Optimal Living Daily - Archive 1 - Episodes 1-300 Only

J. Money of BudgetsAreSexy.com is a 6’1, hyperactive, rock a ‘hawk who loves drinking beer, blaring hip-hop, talking about money, and now playing with his two adorable baby boys. He also has a podcast: M.O.N.E.Y. He tracked his expenses for 3 months, made a budget, read some books, and stumbled into personal finance blogging and idea sharing, randomly turning BudgetsAreSexy.com into his full time “real job” a few short years later--14 million views later! Episode 140: What Would Happen If Everyone Could See Your Wealth? by J. Money of Budgets Are Sexy (Inspirational Living). The original post is located here:  and !

Mary Jaksch is an authorized Zen master (Diamond Sangha lineage), psychotherapist, and author. She has two nationalities,--English and German--and lives in New Zealand. She's the mother of a grown-up son and lives happily ever after with her partner David. She's been awarded an MA in Religious Studies, holds a 4th Dan Blackbelt in karate, started professional life as a flautist and loves dancing Argentine tango in skimpy dresses. Episode 139: Do You Secretly Sabotage Healthy New Habits by Mary Jaksch of Good Life Zen (Simple Living & Success). The original post is located here:  and !

Steve Kamb of Nerd Fitness started exercising back in high school without really knowing what he was doing. Through high school and college, he made every training mistake known to man and got zero results. It wasn’t until he graduated college and learned the right way to train that he started to see positive changes. He's a nerd, but likes fitness… so why not combine the two and turn life into one giant video game? And thus, in the fall of 2009, NerdFitness.com was born! Episode 138: How to be Unhealthy by Steve Kamb of Nerd Fitness (Developing Habits & Self-Discipline). The original post is located here:  and !

Optimal Living Daily: Reading you the best content on personal development, productivity, and minimalism. Episode 137: Screw Finding Your Passion by Mark Manson (The Secret to Success & Inspirational Living Might Be Right in Front of You). From 2008 until 2011, Mark Manson was a full-time professional dating coach for men. In 2011, sick of the industry, he wrote his first book, Models: Attract Women Through Honesty, and changed the name and focus of his business to address broader self-development topics for men. The book took off, selling tens of thousands of copies. As he branched out into deeper issues of masculinity, self-worth, and the changing cultural landscape, the site grew. By 2013, he had begun writing about larger cultural issues — gender relations, happiness, ambition, life purpose, and cultural perspectives he had gathered while living in various countries around the world. Despite the fact that the business was still directed at men, thousands of women began reading and asking for advice as

Courtney Carver: After decades of debt, discontent, and trying to do it all and have it all, a scary MS diagnosis stopped Courtney in her tracks. She had to slow down, prioritize her health, and figure out what was really important in her life. She discovered what mattered most by getting rid of everything that didn’t matter at all. In the end it all came down to love and health. She went from a busy, overwhelmed advertising director to spending 2-3 hours every morning taking care of herself, loving her work, and being present and engaged with the people she loves. Her family changed, too. They moved from wanting bigger closets, nicer furniture, and more stuff to downsizing into a 750 sq. ft apartment with no storage. Courtney has written books, courses, and hundreds of articles to help you simplify your life and work so you can focus on what really matters. Episode 136: 7 Tiny Steps for the Beginner Minimalist by Courtney Carver of Be More With Less (Minimalism Tips & Instructions). The original post is

Derek Sivers, originally a professional musician and circus clown, created CD Baby in 1998. It became the largest seller of independent music online, with $100M in sales for 150,000 musicians. In 2008, Derek sold CD Baby for $22M, giving the proceeds to a charitable trust for music education. He is a frequent speaker at the TED Conference, with over 5 million views of his talks. Since 2011 he has published 34 books, including “Anything You Want” which shot to #1 on all of its Amazon categories. Episode 135: Relax for the Same Result and Small Actions Changing Self-Identity by Derek Sivers (Simplicity & Developing Habits). The original posts are located here: Book mentioned: and !    

Marc and Angel Chernoff are professional coaches, full-time students of life, admirers of the human spirit, and have been recognized by Forbes as having “one of the most popular personal development blogs.” Through their blog, book, course and coaching, they’ve spent the past decade writing about and teaching proven strategies for finding lasting happiness, success, love and peace. The site has attracted over 100 million page views and 100 thousand subscribers since its inception in 2006. Their first book, “1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently“ is a focused collection of short, concise tips and reflections on the little things that make a huge difference in our daily lives. It’s available online at: marcandangel.com/book and on Amazon. Episode 134: Be Happier: 10 Things to Start Doing Right Now by Marc Chernoff of Marc & Angel (Happiness & Simple Living). The original post is located here:  Marc & Angel's Book: Other books mentioned in this post: and !  

Leo Babauta created Zen Habits, which is about finding simplicity and mindfulness in the daily chaos of our lives. It’s about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important, create something amazing, find happiness. Episode 133: When You're Feeling Self-Doubt & a Lack of Motivation by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits (Motivate Yourself & Get Unstuck). The original post is located here:  and !

David Cain (Raptitude.com) is a writer and entrepreneur living in Winnipeg, Canada. On a particular boring day at his office job in 2009, he started Raptitude. His interest has always been human society and the internal human experience, and Raptitude became his megaphone for his thoughts about those things. It found an audience rather quickly and it’s been central to his life ever since. In 2013, he left his day job to write full time. Episode 132: Fear is Your Mind at its Dumbest by David Cain of Raptitude.com (Developing Self-Discipline & Happiness). The original post is located here:  and !

A guest post on Nerd Fitness. Steve Kamb, the founder of Nerd Fitness, started exercising back in high school without really knowing what he was doing. Through high school and college, he made every training mistake known to man and got zero results. It wasn’t until he graduated college and learned the right way to train that he started to see positive changes. He's a nerd, but likes fitness… so why not combine the two and turn life into one giant video game? And thus, in the fall of 2009, NerdFitness.com was born! Episode 131: Why You Should Stop Dramatizing Your Fitness and Health Goals: A Plea for Easy Boss Battles by Staci with Nerd Fitness. The original post is located here:  and !

Jacob Lund Fisker retired at 33 with what he believes to be enough savings to last the rest of his life — even if he never works again. His "claim to fame" is the Early Retirement Extreme site, which is effectively a philosophy of life. ERE is a set of values and principles that gives readers the freedom and opportunity to live an exciting and interesting life. Episode 130: Productivity and the Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs by Jacob Lund Fisker of Early Retirement Extreme (Be Productive). The original post is located here:  and !

Joshua Becker and his family decided to live with fewer possessions after a conversation with his neighbor in 2008. As a result, they found a better way to live, centered on more important pursuits. Their story has been seen on the CBS Evening News, NPR, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal and countless media interviews around the world. Their books have sold in the tens of thousands. BecomingMinimalist.com is about their journey towards a rational approach to minimalism. It is about the joys and the struggles. It is about the lessons they have learned. It has inspired millions around the world. It is written to inspire you to intentionally live with less, and find more life because of it. Episode 129: A Thoughtful Guide to Gaining Self Confidence by Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist (Success & Happiness). The original post is located here:  and !

Derek Sivers created CD Baby in 1998. It became the largest seller of independent music online, with $100M in sales for 150,000 musicians. In 2008, Derek sold CD Baby for $22M, giving the proceeds to a charitable trust for music education. He is a frequent speaker at the TED Conference, with over 5 million views of his talks. Since 2011 he has published 34 books, including “Anything You Want” which shot to #1 on all of its Amazon categories. Episode 128: Everything is My Fault and I Love Being Wrong by Derek Sivers (Developing Habits & Happiness). The original posts are located here: and !

Karan Bajaj is an Indian American author of three contemporary Indian novels. His first novel, Keep off the Grass, became a bestseller, was a semi-finalist for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, and was long listed for the Indiaplaza Golden Quill Award. His novels have sold more than 200,000 copies in India. Born and raised in the Indian Himalayas, he now lives in Brooklyn, New York. More than 100,000 people read his work on writing and meditation every week. Episode 127: How to Change Your Life in 2016 by Karan Bajaj of KaranBajaj.com (Developing Self-Discipline & Simple Living). The original post is located here:  Get The Yoga of Max's Discontent Here:  Books mentioned in this post: and !

Free Excel Spreadsheet Prioritization Tool Included! Steve Pavlina is widely recognized as one of the most successful personal development bloggers on the Internet, with his work attracting more than 100 million visits to his website, StevePavlina.com. He has written more than 1300 articles and recorded many audio programs on a broad range of self-help topics, including productivity, relationships, and spirituality. Steve has been quoted as an expert by the New York Times, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, the Los Angeles Daily News, Self Magazine, The Guardian, and countless other publications. He's also a frequent guest on popular podcasts and radio shows. Episode 126: How to Prioritize by Steve Pavlina (Free Excel Spreadsheet Included for Better Prioritization, Productivity, & Motivation). The original post is located here:  and !

Mark Manson was a full-time professional dating coach for men from 2008 to 2011. In 2011, sick of the industry, he wrote his first book, Models: Attract Women Through Honesty, and changed the name and focus of his business to address broader self-development topics for men. The book took off, selling tens of thousands of copies. As he branched out into deeper issues of masculinity, self-worth, and the changing cultural landscape, the site grew. By 2013, he had begun writing about larger cultural issues — gender relations, happiness, ambition, life purpose, and cultural perspectives he had gathered while living in various countries around the world. Despite the fact that the business was still directed at men, thousands of women began reading and asking for advice as well. That same year, he made the leap to his own site and domain, broadening the demographics of his audience. The site exploded, garnering millions of views each month. Episode 125: The Most Important Question of Your Life by Mark Manson of Mark

Ben Greenfield is the author of the New York Times Bestseller “Beyond Training.“ His balanced approach to fitness, nutrition and health comes from his extensive experience in the fitness and wellness industry as one of the country’s leading personal trainers and wellness consultants. In 2008, Ben was nominated by the NSCA as America’s top personal trainer, and in 2013 and 2014, Ben was voted as one of the top 100 most influential individuals in health and fitness. A frequent contributor to health and wellness publications and a highly sought after speaker, Ben’s understanding of functional exercise, nutrition, and the delicate balance between performance and health has helped thousands of people around the world achieve their goals and improve their quality of life. Episode 124: 3 Important Ways to Know If a Supplement You Are Taking is Safe or Effective by Ben Greenfield/Ben Greenfield Fitness. The original post is located here:  and !

A professional author and international speaker, Colin co-founded a publishing company, and travels full-time, moving to a new country every four months or so--that country determined by the votes of his readers! He also blogs. Colin's a minimalist in that he owns very few things and is careful in how he consumes. He tends to buy less, but invest in quality when he does, and trends toward the same in relationships, business endeavors, and just about everything else. He's left-handed, blue-eyed, scary good at Tetris, and can’t cook worth a damn. Episode 123: 5 Ways to Sustain Your Lifestyle by Colin Wright of Exile Lifestyle (Lifestyle Design for Sustainability & A Happier Life). The original post is located here:  and !

The Minimalists (Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus) write about living a meaningful life with less stuff for 4 million readers. As featured on: ABC, CBS, NBC, BBC, TODAY, NPR, TIME, Forbes, The Atlantic, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and National Post. They live in Missoula, Montana. Episode 122: Minimalism is Not a Radical LIfestyle and Ending the Tyranny of Cool by Joshua Fields Millburn of TheMinimalists.com. The original posts are located here: and !

Optimal Living Daily: Reading you the best content on personal development, productivity, and minimalism. Episode 121: Happy, Smart, & Useful by Derek Sivers and A Reminder from the Mexican Fisherman by J. Money of Budgets Are Sexy. Originally a professional musician and circus clown, Derek Sivers created CD Baby in 1998. It became the largest seller of independent music online, with $100M in sales for 150,000 musicians. In 2008, Derek sold CD Baby for $22M, giving the proceeds to a charitable trust for music education. He is a frequent speaker at the TED Conference, with over 5 million views of his talks. Since 2011 he has published 34 books, including “Anything You Want” which shot to #1 on all of its Amazon categories. J. Money is a 6’1, hyperactive, rock a ‘hawk who loves drinking beer, blaring hip-hop, talking about money, and now playing with his two adorable baby boys. He also has a podcast: M.O.N.E.Y. He tracked his expenses for 3 months, made a budget, read some books, and stumbled into personal