032: Great News - Early Retirement Doesn't Mean You'll Stop Working by Mr. Money Mustache of MrMoneyMustache.com

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3607: Charlie Brown explores the subtle but powerful impact of “Comfort Creep,” the quiet inflation of our comfort standards that erodes our contentment over time. Through personal stories and cultural critique, she offers a compelling argument for resetting our expectations to rediscover gratitude, happiness, and the joy in life’s simplest pleasures. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://simpleandstraightforward.substack.com/p/the-quiet-power-of-rejecting-comfort Quotes to ponder: "If you want to level up your contentment and happiness, reset your comfort levels and lower your expectations." "Our expectations of what we want from our home, our car, and our stuff is sky-high, exactly because of Comfort Creep." "Lowering expectations goes against everything we’re taught and yet it is one of the most effective ways to experience contentment, happiness, and gratitude." Episode references: The Comfort Crisis: https://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Crisis-Embrace-Discomfort-Reclaim/dp/0593138767 Journal of Adolescence study (2016) on wilderness and mental health: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.07.004 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

23 Maj 11min

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3606: Ryan Holiday explores how anxiety, often invisible and normalized, drains our lives more than any luxury ever could. With wisdom from Stoic philosophers, he reframes anxiety as a habit we can unlearn, freeing ourselves to reclaim peace, presence, and perspective. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://ryanholiday.net/this-is-my-most-expensive-habit/ Quotes to ponder: "Anxiety turns the hypothetical into the actual. It drags us into a future that doesn’t yet exist and forces us to live out every worst-case scenario in vivid detail." "Today, I escaped from anxiety. Or no, I discarded it, because it was within me, in my own perceptions, not outside." "It’s not events that upset us but our opinions about them." Episode references: The Daily Stoic Podcast: https://dailystoic.com/podcast/ Epictetus' Discourses and Enchiridion: https://www.amazon.com/Discourses-Epictetus-Handbook-Oxford-Classics/dp/0199595186 Seneca’s Letters from a Stoic: https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Stoic-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140442103 Meditations by Marcus Aurelius: https://www.amazon.com/Meditations-Penguin-Classics-Marcus-Aurelius/dp/0140449337 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 Maj 10min

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3605: Antonia Colins explores how minimalism can lead to deeper happiness, not through deprivation, but by creating space for clarity, gratitude, and intentional living. By simplifying, we become more attuned to our needs, more confident in our boundaries, and better able to prioritize what truly matters. Quotes to ponder: "Gratitude is a powerful mindset that changes how you perceive ‘enough’ in your life." "Saying no is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes." "Minimalism is not about your stuff, it’s about finding yourself in amongst that stuff." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

21 Maj 9min

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3604: Antonia Colins explores how minimalism can shift our focus from material clutter to meaningful living, offering more time, less stress, and deeper contentment. Through personal reflection, she shows that simplifying life isn't about sacrifice, it's about creating space for what truly makes us happy. Quotes to ponder: "Minimalism makes space for the best of you and your life." "Stuff piles up without us noticing, until that stuff starts to weigh heavy on our space, heart and mind." "Less stuff to worry about and more time on my hands means less stress." Episode references: Happiness Definition - Verywell Mind: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-happiness-4869755 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20 Maj 9min

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3603: Colin Wright challenges our relationship with possessions, urging us to ask whether the things we own genuinely serve us or simply weigh us down. By fostering self-reliance and internal contentment, we can enjoy life's offerings without becoming dependent on them, creating a richer, more intentional existence. Read along with the original article(s) here: http://exilelifestyle.com/valuable & http://exilelifestyle.com/live Quotes to ponder: "Most ideally, the things we own are mere additions to a fulfilled existence." "Will I feel better knowing this money is there, in the bank, available at need in the future, or will I feel better knowing I’ve spent it, the money lost to me forever, on this thing?" "If you can find your happiness internally, your satisfaction with life derived from how you experience the world, not in the experiences themselves, then your quality of life is determined by you, not some external factor." Episode references: The Minimalists: https://www.theminimalists.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

19 Maj 9min

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3602: Marc Chernoff shares a simple yet powerful gratitude ritual that can shift your mindset and improve emotional resilience. By focusing on one small but meaningful moment each day, you retrain your brain to find joy and perspective even during life’s toughest challenges. Read along with the original article(s) here: http://www.marcandangel.com/2016/06/22/one-daily-gratitude-ritual-that-will-change-the-way-you-think/ Quotes to ponder: "Train your mind to see the good in everything. Positivity is a choice. The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts." "Start each morning by writing down one thing you sincerely appreciate about the previous day." "You may not have everything you want, but you can be grateful for everything you have." Episode references: Books by Marc and Angel: https://www.marcandangel.com/book/ The Gifts of Imperfection: https://www.amazon.com/Gifts-Imperfection-Think-Supposed-Embrace/dp/159285849X Gratitude Journal by Intelligent Change: https://www.intelligentchange.com/products/the-five-minute-journal The How of Happiness: https://www.amazon.com/How-Happiness-Approach-Getting-Life/dp/0143114956 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

18 Maj 10min

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3601: Kristine Klussman explores how anger often masks deeper emotional pain and disconnection from the self, and how practicing self-compassion can dissolve that anger to reveal healing insights. By recognizing anger as a surface-level defense, we gain access to the more vulnerable truths beneath and ultimately foster deeper emotional clarity and inner peace. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.kristineklussman.com/how-to-practice-self-compassion-through-anger/ Quotes to ponder: "Anger is a defensive emotion, used to inflate our egos, make us feel powerful, and defend against the more vulnerable, tender feelings underneath." "Usually, once you reconnect and regain closeness with yourself, you also experience nearly instantaneous relief from the pain of the anger." "To practice self-compassion, we must humble ourselves enough to admit that underneath all our powerful arguments against the thing that’s enraged us, we are actually deeply disappointed, sad, heartbroken, grieving, terrified, or in some other vulnerable state." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

18 Maj 9min

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3600: Julie B. Rose challenges the traditional notions of stability and success by sharing the three mantras that gave her the courage to leave behind a secure life for a nomadic one. Her insights inspire bold change, emphasizing that nothing is permanent, timing is a myth, and waiting can be the most dangerous choice of all. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://juliedevivre.com/2022/03/28/the-three-mantras-i-adopted-that-inspired-me-to-leave-my-traditional-life-behind/ Quotes to ponder: "Besides death - there’s very little in life that is truly irreversible." "Sorry, but you may never feel ready, certain, or 100% confident to jump into the deep end." "I had analysis paralysis for so long - and finally, I just had to take a leap of faith." Episode references: The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss: https://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307465357 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

17 Maj 9min