A raw and honest guide for anyone ready to confront life fully, reflect deeply, and find their way back to peace.

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about

FIELD NOTES
FROM LIFE

Field Notes from Life is a memoir and guide born from Michael’s journey through some of life's hardest terrain — trauma, addiction, mental illness, and loss — and his path back to himself, new love, and genuine peace.

A leading scientist, seasoned executive, and lifelong outdoorsman —Michael is someone who, on the surface, had it all — and who kept going while quietly falling apart. When he finally confronted the pain he had buried for years, he discovered that logic and control couldn't save him in his own life. The result is a book that reads like field observations from the wild — except the subject is his own inner life. Unflinching, often funny, and profoundly human.

Structured in four sections — Lost, Recovery, Sorting, Presence — every chapter closes with a "Your Field Notes" reflection exercise. Whether you are navigating your own struggles or trying to better understand someone you love, this book will meet you exactly where you are.‍ ‍

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meet

MICHAEL YOST

I spent most of my life solving complex problems. I built life science startups, published research, and untangled difficult systems for a living. I was an expert at making things work—except for myself. Behind the professional accolades was a private world of addiction, unaddressed trauma, and an exhausting inner struggle. I tried to apply the same rigorous logic and control to my personal life that I used in the lab, and it failed me completely.

Field Notes from Life is the result of finally surrendering the need to engineer a solution. It is a chronicle of opening up the "black box" of my own pain to find a sustainable path to recovery. Along the way, I discovered a profound truth: the challenges of the human heart cannot be solved by the rational mind. This book isn't just my story; it's a collection of observations, hard-won insights, and practical exercises designed to help other men stop hiding, confront their own struggles, and learn what it actually means to be present.

ABOUT MIKE

praise for

FIELD NOTES FROM LIFE

  • “Field Notes from Life examines the traumas of life in a raw and honest way and shows how you can come to the other side—knowing you are worthy, not alone, and no longer on the outside looking in. Field Notes will move you. I highly recommend it.”

    — Everett Stone, Ph.D.

  • “In Field Notes From Life, the author traces his path from trauma to peace with honesty and clarity. At times difficult, this story offers something rare—a way through addiction, painful relationships, and the patterns that keep us stuck. With thoughtful reflections throughout, it invites readers to look at their own lives with honesty, assemble their own team of supporters, and consider what might be possible on the other side.

    — Jocelyn Ring, Creator of "The Ring Effect"
    A masterclass in executive leadership

  • “Well-written, smooth, and in an easy style, Mike’s story shows what happens when we ignore trauma—scar tissue grows that eventually needs to be cut away. Raw, filled with emotion, and even funny, Field Notes from Life is a must-read for anyone who wants not just to survive life but to thrive.”

    — Grant Phillips

  • “This book is a great gift to the world.”

    — James Harrah, Musician

  • "Field Notes from Life is the book I didn't know I needed. Mike offers the wisdom of a survivor who has walked through Hell and come out stronger and a better person because of it. He writes not from the perspective of an expert who tells you what you need to change in your life. There are plenty of other books for that. What Field Notes offers, instead, is the rawness of the human experience we can all relate to and the reflections of a generous man who nudges readers to consider what we can change and improve in our own lives. Reading this book and engaging with it is a transformative experience."

    — Heidi Scott Guisto, Ph.D.

  • “Mike Yost is a wonderful human being, his story of a journey from trauma to peace is an honest reflection of realizing one's current untenable situation needs modification. Mike's enthusiasm for experimentation has allowed him to build skills to live a centered life, at peace with nature and humanity. His story resonated with me, I felt a kinship with a fellow traveler that has wandered rocky paths and found a beautiful vista on the other side.

    — Jessica Momb, Ph.D.

  • "As an award-winning academic and scientist, Dr. Michael Yost’s career connects science and discovery to human needs and frailties. Drawing on his unique perspective, Dr. Yost overlays his story of trauma and triumph, inviting the reader to connect their own experience to a deeply personal narrative that intuitively weaves together the intellectual endeavor of behavioral analysis and the internal, profoundly human process of coping with suffering and finding hope through recovery."

    — Naomi Lett

  • "It's a book not just for those who love the outdoors, but for anyone looking to benefit from the experiences and lessons of a gifted teacher."

    — Michael Powell

  • "Mike presents an honest and vulnerable personal account of his journey taking the reader from storm and darkness through introspection, curiosity and finally finding peace - enticing the reader to pause and consider one's life as an outside observer. As nonscientists, we appreciated this approach that prompted good conversation."

    — Pat and Deb Sammon

  • "Field Notes from Life is the kind of book you don't want to put down. Mike has a gift for telling his story in a way that somehow becomes your story too, opening your eyes to your own life journey and helping you better understand those you love."

    — Elle Jackson

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