Edge of Comfort

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Explore the adventures, perspectives, and philosophies of experienced world-travelers. Each episode dives deep into unique travel experiences, lifestyles not confined by a 9-5 job, stories of growth t... more

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FAQs about Edge of Comfort:

How many episodes does Edge of Comfort have?

The podcast currently has 60 episodes available.

Edge of Comfort episodes:

November 19, 2020 Running Lake Michigan Podcast (RLMP) #1 - Introduction
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast I introduce my next adventure: Running Lake Michigan!
Starting early 2021 (aiming for January), I am running over 1,100 miles around the perimeter of Lake Michigan in 36 days to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Learn about the Why behind the run and details about the run itself. I also answer a few fan questions throughout the episode and at the end.
To learn more about the run, go to https://www.runninglakemichigan.com/.
You can also follow the journey on my Instagram, @leethornquist.
Thank you for listening!
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43min
August 24, 2020 #31: Calendar Club Running Challenge – How & Why I Ran 505 Miles in a Month

“When I push, my body responds…How we talk to ourselves, what we say to ourselves, what we’re thinking, it makes all the difference.”– Lee Thornquist

On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast I reflect on running 505 miles in July 2020 to complete the Calendar Club running challenge and I answer questions from listeners regarding physicality, mentality, nutrition, and other aspects of the month.

What is the Calendar Club Challenge?

The Calendar Club challenge is where each day of the month, you run the amount of miles that correspond to that day of the month.

This means on July 1st I ran one mile. On July 2nd I ran two miles. July 3rd I ran three miles and so on until 31 miles on July 31st. Successfully completing the challenge means running 496 miles in 31 consecutive days.

Spoiler alert: on the final day I was feeling terrific and more in the zone than ever before, so I ran an extra nine miles to make it 40 miles for the day and 505 miles for the month.

Surprised by my parents, who were at the finish line of my final run on July 31st.

I originally discovered the Calendar Club challenge while following serial entrepreneur and ultramarathon runner Jesse Itzler (Website | IG) when he completed it earlier this year. The grueling physicality, mentality, and tenacity required for the challenge instantly intrigued me.

I didn’t think I would take a shot at the challenge but I just couldn’t get it out of my mind.

Two or three days before July 1st, I decided now was the perfect time for my own attempt. I was furloughed from work, didn’t have any major vacations, and had minimal social obligations due to Covid-19, so I thought, “Why not at least try?”

Why did I actually want to do the Calendar Club challenge?

My reasons for doing the Calendar Club challenge were three-fold:

> Continue challenging myself in new ways…

I wanted to do something that tested many of the running beliefs I’ve built up about what’s possible and what I can do. No rest days, minimal recovery time, continuous increase in miles, and weekly mileage that was nearly 3.5x more than any week I’ve previously done.

Before this challenge, the most miles I ran in a week was 61, with one or two rest days mixed in the week. Running 31 consecutive days seemed daunting enough, and some of the weekly mileage seemed unfathomable (like the final 7-day stretch of 205 miles).

> Fear…

This challenge honestly scared me more than any other physical challenge I’ve done and I wanted to go towards that fear instead of shying away.

While I was still in good running and endurance shape from my 50-miler in late February, I had no idea if my body would hold up.

I definitely had doubts if I could finish the month but I figured even if I didn’t reach my final goal I would become better through the effort and process of trying, which would be worth it.

> To raise money and awareness for Ahmaud Arbery and his family…

On February 23, 2020 around 1:15pm, 25 year-old Ahmaud Arbery was running near his home in Georgia when he was pursued and shot down by Travis McMichael and his f...
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1h 10min
August 24, 2020 #31: Calendar Club Running Challenge - How & Why I Ran 505 Miles in a Month
You can find the full episode description and show notes at edgeofcomfort.com/eocp31/

"When I push, my body responds…How we talk to ourselves, what we say to ourselves, what we’re thinking, it makes all the difference." - Lee Thornquist
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast I reflect on running 505 miles in July 2020 to complete the Calendar Club running challenge and I answer questions from listeners regarding physicality, mentality, nutrition, and other aspects of the month.
...more
1h 10min
December 19, 2019 #30: Lena Papadopoulos – Using Intercultural Learning as a Tool for Self-Discovery, Awareness, and Healing

“We reject other people because we have rejected ourselves. We are separate from other people because we are separate from who we are. Through the conditioning, we learn to become someone else and we deny our truth so often and live out these limiting beliefs that we develop. The unhappiness that exists within us is projected out into the world.”Lena Papadopoulos

On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, Lena Papadopoulos and I talk about her work as an intercultural educator, the impact and expectations created from cultural conditioning, examining and breaking our limiting beliefs, how to catalyze self-discovery, understanding identity, and more.

Lena Papadopoulos (IG) is an award-winning interculturalist, facilitator, and coach. Lena believes the division between us is a projection of the pain within us. This means that healing the collective begins with healing ourselves.

Lena empowers individuals to break free from their conditioning so they can reconnect with themselves, embrace who they truly are, and embody their unique potential. Lena’s approach is a unique alchemy of her educational and professional background in sociology, psychology, cultural anthropology, intercultural education, and leadership development.

The daughter of two immigrant parents from Greece, Lena was born and raised in Georgetown, South Carolina. Growing up, she felt torn between Greek and American cultures and like she didn’t fully belong to either.

In the U.S. Lena was too passionate and expressive. In Greece she was too individualistic and independent. She grew up with two different sets of values and expectations from her family and cultures, neither of which really suited her true self.

On her website, Lena says:

“Deep down, I knew I wasn’t meant to fit into a box. A non-conformist at heart, I had an innate desire to resist the status quo. But I feared that if people really knew me, they wouldn’t like me…I also grew up in a volatile and abusive home environment. If I said or did anything ‘wrong,’ it provoked an explosive reaction or some form of humiliating punishment. I felt it wasn’t safe to be myself. I muted parts of my personality and amplified others. I silenced my truth and stifled my spirit in search of acceptance and protection from harm.”

We talk about the affect growing up like this had on her and how she dealt with the conflicting pressure from many sides, so I’ll let you listen to her explanation in our conversation.

Throughout the years, Lena took a path of her own in her education and work. She traveled, worked, or studied in New Zealand, Tanzania, China, Bangkok, and different cities in the United States.

In 2017, Lena left the U.S. to travel full-time while building her business.

In 2017, Lena left the U.S. to travel full-time while building her intercultural education business. Discover more at lenapapadopoulos.com

Today, Lena works as an intercultural educator, cultural consultant, and facilitator. She helps facilitate powerful personal growth and self-discovery, human connection,
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2h 15min
December 19, 2019 #30: Lena Papadopoulos - Using Intercultural Learning as a Tool for Self-Discovery, Awareness, and Healing
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp30/

"We reject other people because we have rejected ourselves. We are separate from other people because we are separate from who we are. Through the conditioning, we learn to become someone else and we deny our truth so often and live out these limiting beliefs that we develop. The unhappiness that exists within us is projected out into the world.” - Lena Papadopoulos

On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, Lena Papadopoulos and I talk about her work as an intercultural educator, the impact and expectations created from cultural conditioning, examining and breaking our limiting beliefs, how to catalyze self-discovery, understanding identity, and more.

Lena Papadopoulos (IG) is an award-winning interculturalist, facilitator, and coach. Lena believes the division between us is a projection of the pain within us. This means that healing the collective begins with healing ourselves.

Lena empowers individuals to break free from their conditioning so they can reconnect with themselves, embrace who they truly are, and embody their unique potential. Lena’s approach is a unique alchemy of her educational and professional background in sociology, psychology, cultural anthropology, intercultural education, and leadership development.
...more
2h 15min
December 09, 2019 #29: Life Update with Lee – Luxury Travel, Plant-Based Eating, and a 50-Mile Trail Run

On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, I share updates on the status of Edge of Comfort and my life from the last 6-7 months. This includes starting work at a luxury travel company, international and domestic travels, experimenting with a strict plant-based vegan diet, signing up for a 50-mile trail run, and more.

Why has there been very little content from Edge of Comfort in the last six to seven months? Is the podcast still up and running and can I expect to see any new episodes?

I’ve been asked these questions quite frequently in the last few months, and my answer was, “Some of my priorities have shifted and I haven’t allocated time to work on the blog or podcast, but I’m going to start back up soon!”

I’m happy to say that “soon” is now, and I’m starting to create new content for Edge of Comfort. This means you can expect to see new podcasts, blog posts, social media content on Instagram / Facebook, and more!

The reason my priorities shifted during this time period is mostly due to one of my biggest life updates. I am working full-time again, which completely shifted my schedule and focus. I wanted to make sure I put everything into the start of my new job so I could build a good foundation and focus on learning as much as possible, since the early parts of a new job usually involve the steepest learning curve.

While I talk about my new job in the podcast, below is a short summary of what I’m doing, other updates in my life, and my favorite story I’ve found in the last few months.

No Longer a Broke Backpacker!

After being out of office for over a year, I started working full-time at a luxury travel company in my hometown. My job title is Product Specialist – Europe, which means I am helping support and design over 30 luxury small group journeys to Europe.

What exactly does luxury mean? Super fancy hotels, high-end meals, access to exclusive events or openings, and more. Ironically enough, the type of travel that is the exact opposite from my usual adventures. Myself, and many others, are very far away from being able to afford some of our journeys because this luxury comes with an understandable premium. Luckily, the company sends me on a journey about once a year to learn about destinations, interact with guests, and gain a better understanding of the end product that we work so hard to put together.

Enjoying a much needed espresso in the hotel room after traveling overnight.

Going back into the working, 9-5, office life was something I was both excited about but also extremely nervous. I was excited because it was such a cool opportunity in an area I care deeply about. The job would allow me to learn more about travel, the world, and other related area so important in my life.

I was nervous because, well, I hadn’t worked an office job for 1.5 years. Still a little bit scarred from my previous job, I was nervous that all office jobs were similar. I was used to being on the road, creating my own schedule,
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29min
December 08, 2019 #29: Life Update with Lee - Luxury Travel, Plant-Based Eating, and a 50-Mile Trail Run
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp29/

On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, I share updates on the status of Edge of Comfort and my life from the last 6-7 months. This includes starting work at a luxury travel company, international and domestic travels, experimenting with a strict plant-based vegan diet, signing up for a 50-mile trail run, and more.
...more
29min
May 07, 2019 #28: Celinne Da Costa – Creating a Life of Integrity, Authenticity, and Purpose

“Build what you want to build, create the life that you want to create, and enjoy the fruits of your labors.”– Celinne Da Costa

On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, Celinne Da Costa and I talk about her couch surfing trip around the world, completely changing her lifestyle and career to work from anywhere, how to gain clarity on your own story, and completing her latest personal challenge, 30 Days of Radical Rawness.

Celinne Da Costa (IG / TW / FB) is a brand story & life design coach for visionary leaders who want to master the art of storytelling so they can deeply connect with their audience, create a captivating brand that sells, and scale their business with impact.

In 2016, she left her unfulfilling corporate marketing career in New York City to become the architect of her own life. This meant crafting a story that allowed her to infuse every day with meaningful moments of human connection, internal space for self-discovery, and opportunities to pursue her passions… all while seeing the world.

Celinne’s mission is to create a life story that is full of joy, meaning, and purpose—and to empower you to do the same, so that you can manifest your life and business vision into a reality that fulfills you and inspires others.

Since starting her own company, Celinne has helped her 6 and 7 figure clients become confident leaders with powerful stories, influential brands, gain international media coverage, and thousands of raving followers.

Celinne graduated from University of Pennsylvania, is a master NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Communication practitioner, and a certified Life, Social & Emotional Intelligence, and Motivational coach.

She has visited over 50 countries and now travels full-time while running her business. Celinne has been featured in major publications around the world, including Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider, and has a loyal community of over 50,000 dreamers following her adventures around the world.

Celinne’s story is fascinating and we could only get in to it a little bit today, so I highly encourage you to learn more about her at celinnedacosta.com.

Some of the things we talk about in today’s conversation include:

* How Celinne traveled around the world by only staying with people she had some sort of human connection with (essentially couchsurfing but not using the site)* Living a life of integrity and why it’s such an important value in her life* Celinne’s effort to be more vulnerable by doing a challenge on instagram this last March called 30 Days of Radical Rawness – and similarly, the layers of vulnerability* How she has built a successful c...
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1h
May 07, 2019 #28: Creating a Life of Integrity, Purpose, and Authenticity - Celinne Da Costa
You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp28/

"Build what you want to build, create the life that you want to create, and enjoy the fruits of your labors.”
- Celinne Da Costa
On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast, Celinne Da Costa and I talk about her couch surfing trip around the world, completely changing her lifestyle and career to work from anywhere, how to gain clarity on your own story, and completing her latest personal challenge, 30 Days of Radical Rawness.
Celinne Da Costa (IG / TW / FB) is a brand story & life design coach for visionary leaders who want to master the art of storytelling so they can deeply connect with their audience, create a captivating brand that sells, and scale their business with impact.
In 2016, she left her unfulfilling corporate marketing career in New York City to become the architect of her own life. This meant crafting a story that allowed her to infuse every day with meaningful moments of human connection, internal space for self-discovery, and opportunities to pursue her passions… all while seeing the world.
Celinne’s mission is to create a life story that is full of joy, meaning, and purpose—and to empower you to do the same, so that you can manifest your life and business vision into a reality that fulfills you and inspires others.
Since leaving corporate America, Celinne has helped her 6 and 7 figure clients become confident leaders with powerful stories, influential brands, gain international media coverage, and thousands of raving followers.
Celinne graduated from University of Pennsylvania, is a master NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Communication practitioner, and a certified Life, Social and Emotional Intelligence, and Motivational coach.
She has visited over 50 countries and now travels full-time while running her business. Celinne has been featured in major publications around the world, including Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider, and has a loyal community of over 50,000 dreamers following her adventures around the world.
Celinne’s story is fascinating and we could only get in to it a little bit today, so I highly encourage you to learn more about her at celinnedacosta.com.

You can find the full episode description and show notes at https://edgeofcomfort.com/eocp28/
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1h
April 22, 2019 #27: Erin O’Neil – Stranded in China, Gui Ren, and How to Be More Vulnerable & Trusting

“Trusting someone else is more of a reflection of whether or not you trust yourself to overcome any adversity.”– Erin O’Neil, Author of Gui Ren

On this episode of the Edge of Comfort Podcast I talk with Erin O’Neil, world-traveler and first-time author of the book, Gui Ren. Erin and I discuss her unexpected experiences from living in China, lessons from the Chinese phrase Gui Ren, and how a new side of life opens up when you are vulnerable and trusting.

Many recent university graduates feel immense self and external pressure to immediately go into the workforce and begin climbing the ladder of corporate America. Heck, getting a professional job and setting yourself up for new opportunities in life is the reason most people go to a university.

In other countries, people are encouraged to delay their entrance into the workforce to travel for an extended period of time, often referred to as a gap year.

People take these periods of exploration to experience more of the world, break from the bubble of their life and culture, expose themselves to new ideas and possibilities, and catalyze internal change and growth.

This doesn’t always happen and if it does, it happens in various degrees for each individual. But, most people feel some sort of change, growth, or self confidence from an extended journey.

My guest today, Erin O’Neil (@_itsonmylist), decided to adopt a variation of the gap year mentality when she moved to China right after graduation for what was supposed to be a 6-month work experience in Shanghai. I say supposed to be, because things didn’t quite go as planned.

Right after graduation from university (while rocking an “It’s On My List” cap), Erin took a risk and moved to China for a life-changing experience.

Erin O’Neil is an enthusiastic digital storyteller and conversationalist with a serious case of wanderlust. By the time she turned 23, she had visited 22 countries on 4 different continents.

But, perhaps the most life-changing adventure for Erin was living alone in China for 6 months.

Despite the culture shock, severe language barrier, and struggle to figure out how chopsticks work, Asia taught her how to trust herself and create a world in which authenticity, mindfulness, and vulnerability were the only survival tools she needed.

Upon returning, Erin devotes her time to sharing stories from abroad and life lessons in travel. She is currently finishing writing her first book entitled, Gui Ren. Gui Ren is a written Chinese phrase that encompasses the right people coming into your life with synchronicity to help guide and inspire you.

One of the people Erin met at the right time during her travels. A true example of Gui Ren.

“To trust everyone risks heartbreak, but to trust no one guarantees loneliness.”

Her book Gui Ren, which her editor described as an Eat, Pray, Love for millennials, is a narrative devoted to illustrating moments of phenomenal connection and celebrating the lessons learned through travel. It’s an immersion into the comedic reality of navigating a world without verbal communication, finding stability and routine in an unfamiliar world, and abandoning comfort zones to catalyze personal growth and adventure.

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1h 49min

FAQs about Edge of Comfort:

How many episodes does Edge of Comfort have?

The podcast currently has 60 episodes available.