Michael Easter, The 2 Percent and Why We’re Creating a Retreat of Discomfort at Wollemi Ridge Retreats
Chris and Sally, founders of Wollemi Ridge Retreats, embracing the 2 Percent
Chris and I saw a video on TikTok over the weekend by @Lindsiann titled “the best piece of advice I have ever received” with the caption “be the 2%”. It really struck a cord with us hearing from someone who is ticking all the boxes of “crushing it”, that she is deeply unsatisfied with living a life of comfort.
And that advice that has helped her identify that? Michael Easter’s finding of the 2 percent.
People are increasingly searching for ideas around the “2 Percent” philosophy and the question that sits underneath it:
Why, despite living more comfortably than ever before, do so many people feel dissatisfied, overwhelmed, anxious and burnt out?
For us the comfort crisis is not a lightbulb moment because we'd discovered something completely new, we instinctively live the 2% philosophy. We have purposely chosen a life that is inherently hard. But hearing
We live off-grid.
We run a business off-grid.
We've intentionally chosen a life where things require effort and participation because we have lived a life of comfort and we are happier living a sustainable life that isn’t inherently comfortable.
Listening to @Lindsiann confessions have shone a light onto why we choose to live off grid and why we started Wollemi Ridge Retreats.
Because this, the life we have created, is what is missing in modern day life. Old school practices of discomfort before comfort.
Modern life has created enormous distance between those two choices.
Food arrives with a tap.
Entertainment arrives instantly.
Comfort arrives instantly.
Discomfort can be avoided almost entirely.
But up here that's not really how life works.
Heat doesn't just appear.
Power doesn't just appear.
Food doesn't just appear.
Things require attention.
Things require effort.
Things require participation.
And what we've discovered is that there is a huge amount of satisfaction that comes from that.
Not because life is harder for the sake of being harder.
But because there is something deeply satisfying about contributing to your own life.
We've also become increasingly aware that people are feeling dissatisfied, overwhelmed, anxious and burnt out by modern life.
We've known that for a long time.
We've seen it.
We've heard it from people.
We've felt it ourselves.
But reading Michael Easter's work really put this into a language that felt incredibly aligned with what we're already building up here.
Which is why we're creating something new at Wollemi Ridge Retreats.
Introducing Our Retreat of Discomfort
We currently have our Bush Retreat experience, where everything is done for you.
You arrive.
You switch off.
You relax.
You slow down.
And there are huge benefits in that.
But we're also creating something different.
ARetreat of Discomfort. The 2 Percent Retreat
Not discomfort in the sense of suffering.
Not a survival experience.
Not punishment.
A retreat that gives people the opportunity to experience everyday off-grid life and reconnect with effort, participation and slowing down.
The 2 Percent Retreat will involve becoming part of life up here.
That could mean:
chopping wood for heating
learning to start and maintain fires
making sure there is enough power coming in through solar
understanding what it actually takes to live off-grid
bush walks and slowing down enough to observe nature
walking the goats
tending to the chickens
working on the farm
harvesting produce
cooking together from scratch
making use of seasonal abundance
making chutneys
pickling produce
everyone pitching in and contributing
Wood chopping, a daily practice through all seasons.
Because a life of comfort when living off grid, is earnt only when all the jobs are done.
We've intentionally chosen this life, and we know the satisfaction that comes from it because we live it every day.
And if you've found yourself searching ideas around Michael Easter, the 2 Percent, comfort culture, burnout, or wondering whether modern life has become a little too comfortable, maybe this is something you'll connect with too.
Be the First to Know About Our Retreat of Discomfort
We're currently developing our The 2 Percent Retreat: Retreat of Discomfort (working title) at Wollemi Ridge Retreats.
If this feels like something you want to be a part of, make sure you subscribe to our mailing list below.
Our subscribers will be the first to hear about retreat dates, availability and everything we're creating.
There is nothing more satisfying than obtaining those basic needs of food, shelter and warmth through rhythms of hard work and community input.