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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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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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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.

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Web: https://clutteredpath.com/
Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath
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Letting kids grow up isn’t easy. It’s beautiful, bittersweet, and takes a lot of courage. In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Jack Stoltzfus shares how parents can let go with love while staying deeply connected.

Parenting is full of moments that stretch the heart. None more so than watching your kids transition into adulthood. In this conversation with Dr. Jack Stoltzfus, we explore the common pitfalls and struggles that all parents face while raising children. Laying a solid foundation while they’re young is key to developing maturity and emotional resilience. Later on, this can allow us to experience the beautiful, bittersweet season of letting go while watching them blossom into self-sufficient adults.

During this conversation, we discover how to stay connected to your teen or young adult, support their journey toward independence, and navigate our own emotions through this transition. Whether your child is preparing for college, moving out, or simply growing up, this episode will speak straight to your heart.

Where to Find Jack:
Web: https://parentslettinggo.com/

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Jack’s Books:

The Parent’s Launch Code: Loving and Letting Go of Our Adult Children, by Jack Stoltzfus https://amzn.to/4i3o4OY

Growing Apart: Letting Go of Our Young Adults, by Jack Stoltzfus https://amzn.to/49U9rLU

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Web: https://clutteredpath.com/
Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath
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From Victim to Victor: How Taking Accountability Transforms Your Life

Are you feeling stuck in your life despite trying hard to improve? Discover how shifting from a victim mentality to true accountability can change everything. In this episode, Todd interviews Robert J. Hunt, co-author of "Nobody Cares Until You Do," about the power of personal responsibility and overcoming blame and excuses.

Learn the stages of accountability and how to climb what Hunt calls the "Accountability Mountain." Whether you're struggling with finances, relationships, career challenges, or personal growth, this conversation reveals practical strategies for taking ownership of your life and moving from feeling helpless to becoming empowered. Featuring real-life stories of transformation, including how Robert and his wife eliminated $90,000 in debt by embracing accountability instead of waiting for external solutions.

Perfect for midlife listeners, business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone ready to stop making excuses and start living the life they really want.

Where to Connect With Robert:

https://refdallas.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberthuntceo/
https://www.youtube.com/@nobodycaresbook6826
https://www.instagram.com/nobodycaresbook/

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Resources from This Episode:

Nobody Cares (Until You Do), by Salem Thyne and Robert Hunt https://amzn.to/4oKvERq

Satisfaction Assessment: https://nobodycaresbook.com/resources/

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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During WWII in war-torn Holland, a five-year-old watches Canadian soldiers hand out bread, butter, and cheese in a schoolyard. He decides that someday he will live in the land of his heroes. Decades later that child, John Brink, arrives in Canada with a suitcase, $25.47 in his pocket, and a desire to build his own company. What unfolds is a story of grit, passion, and the billion-dollar skill that changed everything: Communication.

We sit down with John to explore his childhood in Nazi-Occupied Holland, PTSD, and years of academic struggles that evolved into a blueprint for confident speaking and leadership. He shares the identity shift that came with discovering ADHD and Dyslexia, and how naming his neurodiversity turned shame into a superpower. From a humiliating first experience speaking in public to becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster, John walks us through the habits that transformed panic into presence: study the room, master the tech, move with purpose, choose outlines over scripts, and focus on your audience. He also reveals why a little anxiety is useful, how empathy makes moments unforgettable, and what it looks like to go off-script to elevate someone else’s story.

Along the way, we talk building lumber mills, writing books, and stepping on a bodybuilding stage in his 70s and 80s as a declaration that discipline scales across domains. If you care about public speaking, leadership, or simply finding your voice, you’ll leave with practical tactics and a deeper sense of what’s possible when you align attitude, passion, and work ethic with a clear message.

Where to Connect With John Brink:

Web: https://johnabrink.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnABrink

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Resources from This Episode:

Billion Dollar Communication Skills, by John A Brink https://amzn.to/3K6RpLY
Against All Odds, by John A Brink https://amzn.to/4r3CQtl
Living Young, Dying Old, by John A Brink https://amzn.to/4r0I88O

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

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Web: https://clutteredpath.com/
Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath
Questions/Comments: feedback@clutteredpath.com
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What if confidence doesn’t come from hype, but from training yourself? We sit down with communication coach Jeff Callahan to carve out a practical path from social anxiety to authentic connection that's built on reps, helpful self-talk, and simple frameworks anyone can use. As a child, Jeff’s story began with a severe stuttering problem but today he has a thriving coaching practice featured by Inc., Time, and Business Insider. The main lesson is to become competent at communicating, because competence breeds confidence.

We dig into why so many adults feel behind on soft skills (years of technical focus, the rise of screens and algorithms, and the slow disappearance of third spaces) and how we can overcome deficiencies. Jeff shares a weekly audit to surface hidden micro-opportunities for practice, a method to stack small wins, and a mental model to replace harsh, inaccurate stories with neutral, helpful interpretations. You’ll also learn the “spokes” method to keep conversations flowing without memorized scripts. More reps = less pressure.

The professional upside is real. Jeff explains how clearer self-advocacy can translate to raises, promotions, and leadership visibility, with an example of a client who landed a 10% salary bump and a path to promotion by refining his message. If you’ve ever felt isolated or stuck waiting to “feel ready,” this conversation provides a way forward: show up, practice small, choose helpful stories, and let confidence flow out of your competence.

Resources From Jeff:

Email: jeff@becomemorecompelling.com

Free 56 Minute Training on Group Conversations: https://www.becomemorecompelling.com/group

Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/becomemorecompelling

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Web: https://clutteredpath.com/
Patreon: https://patreon.com/clutteredpath
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What happens when you achieve everything society says will make you happy, only to discover it's left you feeling empty? Ray Martin, award-winning business leader turned nomadic explorer, discovered that his greatest achievement wasn't building a successful company — it was finding the courage to walk away from it all and build something better.

In this transformative conversation, Ray reveals how a planned six-month sabbatical unexpectedly turned into a 14-year journey living out of nothing but a backpack. After winning "Business Leader of the Year" at 42, Ray faced a series of personal crises — divorce, his father's death, and having to sell his company — that forced him to confront the uncomfortable truth that he was "living someone else's life." What followed was a remarkable odyssey of self-discovery across Asia that completely transformed his relationship with success, purpose, and happiness.

The turning point came during a 10-day silent meditation retreat in a Buddhist monastery, where Ray experienced a profound mental shift that allowed him to separate himself from the constant "noise" of his thinking mind. This newfound clarity inspired him to train for marathons, eventually completing five (including New York) and raising approximately $50,000 for causes including elephant sanctuaries and Nepalese orphanages.

Ray shares practical wisdom about using what he calls "confirmation signals" to navigate life decisions, creating a personal dashboard of values, vision, and purpose, and the crucial shift from an outside-in to inside-out orientation to happiness. His journey illustrates that true fulfillment comes not from external achievements but from aligning our actions with our deepest values.

Whether you're feeling trapped in your career, questioning your path, or simply curious about alternative approaches to finding meaning, Ray's story offers both inspiration and practical guidance for anyone brave enough to pursue their authentic path. Connect with Ray through his book "Life Without a Tie" or find him on LinkedIn to learn more about his extraordinary journey.

Connect With Ray:

https://lifewithoutatie.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachraymartin/

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Resources from This Episode:

Life Without a Tie, by Ray Martin https://amzn.to/3X2jFlV
The Inside Out Revolution, by Michael Neill https://amzn.to/4hYVHBy

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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