Welcome

    

   Hello internet algorithm participants, my name is David. I'm in my late 20's, born and raised in the midwest suburbs. I love travelling, and I'm a bit of an alternative lifestylist with a passion for all things health. I'm known to be a 'dance to the beat of my own drum' type. My friends would tell you I'm always trying out new ideas that are typically pretty far out there, such as eating poison ivy once a week to test if immunity can be built..stay tuned because I may write a blog post on this one.

Here is a list of some other endeavors of mine that I am proud of, and likely topics of future blog posts: 

- Travelled to Central America solo for 4 months and hostel hopped. I met countless fascinating people from all walks of life. 

- I'm currently designing a lightweight backpacking chair. I've built 2 versions so far, and version 3 is in the works. 

-  Lived in Colorado for a season. I joined a chainsaw crew and taught skiing. 

- Taught myself how to harvest willow branches and weave a basket. 

- Rode my bicycle 1,200 miles across the States, and hitchhiked 750 continuous miles from South Dakota to Idaho. 

- Had the privilege of being co-president of Farm Club at my university. 

- Started a cold plunging tradition with a small group of friends. Every winter about once a month we jump in an icy river or lake. 

 

I started this blog to express myself in ways I can't always in every day life, because, to sound like an edgy 14 year old, a lot of people just wouldn't get it.

You also might recognize the title of this blog, Seeking Discomfort, from the popular Youtube channel Yes Theory. The idea is that, if life isn't challenging you enough in the way you want to be challenged, then do yourself a favor and create the challenge for yourself. I want to emphasize "in the way you want to be challenged", because let's be honest- for a lot of us men, the modern world doesn't always cut it this way. I find sometimes life can be challenging in the wrong ways. I don't know about you, but I get stressed from just doing too little. Imagine a day in the office, beginning and ending with a car commute that's too long, followed by having to use up your whole evening sitting in a dealership as you wonder if they're ripping you off. Then you run a few more errands, complete the "Hi welcome to Meijer" door greeter boss level, until you're finally home free. 

Thats a challenge, but a soul-sucking one. I'm talking about, go out and do a trail run in the rain! Build something! Strike up conversations with someone in public you normally wouldn't talk to! Go play some drop in pickleball and get crushed by 65-year-old retirees! Do not underestimate these people, they have a lot of pent-up aggressive energy from decades of raising bratty kids and running the corporate rat race, and they can't wait take it all out on your "Well I'm decent at ping pong" Gen Z newbie ass.

I'm lucky that, despite having an office job, I spend 50% of my time in the field with the crew. But the office pretty much sucks. I get tired, I tend to eat more while moving less, and the air is set to a temperature that some freaking corporate psychologists probably figured out is the optimal temperature for human productivity. The point is you're in some kind of sterile human incubator that drives someone like me crazy. And don't even get me started on corporate speak. It's like some form of human peacocking that always sounds like someone is trying to land a plane while playing baseball at the same time. "Yeah, let's circle back on this next week when the runway is clear for phase two. Then we need to round 2nd base by 3rd quarter or we're touching down on that deadline with no landing gear."

Spare me.

We are meant to be moving most of the day! and we're meant to be OUTSIDE, where things happen, and you can interact with the world around you. And we're meant to be resilient, not coddled.

I hope my posts will be positive impact on your life in some way. I intend to write as honestly as I can, from the heart.