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What if the problem isn’t that you need more… but that you’re carrying too much? In this episode of The Cluttered Path, Todd sits down with Paul Stryer, author of Living the Zero Life, to explore a radically different approach to minimalism, not about owning fewer things, but about releasing the emotional, financial, and psychological weight that quietly drains your life.

Paul shares his real journey through divorce, overwhelming debt, corporate burnout, and the pressure of performing a life that looked successful but felt heavy. Out of that collapse came a philosophy he calls mental minimalism, the intentional subtraction of drama, unnecessary responsibility, and unsustainable cost of living in order to reclaim peace, clarity, and freedom.

This conversation goes beyond surface-level self-help and into the deeper work of intentional living, simple living, and life design. It’s about understanding why “someday freedom” is a myth, why peace is built through subtraction, and how money, identity, relationships, and self-worth quietly intertwine beneath the noise.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll explore:

• Why minimalism starts in the mind, not the closet
• How emotional and financial clutter keep you stuck in survival mode
• The hidden cost of performing success instead of living in alignment
• Why doing less of the wrong things creates more freedom than doing more
• A practical framework for designing a lighter, calmer, more intentional life

If your life looks good on the outside but feels expensive on the inside, this episode offers a grounded reminder: Freedom doesn’t come from adding more habits, goals, or hustle. It comes from letting go of what was never yours to carry in the first place.

The cost of peace is zero.

Where to Find Paul:

Website: https://livingthezerolife.com

Email: livingthezerolife@gmail.com

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Resources from This Episode:

The Simple Path to Wealth, by JL Collins: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/PX6g2B

As an Amazon Partner, our podcast earns from qualified purchases at no extra cost to you.

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Where to Find Us:

Web: https://clutteredpath.com/
Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath
Questions/Comments: feedback@clutteredpath.com
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Every New Year we aim for self improvement, but true personal growth comes from shifting your mindset, not from tapping into willpower. This video shares four of the best books I've read this year that truly changed my perspective on areas like money, relationships, and cultivating mindset.

I personally recommend these books for anyone looking to create lasting change heading into the New Year. I've also included a Bonus Book that helps you tie everything together and apply what you've learned.

🎧 Listen if you want to:

• Create a Stress-Free, Hands-Off Plan to Build Wealth
• Find Inner Balance and Renewed Vision
• Find Hope, Purpose, and Gratitude
• Strengthen Romantic Bonds

Here are the books:

If you purchase through these links, it helps our show without any additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

1. The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins — https://urlgeni.us/amzn/PX6g2B
   A no-nonsense roadmap to financial independence and freedom from money anxiety.
2. Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy — https://urlgeni.us/amzn/m8KC4Z
   Discover how mental mastery fuels high performance and calm persistence.
3. The Inside-Out Revolution by Michael Neill — https://urlgeni.us/amzn/3Vi3X
   A transformational guide to understanding how our perception creates reality.
4. The Marriage First Aid Kit by Bryce Kaye — https://urlgeni.us/amzn/yHEgvg
   Real strategies to heal, communicate, and reconnect deeply with your partner.

And Here's the Bonus:

The Bullet Journal Method, by Ryder Carroll: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/OHwHra

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Where to Find Us:

Web: https://clutteredpath.com/
Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath
Questions/Comments: feedback@clutteredpath.com
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What if your resume looks stellar, but your days feel hollow? We dive into the hidden costs of success (Anxiety, Insomnia, Quiet Dread) and show a measured way to pivot without blowing up your life. Our guest, career coach and therapist, Rachel Speckman, breaks down a practical framework for building a soul-aligned path where skills, values, and curiosity actually meet. You’ll hear how to translate vague dissatisfaction into clear data, spot the difference between a role problem and an environment problem, and make changes that protect both your well-being and your income.

We unpack the “three Cs” of meaningful work (Community, Contribution, and Challenge) and pair them with a simple Red/Yellow/Green task audit that reveals what drains you and what lights you up.

Rachel explains why identity gets tangled with titles, how to navigate the grief of letting go, and why calculated risk beats impulsive quitting every time. From industry-adjacent pivots to role redesigns to fractional work, we explore common outcomes and the mindset shifts that make them possible. Along the way, you’ll learn to build a backwards-facing resume that surfaces hidden wins and rebuilds self-trust, especially if imposter syndrome has been running the show.

Where to Find Rachel:

https://madeformorecoach.com/

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Resources from This Episode:

Meaningful Work, by Wes Adams & Tamara Myles: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/BEZc6

As an Amazon Partner, our podcast earns from qualified purchases at no extra cost to you.

________________________________________________________________

Where to Find Us:

Web: https://clutteredpath.com/
Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath
Questions/Comments: feedback@clutteredpath.com
_________________________________________________________________

Follow us on Social Media:

• YouTube
• Instagram
• Facebook
• X (Formerly Twitter)
• TikTok