociety of Training and
Development says sharing thisinformation boosts success rates
by 65%.
So here we go.
First challenge sleep on thefloor for one night.
I'm completely serious.
Ditch the memory foam, plushpillows just for one night.
(07:19):
Grab a blanket maybe a yoga matif you're not that brave and
camp out on your living roomfloor.
Why?
Because the next night, whenyou climb back into your bed.
It's going to feel like afive-star hotel.
You'll be thanking the universeand the springs and the
cushions and, on anotherpositive note, I'm sure the dog
or cat is going to be happy tokeep you company while you're on
(07:39):
the floor.
The second challenge is to fastfor 24 hours.
Now hear me out, I know this is.
We hear a lot aboutintermittent fasting these days,
but this isn't about thedieting aspect of it, although
there's a lot of benefits tothat.
I suggest just pick a day, skipthe snacks, go 24 hours with
just water.
It's safe for most people.
But if you're concerned, checkwith your doctor just to be sure
(08:02):
.
What's the point?
Well, after the first biteafter your fast, whether it's a
juicy apple or a greasy burger,it's going to taste like the
best thing you've ever eaten.
And suddenly food isn't justfuel, it's a celebration, it's
appreciated.
Challenge three go tech free fora day.
No phone, no laptop, no TV, nomusic, just you and the real
(08:26):
world for 24 hours.
It sounds terrifying, I know,but it's wild how much you'll
notice without a screen and allthe noise, the sound of birds,
the smell of rain.
You might realize that you feelbetter, less anxious, less
depressed, without all of themindless doom scrolling.
It's like hitting the resetbutton on your brain.
Challenge four take a coldshower, or a cold bath if you
(08:51):
prefer.
Turn the knob all the way overto cold and brace yourself for
three minutes.
It's brutal, it's invigorating,and when you step out you'll
feel like a superhero, likeyou've done something, plus the
next warm shower pure bliss andappreciation for the little
things.
Challenge five do something hardfor no reason.
(09:13):
If you're familiar with DavidGoggins, he says things like do
something every day that sucks.
This one's flexible.
Pick something pointless buttough.
Carry your groceries homewithout a car.
Write a letter by hand insteadof texting.
Heck, chop wood.
If you've got a fireplace, dosomething that makes you sweat.
The goal isn't about the task,it's about the feeling.
(09:36):
Afterwards You'll sit downsweaty and proud.
You'll think I didn't have todo that, but I did.
It's a tiny victory that makesthe easy stuff even sweeter.
So some ideas.
But why bother with any of this?
I mean, it's not aboutmasochism, it's about contrast.
(09:56):
When you strip away comfort fora bit, you don't just
appreciate it more, you feelmore human.
There is this buzz, thisaliveness that comes from
pushing yourself, even in smallways.
Honestly, most of us have noidea what we're truly capable of
until we try and the gratitudeit sneaks up on you.
(10:17):
Suddenly you're thankful for afridge full of food or a roof
that doesn't leak.
And there's science behind thistoo.
We're not just making this up,researchers like Dr Robert
Emmons.
He's a gratitude guy and hesays that intentionally.
Noticing what we have,especially after going without,
rewires our brain to be happier.
(10:38):
It's like a complete gratitudehack and, honestly, it's just
more fun than coasting throughlife on autopilot.
So how do we wrap this up?
Life is honestly, too easysometimes, in fact most of the
time these days, and that's aluxury problem worth solving.
Not by making everything hard,but by tossing in a little bit
(11:00):
of spice, some fun challenges toremind us how good we've
actually got it.
So here's your homework.
Pick one of these five ideasSleep on the floor for one night
.
Go 24 hours without eating,whatever calls to you.
Try it this week.
Let me know how it goes.
Drop a comment below.
I'd love to hear what you thinkand how it worked for you.
Did you love it, did you hateit, or did you discover you're
(11:22):
secretly a survivalist?
Find new ways to challengeyourself, whether it's something
from this list or somethingelse that you just want to do on
your own, and I think you'llfind that the challenge is more
than worth it.
Thanks for checking us out onthe unscripted mind today.
If you found this episodehelpful, share it with somebody
who might need it Also.
Please subscribe, follow us,leave a review and if you have
(11:45):
any questions or topics you'dlike us to cover, please include
that also.
Until next time, remember lifedoesn't come with a script, so
embrace the unexpected, cherishthe unplanned, always stay
curious and have an amazing day.
We'll see you next time on theUnscripted Mind.
Imagine this you're lounging on a velvet
couch sipping a perfectly brewedlatte, surrounded by gadgets
that do everything for you butwipe your butt.
Life's a dream, right?
Well, what if I told you thatdream might be quietly sucking
the soul out of you?
Do we have life too easy andturned ourselves into lotus
(00:21):
eaters?
And turned ourselves into lotuseaters.
We spend so much time chasingcomfort, soft beds, instant food
, endless streaming, instantgratification.
But what if all that ease issecretly making us weaker and
more miserable?
Stick with me, because we'renot just going to complain about
it.
I've got some fun, quirky waysmaybe to shake things up and
(00:43):
bring back that spark ofgratitude for all the stuff we
take for granted.
Let's get uncomfortable on thisepisode of the Unscripted Mind.
Welcome to the Unscripted Mind,where our goal is to give you
(01:06):
fresh perspectives, practicalinsights and tools you can use
to give you more choices,increase your awareness and have
better control of your feelings, reactions and behaviors.
I'm Jim Cunningham, I'm alicensed professional counselor,
and today we're talking aboutsomething that might sound a
little counterintuitive.
So let me paint a picture foryou.
Imagine this you roll out ofbed.
(01:28):
That's basically a cloud.
You hit a button for coffee.
You order dinner with a swipewhile Netflix queues up your
next binge.
Life in 2025 is pretty sweet.
We're living better thanroyalty even just from a few
centuries ago Indoor plumbing,heat on demand, groceries and
food at our fingertips.
A 2023 Pew Research study foundthat 87% of Americans say their
(01:53):
quality of life is better thantheir grandparents, thanks to
technology and convenience.
And globally, the UN reportsextreme poverties dropped from
36% in 1990 to under 8% in 2022.
We've engineered strugglealmost completely out of
existence.
We don't appreciate summerbecause we don't have to endure
(02:15):
the harshness of winters anymore.
I asked my teenage clients whatthey want for Christmas and the
answers these days is nothing.
Lord Alfred Tennyson nailed itwhen he wrote the Lotus Eaters.
He wrote in the hollow lotusland, to live and lie reclined
on the hills like gods together,careless of mankind, surely,
(02:36):
surely slumber is more sweetthan toil.
He describes these sailors whoeat magic lotus flowers and just
well, check out.
No more storms, no more rowing,just blissful apathy.
Sound familiar?
We've got our own lotus flowerssmartphones, doordash, 24-7
streaming, and it's seductive.
(02:58):
A 2022 Gallup poll found that61% of adults in developing
nations say they avoidunnecessary effort whenever
possible.
We're choosing the shore overthe ocean.
But here's the dark side.
Too much comfort can tank us.
Studies like the one from theUniversity of Chicago in 2020
(03:20):
link excessive routine and lowchallenge to a 15% spike in
anxiety and depression over time.
Why?
Well?
No struggle, no growth.
We get risk averse, scared tolose our bubble.
Meanwhile, we demand our kidsand coworkers stretch themselves
.
But us, we're good.
Monotony's magic stability,predictability, turns into a
(03:44):
trap when we stop moving.
And here's the real rub.
We're really good at thiscomfort game.
Psychologists call it hedonicadaptation.
We adapt to the good stuff sofast it stops feeling special.
That heated car seat wellthrilling for a week, then it's
just a seat Well thrilling for aweek, then it's just a seat.
A 2021 study from the AmericanPsychological Association says
(04:07):
68% of people in high-incomecountries report feeling numb to
everyday luxuries within monthsof getting them.
We're drowning in ease and it'smaking us forget what good even
feels like.
And the mental healthstatistics that have gotten
progressively worse since the1950s back this up Worse.
(04:29):
Without challenge, we stagnate.
Why?
Well, because overcoming stuffmakes us feel alive.
It's like we're built for itTurns out.
Humans are made to solveproblems.
We're built to push, not justrecline.
Now we're wired to adapt andthat is a great survival skill.
But it kind of sucks for stayinggrateful.
(04:49):
And it's not just aboutgratitude when life's too easy
we miss out on something else.
Challenge and struggle, thatgritty feeling of actually
earning something.
Think about playing a videogame on easy mode or playing
chess with a first grader.
At first it's great, you'recrushing it, you're killing it,
you're invincible, there's nostress.
(05:10):
But after a while it's boring,you stop caring.
Life can feel like that too.
And when there's no resistance,no stakes, we start drifting.
And when there's no resistance,no stakes, we start drifting.
We actually start to invent newproblems for ourselves.
Staring at our navels, maybe youfelt it that vague blah-ness,
even when everything's fine.
(05:31):
And here's the kicker we takethe good stuff for granted
Running water, boring, the warmhouse, whatever.
But talk to somebody who'scamped out in the woods for a
week or been on a deployment andthey'll tell you that that
first hot shower afterward feelslike a miracle.
A flushing toilet is great,comfort is awesome, but without
(05:53):
contrast it's just backgroundnoise.
So what do we do Now?
I'm not saying we should burnour mattresses and live in the
woods and eat bugs.
Now I'd like to suggest somesmaller, more doable things,
maybe even some fun ideas tosprinkle in a little intentional
discomfort into our cushy lives, not to suffer, but to wake us
(06:16):
up, to make us feel the goodstuff again.
Up, to make us feel the goodstuff again.
Psychologist Dr ElizabethLombardo says people who chase
new experiences are morecreative and resilient up to 25%
more per her research.
Here's how to test that.
Here are five challenges.
You can try to mix things upand boost that appreciation.
(06:37):
Now, these are low stakes,totally optional and honestly
kind of fun to experiment with.
Pick one, try it.
Journal it, use an app likeDaily Habits, if you like.
If you struggle withfollow-through, though, here's a
little trick Go public with it.
Tell your families, post yourgoal on social media.
Let everybody know what you'redoing.
(06:58):
The more the better.
Research from the AmericanSociety of Training and
Development says sharing thisinformation boosts success rates
by 65%.
So here we go.
First challenge sleep on thefloor for one night.
I'm completely serious.
Ditch the memory foam, plushpillows just for one night.
(07:19):
Grab a blanket maybe a yoga matif you're not that brave and
camp out on your living roomfloor.
Why?
Because the next night, whenyou climb back into your bed.
It's going to feel like afive-star hotel.
You'll be thanking the universeand the springs and the
cushions and, on anotherpositive note, I'm sure the dog
or cat is going to be happy tokeep you company while you're on
(07:39):
the floor.
The second challenge is to fastfor 24 hours.
Now hear me out, I know this is.
We hear a lot aboutintermittent fasting these days,
but this isn't about thedieting aspect of it, although
there's a lot of benefits tothat.
I suggest just pick a day, skipthe snacks, go 24 hours with
just water.
It's safe for most people.
But if you're concerned, checkwith your doctor just to be sure
(08:02):
.
What's the point?
Well, after the first biteafter your fast, whether it's a
juicy apple or a greasy burger,it's going to taste like the
best thing you've ever eaten.
And suddenly food isn't justfuel, it's a celebration, it's
appreciated.
Challenge three go tech free fora day.
No phone, no laptop, no TV, nomusic, just you and the real
(08:26):
world for 24 hours.
It sounds terrifying, I know,but it's wild how much you'll
notice without a screen and allthe noise, the sound of birds,
the smell of rain.
You might realize that you feelbetter, less anxious, less
depressed, without all of themindless doom scrolling.
It's like hitting the resetbutton on your brain.
Challenge four take a coldshower, or a cold bath if you
(08:51):
prefer.
Turn the knob all the way overto cold and brace yourself for
three minutes.
It's brutal, it's invigorating,and when you step out you'll
feel like a superhero, likeyou've done something, plus the
next warm shower pure bliss andappreciation for the little
things.
Challenge five do something hardfor no reason.
(09:13):
If you're familiar with DavidGoggins, he says things like do
something every day that sucks.
This one's flexible.
Pick something pointless buttough.
Carry your groceries homewithout a car.
Write a letter by hand insteadof texting.
Heck, chop wood.
If you've got a fireplace, dosomething that makes you sweat.
The goal isn't about the task,it's about the feeling.
(09:36):
Afterwards You'll sit downsweaty and proud.
You'll think I didn't have todo that, but I did.
It's a tiny victory that makesthe easy stuff even sweeter.
So some ideas.
But why bother with any of this?
I mean, it's not aboutmasochism, it's about contrast.
(09:56):
When you strip away comfort fora bit, you don't just
appreciate it more, you feelmore human.
There is this buzz, thisaliveness that comes from
pushing yourself, even in smallways.
Honestly, most of us have noidea what we're truly capable of
until we try and the gratitudeit sneaks up on you.
(10:17):
Suddenly you're thankful for afridge full of food or a roof
that doesn't leak.
And there's science behind thistoo.
We're not just making this up,researchers like Dr Robert
Emmons.
He's a gratitude guy and hesays that intentionally.
Noticing what we have,especially after going without,
rewires our brain to be happier.
(10:38):
It's like a complete gratitudehack and, honestly, it's just
more fun than coasting throughlife on autopilot.
So how do we wrap this up?
Life is honestly, too easysometimes, in fact most of the
time these days, and that's aluxury problem worth solving.
Not by making everything hard,but by tossing in a little bit
(11:00):
of spice, some fun challenges toremind us how good we've
actually got it.
So here's your homework.
Pick one of these five ideasSleep on the floor for one night
.
Go 24 hours without eating,whatever calls to you.
Try it this week.
Let me know how it goes.
Drop a comment below.
I'd love to hear what you thinkand how it worked for you.
Did you love it, did you hateit, or did you discover you're
(11:22):
secretly a survivalist?
Find new ways to challengeyourself, whether it's something
from this list or somethingelse that you just want to do on
your own, and I think you'llfind that the challenge is more
than worth it.
Thanks for checking us out onthe unscripted mind today.
If you found this episodehelpful, share it with somebody
who might need it Also.
Please subscribe, follow us,leave a review and if you have
(11:45):
any questions or topics you'dlike us to cover, please include
that also.
Until next time, remember lifedoesn't come with a script, so
embrace the unexpected, cherishthe unplanned, always stay
curious and have an amazing day.
We'll see you next time on theUnscripted Mind.
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