I’m joined today by Lauren Keen Aumond. The usual host of the Adulting Is Easy podcast is celebrating her 200th episode by turning the tables and becoming the interviewee. Lauren is a personal finance content creator and real estate investor based in the Tampa Bay area. She probably uses her Business Finance Degree from the University of Florida and her graduate certificate in financial planning from Boston University in these pursuits. Between stocks, real estate, and equity in an engineering firm, Lauren and her husband, Aric, have reached great financial heights before their mid-30’s. 

From her early curiosity about money, influenced by her financially savvy parents, to navigating challenging family dynamics, Lauren shares how these experiences shaped her financial mindset. Whether it's purchasing her first house at a young age, transitioning into a successful sales career, or her decision to embark on a financial independence journey, Lauren's story is rich with resilience, strategic planning, and personal growth. 

Timestamps:

[10:00] "Adulting is Easy" Journey

[20:38] Unexpected Retail Career Start

[32:24] Career Transition Pre-Pandemic Shift

[41:10] Unexpected Life and Real Estate Choices

[44:42] Real Estate Troubles Amid Pandemic

[50:12] Preventing Squatters in Short-term Rentals

[01:06:52] Deciding on Career and Financial Future

[01:08:20] Transitioning from FIRE to Coast FIRE

[01:22:11] Decade of Growth and Resilience

Connect with Lauren:

Website –https://www.realadultingiseasy.com/

Twitter – https://x.com/AdultingIsEasy

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/adultingiseasyreal/

Enjoy this re-release of one my top listened to episodes with my guest, Nate Dallas.

Nate shares his transformative journey from an outwardly successful yet unsatisfied individual to someone who prioritizes peace and well-being over societal norms. 

Whether it's understanding the nuances of state management or the importance of love and connection, this episode is packed with insightful advice and actionable steps to guide you on your path to a better life. So, get ready to uncover an unorthodox approach to living meaningfully as we learn from Nate Dallas on "The Growth Guide."

[09.51] Importance of small decisions – You have to make small decisions in your life constantly. It may change you as a new person. Nate shares the importance of making small decisions in life and how they may affect your life. 

[21.03] Importance of sleep – Getting 6-8 hours daily sleep is essential because our bodies need to rest. Nate dives deep into the importance of sleep, the wrong things people do when they go to sleep, the best sleep practices, and his sleep routine. 

[42.54] Drinking water – Nate shares why he wanted to drink only water for two months and how he felt after two months. 

[50.24] Food choices – Nate dives into what they do at home to ensure that they get good things in their bodies. 

[01.03.13] State and state management – Nate dives into what he meant by 'the state' in his book and some of the state management techniques we can use. 

[01.28.09] Choosing a pathway –  Nate dives into how he chooses his pathway according to his terms because he wants fulfillment and availability in life. 

[01.45.31] Habit – Nate emphasizes the value of conversing with people, even if you don't relate to what they are saying.

Resources

    Connect with Nate

     LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-dallas-20741764/  

     Website - https://natedallas.com/  

      Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dallasnate/?hl=en  

      Twitter - https://twitter.com/fathersbrother  

      YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@natedallas8114  

Books by Nate:

You're Too Good to Feel This Bad: An Orthodox Approach to Living an Unorthodox Life

Hacking Fatherhood: Preparing for Success in the Biggest Role of Your Life

Enjoy this re-release of one of my top listened to episodes with my guest, Joshua Becker.

Joshua is a writer, creator, and entrepreneur at Becoming Minimalist. He is here to talk about his book, "Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life."

Drawing inspiration from Stoic philosophy, Joshua challenges the pursuit of luxury and fame, advocating for a life of purpose and intentional living. We explore his journey towards minimalism, spurred by a simple realization about possessions and their impact on happiness.

From modeling values in front of his children to embracing solitude for self-reflection, Joshua provides practical steps to minimize regrets and enhance fulfillment.

Tune in as we discuss the power of verbalizing intentions, the role of technology in our lives, and the importance of staying authentic on social media.

Time Stamps:

[07.41] End of life – Joshua explains that his book is dedicated to influencing the reader on how to live their lives having fewer regrets about how they lived. 

[09.53] Heedless luxury & no good activity – The comfort that isn't necessary and the time we spend doing nothing worthy makes us question the time we wasted, says Joshua. 

[15.41] I commit myself – Staying focused every day is essential. Joshua shares the importance of having a clear goal in mind every day. 

[20.24] Identify the distractions – Joshua shares how his book helps readers to identify the distractions in their lives from doing worthy things with their time. 

[31.37] A little bit more – No matter how much money we have, we want a little more. Joshua explains why 90% of American people have stress over money. 

[45.10] Re-programming – Joshua explains how the world is trying to manipulate our existence. He further explains how to break it and re-program ourselves. 

[51.50] Childhood – Joshua dives into how your origin or childhood affects your view of possessions. He shares what people need to do to discover how they are programmed in their childhood. 

[01.01.40] Time – Joshua dives into why it is easy to sacrifice time for things we don't want. 

[01.10.05] Consuming media – Joshua shares his idea on why technology consumes people.

Connect with Joshua 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/becomingminimalist

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joshua_becker/

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/becoming-minimalist/ 

Twitter – https://twitter.com/joshua_becker

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JoshuaBecker

Website - becomingminimalist.com/ 

Book by Joshua:

Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life 

Enjoy this re-release of one my top listened to episodes with my guest, Deb Mashek.

Our guest today is Dr. Deb Mashek, a social psychologist who helps business leaders navigate the relationship headwinds that tank timelines, bottom lines and well-being.  She is an experienced business advisor, professor and non-profit executive.   She is the author of the book Collabor(h)ate: How to build incredible collaborative relationships at work (even if you’d rather work alone)

Timestamps:

[05.50] Collaboration – Deb shares a brief bio on herself and defines collaboration in her own terms. 

[15.02] Hierarchy – The collaboration of every member is important in a collaborative workspace. 

[21.03] The Mashek Matrix – We go through the two dimensions of the Mashek Matrix.

[28.47] OCEAN - Openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism are the big five personality assessments.

[36.16] Relationship quality – We talk about ways to improve relationship quality.

[46.19] Self-expansion theory – Deb explains the psychological theory of self-expansion. 

[59.26] Frequency dial – We talk about formal vs. informal time on the frequency dial in interdependence. 

[01.05.52] Invest in relationships – Collaboration is far from easy. We talk about the importance of developing relationships in order to collaborate. 

[01.20.27] Best behaviors – We talk about the best behaviors to have when we are building a team for collaboration. 

Connect with Deb

Website - myco.consulting/ 

                debmashek.com/ 

Mashek Matrix:  https://debmashek.lpages.co/mashekmatrix/

Blog: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/debra-mashek-phd

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/debra-mashek/ 

Twitter - twitter.com/debmashek 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debmashek

Book by Deb 

Collabor(h)ate:  How to build incredible collaborative relationships at work (even if you’d rather work alone

Enjoy this re-release of one of my top listened to episodes with my guest, Kristen Lee.

This week’s episode of the Growth Guide podcast features Dr. Kristen Lee, a researcher and expert in the field of behavioral science.  She is the author of Worth the Risk: How to Microdose Bravery to Grow Resilience, Connect More and Offer Yourself to the World.  
As society grapples with the increase in mental health issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kristen highlights the critical need for psychoeducation, emphasizing the role of community, lifestyle strategies, and understanding the nuanced relationship between medication and mental wellness.

We discuss the importance of addressing trauma, both "small t" and "large T," and explore healing through scientifically-based behavior changes and the courage it takes to tell personal truths.

We also touch on the cultural phenomenon of overachievement and hustle culture, and its implications on mental health, advocating for a shift towards achievements that serve the collective good. 

Join us as we explore these pressing issues and get inspired to make micro acts of courage a part of everyday life.

[01:07] What-if living - Instead of being paralyzed by worry and dread, accepting the world as it is and making the best of it can liberate you to pursue your dreams.

[16:57] Microdosing Bravery - Bravery and courage are not about grand gestures or impressive displays but rather about taking small and manageable steps towards our values and goals, facing our fears and anxieties, and getting comfortable with the uncomfortable.

[22:15] Emotional Regulation - When we learn to regulate our emotions, we control our feelings better, react with greater awareness, and rely less on habitual, unthinking responses.

[29:37] Mental Health  - Kristen stresses the need to address the current mental health problem because of the unprecedented level of suffering in the world today.

[37:51] Labels and Diagnostic Frameworks - You are not your diagnosis, you are still [Name].

[01:20:03] Tolerance, Acceptance, And Reverence  - We discuss the difference between the concepts of tolerance, acceptance, and reverence and how these can be used to choose values over passivity when dealing with different biases, racism and other "isms" that exist in the world. 

Resources:

Connect with Dr. Kris(ten) Lee:

Website: kristenlee.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drkris1/

Tiktok: tiktok.com/@drkristherapycomedy

Instagram: instagram.com/therealdrkris/

Twitter: twitter.com/TheRealDrKris

Book by Dr. Kristen Lee

Worth the Risk: How to Microdose Bravery to Grow Resilience, Connect More, and Offer Yourself to the World

Enjoy this re-release of one of my top listened to episodes with my guest, Brad Stulberg.

This week’s episode of the Growth Guide Podcast features Brad Stulberg. Brad joined us today to talk about his book, The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds—Not Crushes—Your Soul.

Brad is a writer, researcher, and performance coach and is also the co-author of: Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success. 

In today's conversation, we explore the concept of "heroic individualism" and how it often traps individuals in a cycle of constant striving without fulfillment. We discuss the importance of aligning one's public and private selves for mental well-being and the pitfalls of social media's exaggerated reality. 

Brad shares insights on mindfulness, patience, and the impact of language on personal growth, drawing from ancient wisdom and modern psychology to craft a comprehensive framework for thriving in chaos. 

[06.38] Blessing and a curse – Brad shares his opinion about the lack of boundaries between work and life. 

[14.08] Enjoying the journey – If we do not enjoy doing something, we won’t find enjoyment at the end of it.

[20.46] Social Media – We discuss how we are consumed by the false happiness of people in electronic media. 

[26.40] Stoicism and Buddhism – How the teachings of stoicism and Buddhism about being in the present moment which leads us to feel better and do better. 

[31.50] Behavioral activation – A key component of acceptance and commitment therapy. 

[38.33] Therapeutic toolkit – The Buddhist way of considering thoughts as thoughts and not taking them seriously. 

[45.06] Want vs. need – The more we focus on what we want rather than what we need, the better. 

[01.01.25] Productivity vs. productive activity – Brad explains the difference between productivity and productive activity. 

[01.10.31] Consistency compounds – Brad shares some practices to be consistent and stay on the path. 

[01.22.38] Front vs backstage self – Front stage is the performative self, and the backstage is who you really are. The less distance between them, the better. 

Resources

Connect with Brad

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/brad-stulberg-009b168b/ 

Website - bradstulberg.com/ 

Twitter - twitter.com/BStulberg 

Instagram - instagram.com/bradstulberg/?hl=en 

Book by Brad

The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds—Not Crushes—Your Soul

Book by Brad Stulberg & Steve Magness

Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success

Book by David D. Burns

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

Book by Stephen R. Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Enjoy this re-release of one of my top listened to episodes with my guest, Eric Partaker

This week’s episode of The Growth Guide Podcast features Eric Partaker who joined us today to talk about his book: The 3 Alarms: A Simple System to Transform Your Health, Wealth, and Relationships Forever. 

Eric shares transformative insights on balancing health, wealth, and relationships through habit formation and intentional living. Exploring the power of strategic goal setting, the 80/20 principle, and the concept of marginal gains, Eric dives into practical methods for achieving significant life improvements. 

Hear about his personal wake-up call, a life-altering mid-air heart attack, which prompted a profound shift in perspective towards leading a fulfilling, well-rounded life. Join us as Eric reveals his systems for productivity, team dynamics, and self-improvement that can guide you towards your best self and create momentum in all areas of life. .

[05.04] Wakeup call – Eric shares a brief bio about himself and the incident where he realized he could reach his full potential without sacrificing his health and relationships.

[14.41] 80/20 Rule – We talk about how the 80/20 rule can be applied for improving anything.

[22.05] Procrastination – Procrastination is a defense mechanism. We talk about how to prevent that kind of negative self-talk from happening.

[27.25] Three-legged stool – Eric explains how he decided to create superhero identities for each domain: health, wealth, and relationships.

[35.43] Designing your day – To have successful days, have a shutdown ritual at night, exercise and be creative in the morning, and focus on single tasking during the workday.

[43.28] Staying on track – Weekly and quarterly reviews for productivity and reflection. Intentional scheduling. Positive effects on achieving goals.

[49.50] The three alarms – How Eric takes out the three identities; health. wealth and relationships according to three alarms every day.

Resources

Connect with Eric

Website: www.ericpartaker.com

Podcast: www.ericpartaker.com/podcast

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@EricPartaker1/featured

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ericpartaker/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PPIericpartaker

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/eric-partaker-5560b92

Book by Eric

The 3 Alarms: A Simple System to Transform Your Health, Wealth, and Relationships Forever

Book by Neil Fiore

The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free

Enjoy this re-release of one of my top listened to episodes with my guest, Oonagh Duncan.

Oonagh Duncan is the CEO and founder of Fit Feels Good. She is a multi-award-winning fitness expert, media personality, and author of Healthy as F*ck: The Habits You need to Get Lean, Stay healthy and Kick Ass at Life.

Your body is the result of two facts: genetics and habit. You can’t do anything about your genetics, but you can control your habits. Habits are the ones who control your body, and if you redesign your habits, you can live as a whole new person. 

On this episode of The Growth Guide, we explore the importance of being comfortable with being alone and how implementing basic healthy habits can lead to personal growth. Oonagh discusses the all-too-common desire for a big secret to health and wellness and how people can create their own effort to results ratio.

Tune in for valuable insights on creating sustainable habits and personal growth.

[4:56] Choice of language – the language we choose is important when framing weight loss and dieting.

[17:04] Compound interest – What will sustain you is your habits, and consistency will provide exponential results.

[21.12] Reward for the habit, not the outcome – You really have to reward the action and not the outcome because the outcome is often very much delayed.

[26.18] Eating vegetables – Oonagh explains how a half-plate of vegetables can help your daily diet. 

[32.16] Sleeping – We talk about the importance of sleep as a part of dieting.

[39.26] Meditating – How meditation helps you to make better choices in life. 

[46.53] Value of Small wins – Start with the smallest version of the habit and reinforce your identity as someone who keeps their promises to themselves.

Connect with Oonagh

Website - oonaghduncan.com/ 

                fitfeelsgood.com/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oonaghduncan/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/fitfeelsgood

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@oonaghduncan

Book by Onnagh
Healthy as F*ck: The Habits You Need to Get Lean, Stay Healthy, and Kick Ass at Life 

Oonagh’s Podcast
Goals, Grit and Some Woo Sh*t

Enjoy this re-release of one of my top listened to episodes with my guest, Tiago Forte.

In this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with productivity expert Tiago Forte. Renowned for his "Second Brain" concept, Tiago offers an innovative approach to managing information and boosting creativity.

He introduces the CODE system—Capture, Organize, Distill, and Express—key to streamlining our digital tools and enhancing personal effectiveness. Tiago shares insights on organizing notes by project utility and using the PARA system for more efficient workflows. He discusses the significance of delegation for growth and explores how modern entrepreneurship can evolve beyond founder dependency.

Join us for an enlightening discussion with Tiago Forte, packed with strategies that can revolutionize how you approach creativity and productivity.

[05.55] Second Brain - the system for our second brain is code, capture, organize, distill, express.   Tiago dives into the code system. 

[14.49] The PARA method – Tiago defines the PARA method and what the acronym stands for. 

[21.14] Closing loops – We talk about the misconceptions about closing loops and some ways to close them. 

[28.29] Information packets – Tiago defines information packets and how they can be used to increase creativity. 

[39.58] Quality & Quantity – We dive into the relationship between quality and quantity. 

[43.03] Expression – Tiago explains the three stages of expression; remembering, connecting, and creating  

Connect with Tiago:

Website - fortelabs.co/ 

                buildingasecondbrain.com/ 

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/tiagoforte/ 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TiagoForteLabs

Instagram - instagram.com/fortelabsco/ 

Twitter - twitter.com/fortelabs

Resources:

Book by Tiago

Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential

Book by James A. Michener

The Source

Book by David Spinks

The Business of Belonging: How to Make Community your Competitive Advantage

Enjoy this re-release of one of my top listened to episodes with my guest, Chris Winter,

Today, we're diving deep into the intricacies of sleep with renowned sleep expert and neurologist, Chris Winter. With over 10,000 patients under his care, including elite athletes, Chris has transformed lives through improved sleep. 

We'll explore fascinating topics such as the role of adenosine in sleepiness, the impact of caffeine, and the controversial concept of sleep debt. Chris will share practical advice on maintaining a consistent wake-up routine, optimizing your sleep environment, and debunking common sleep myths. 

Whether you're a college student, a high-powered professional, or just someone seeking better sleep, you'll find actionable insights in this episode. Plus, we'll touch on the cognitive effects of sleep deprivation, the significance of circadian rhythms, and how genetics play into our sleep needs. 

[06:29] The Glymphatic System and its Impact on Alzheimer's Disease: How Sleep Can Help Delay the Onset of the Disease.

[10:26] Sleep Deprivation: The Connection Between Sleep Deprivation, Brain Fog, and Increased Risk for Accidents and Dementia.

[25:53] Finding Your Optimal Sleep Duration: The Minimum Hours of Sleep Required for Optimal Health and Productivity.

[36:13] The Drive Reduction Theory: How Your Body Forces You to Get Better Sleep.

[41:26] The Science Behind Sleep: Homeostasis, Circadian Rhythm, Adenosine, Melatonin, and Caffeine.

[46:11] The Truth About Caffeine: How Caffeine Tolerance Affects Your Brain and Sleep? 

[51:12] Understanding Sleep Debt: Can We Really Make Up for Lost Sleep?

[56:11] Expert Insights: The Importance of Consistent Wake-Up Times for Better Sleep.

[01:01:25] Optimizing Your Sleep: The Importance of Sleep Hygiene and Creating Your Hibernation Lair.

[01:13:06] The Power of a Bedtime Routine: Tips for a Consistent and Healthy Sleep Schedule.

Resources:

Connect with Chris:

Website: wchriswinter.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepUnpluggedPodcast

Instagram: instagram.com/drchriswinterv

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchriswinter

Podcast: Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sleep-unplugged-with-dr-chris-winter/id1631914841

Books by Dr. Chris Winter:

The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It

The Rested Child: Why Your Tired, Wired or Irritable Child May have a Sleep Disorder -- and How to Help

Books Mentioned in the Podcast:

Book by Samuel Shem: The House of God

Book by Joseph Heller: Catch-22