What It's Like To..‪.‬ Elizabeth Pearson Garr

Interest in "tiny living" is getting bigger.  But what is it, really--what are the benefits, and what do you sacrifice by "going small"?  Tiny house enthusiast Laura Lynch shares what inspired her to trade in her 2300-square-foot house for a home about one-fifth that size; the process of downsizing  ("do you own your stuff,  or does your stuff own you?"); and the wonderfully supportive "tiny" community (of people living in not just small homes, but also vans, schoolies, RVs, and more).  Laura also is a financial planner and helps others with the practical matters involved in transitioning their lifestyles.  Going tiny gave Laura the freedom and opportunities to follow her passions--which she never would have had if she'd been locked in to paying off her big house for years and years. Laura is the host of a podcast called "Less House, More Moola."

In this episode:

02:06--What is tiny living?
05:21--The benefits of having less space
07:46--The process of downsizing: why do I get value out of these things?
11:55--Reasons why people "go tiny": finances, sustainability, simplicity, lifestyle, the housing shortage
14:43--Luxury elements included some tiny homes
15:36--Legalization of building tiny homes
18:50--People of all ages are going tiny
21:12--Focus on your values: what is really important to you?
25:03--Traits common to most tiny living enthusiasts
26:41--What Laura misses from her big house; comparing living in her big house to her tiny house

Want to know more about Laura?
Check out her website: https://www.thetinyhouseadviser.com/Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetinyhouseadviser/Touch base on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesshousemoremoolapod/Link up on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinyhouseadviser/Listen to her podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@lesshousemoremoolapod
Want to know more about "What It's Like To..."?
Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube! Go to https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItsLikeToPodcastSign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to whatitsliketo.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)Follow us on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterLinkedInSupport the show

We're revisiting a popular episode from our archives this week! 

It's not easy to get to the top of the world.  It takes a lot of training and determination, a willingness to endure pain and suffering--and no small amount of luck.  Even the most prepared climber can confront a deadly avalanche or fatal turn in the weather.

Our guest, Jeff Gottfurcht, was the first person ever to summit the tallest mountain in the world--Mt. Everest--with rheumatoid arthritis.  Hear his incredible tales of ten years of training (including climbing all of the world's biggest mountains); what a climber eats, sleeps, and wears on Everest (you'll never believe Jeff's diet!); what happened on his summit ascent in a -20 degree windstorm; and what it's like to sit at the highest point on earth.

Jeff also shares the lessons that have shaped his life that he learned while he was "dancing with fate" on Mt. Everest.


Want to learn more about Jeff?
Check out his company's website: cyberdive.co
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Lots of people say they “like to travel”... but most probably can’t claim they're “travel addicts.” Karen Gershowitz has earned that title by visiting more than 95 countries–many of them numerous times!  She’s worked her career around traveling, and is now a travel writer. She has also published two books about her travels. In this episode Karen shares tales from her adventures and gives tips all travelers can use to have authentic experiences--from taking public transportation, to eating at communal tables with locals, to the benefits of "getting lost."


In this episode:
01:50--How and why Karen found a career to support her travel habit
02:48--The genesis and growth of Karen's love of travel
04:47--Tips for finding your way in a new town (take public transportation, sit at communal tables)
08:37--The beauty of allowing yourself to get lost and pivoting when things go "wrong"
12:40--Karen's thoughts on planned itineraries vs. being spur of the moment
15:08--Plan your trip around what you love (food, sports, art, history, etc.)
17:39--Be curious about a place and about people
18:39--Test case: planning a trip for a fictitious traveler
24:39--Tips for traveling in non-English-speaking countries
26:30--Thoughts on traveling solo vs. with friends vs. with groups
27:55--Journaling while traveling
30:30--Places Karen would like to visit, and places she never wants to return 
34:42--Tips for dealing with jet lag
37:20--Becoming a travel writer (books and articles)


Want to know more about Karen?
Find links to all of her books and articles at her website: https://karengershowitz.com/home/
Want to know more about "What It's Like To..."?
Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube! Go to https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItsLikeToPodcastSign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to whatitsliketo.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)Follow us on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterLinkedInSupport the show

EJ Snyder has spent 206 days in very tough, uncompromising environments, having to create his own shelters, forage for food, and keep warm in the elements--all in the nude.  EJ--a.k.a. "Skull Crusher"--is an extreme survivalist, and has appeared six times on the reality television show "Naked and Afraid" (as well as other shows). So are reality shows really as challenging as they look? Do the crews ever help out struggling contestants?  EJ shares all the dirt (so to speak), and gives lots of practical tips about how we all can survive extreme situations. After all, even those of us who never plan to spend days or weeks in the bush may find ourselves in a hurricane or blizzard--or, as EJ likes to say, a "zombie apocalypse!"  



In this episode:


02:09--How EJ got into the Army, and how that led him to "Naked and Afraid"


04:41--Why naked?


06:19--EJ's major "concerns" in the wild, + the four pillars of survival


08:49--Are reality shows rigged? Are they really struggling as much as it appears?


12:28--Dealing with the camera crew


13:14--The beauty of vulnerability, even for "alpha males"


14:01--Story behind the nickname "Skull Crusher"


16:23--Why survival skills are important for everyone, not just adventurers


20:34--What really surprised EJ from doing "Naked and Afraid"


22:37--Losing weight--and what he ate--on the show


25:30--How to keep warm in the wild


28:19--Why we all need to know survival skills


32:18--How EJ's childhood affected who he became




Want to know more about EJ?


Find him at his website: www.ejsnyder.com Follow him on Instagram: @ejsnyder333Tweet him on Twitter/X: @ejsnyder333 
Want to know more about "What It's Like To..."?


Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube! Go to https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItsLikeTo2023 Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to whatitsliketo.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)Follow us on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterLinkedIn
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Todd Jones has crashed into walls, been punched in the face, flown through the air,  tumbled down stairs, and fallen off high buildings, numerous times--willingly.  He is a professional stuntman for movies and television shows.  Todd also is a strongman: among other things, he holds a Guinness World Record for "hearting" horseshoes (bending steel with his hands).  Think all of this sounds almost impossible?  Todd says he's not superhuman--he has simply worked hard and not given up: the secret to his success is perseverance. 

In this episode:

01:56--How and why Todd transitioned from acting to stunt work
02:39--What he learned at "stunt school"--including getting set on fire
04:35--How to land correctly from a fall
06:28--Todd's first stunt gig
08:10--His role on "The Newsroom" that kick-started his career
10:53--A typical day on set
12:30--The two biggest stunts Todd has ever done on screen
17:29--The qualities needed to be a stunt person
21:08--What his family thinks watching him on screen
22:26--How Todd got started bending steel
25:29--The process of setting a Guinness World Record for "hearting" horseshoes
27:33--The power of perseverance: how and why Todd came to believe this so deeply
32:46--As you reach your goals, keep setting the bar higher: what else can I do?
33:24--How Todd stays in shape
34:38--The work schedule of a professional stunt person: "consistently inconsistent"

As promised in the episode, here is a link to the episode of "The Newsroom" in which Todd appeared with Jeff Daniels: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2052565/?ref_=nm_rvi_nm_i_1

Want to know more about Todd?
Find him on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@toddryanjonesWatch him on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ToddRJonesFollow him in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddryanjones/
Want to know more about "What It's Like To..."?


Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to whatitsliketo.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)Follow us on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterLinkedInSupport the show

Jenell Jones has everything she owns with her at all times, and can travel wherever she chooses (as long as the destination is on this continent!). Jenell is a full-time RV (recreational vehicle) traveler.   She spends her life on the road, but Jenell isn't lonely: she runs an RV club for other solo travelers, so they travel "alone, together."  In this episode Jenell recounts her transition to the RV life (she didn't even know how to drive an RV when she decided to buy one!), paring down her "stuff" to what she actually needs (one swimsuit and a few highball glasses made the cut), and talks about how she now spends her days: hiking in Alaska, biking in the Grand Canyon, and eating fresh $10 lobster in Maine.  "I love this lifestyle," says Jenell. "I feel sorry for my old self"--the person who worked a "regular" job and packed in as much as possible during her all-too-short vacations. Now her work, her life, and travel are all packed into one--one very long vehicle. 

Jenell is offering a $10 discount to "What It's Like To..." listeners who join the Wandering Individuals Network RV Club.  Go to winsrvclub.com, and use this code: WHATITSLIKETO.

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In this episode:

01:33--How and why Jenell got started RV'ing
03:47--A day in the life of Jenell in her RV
07:13--Exploring: biking, hiking, visiting museums with other solo travelers
09:24--Paring down her belongings to fit in an RV
13:37--Key items to live the RV lifestyle
16:03--Jenell's thoughts on the idea of "home"
18:18--Safety while RV'ing
18:54--Personal and logistical challenges she has encountered along the way
24:42--Some of Jenell's favorite destinations
31:58--The Wandering Individuals Network: what it is, how it works
36:36--What Jenell has learned about the US after traveling around it so much


Want to know more about Jenell and the Wandering Individuals Network RV Club?

Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/winrvsingles
Connect with her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winsrvclub/
Check out her website: www.winsrvclub.com


Want to know more about "What It's Like To..."?
Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to whatitsliketo.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)Follow us on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterLinkedInSupport the show