Joshua and Ryan talk about success, failure, fulfillment, and satisfaction—and how incessantly chasing those things can lead to foolness rather than fullness—and they answer the following questions: What does success mean to you? (03:06) What are your beliefs regarding spirituality? (07:38) How do value judgments affect success? (13:08) What is nihilism? (14:39) How do I overcome my addiction to procrastination so I can focus on doing meaningful work? (17:00) What are the two kinds of ‘haves’? (...
Feb 02, 2021•51 min•Ep 273•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about the mental, emotional, digital, and other clutter that reveals itself after we minimize our stuff, and they answer the following questions: When are how-to’s helpful? (02:23) How do we appropriately curate scanned photos so we’re not trading physical clutter for digital clutter? (13:57) What advice do you have for young people who are embarking on their minimalist journeys so they have solid practices in place to prevent clutter? (25:43) What one piece of advice would ...
Jan 26, 2021•48 min•Ep 272•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about love, relationships, sex, and parenting with blogger, podcaster, and Registered Dietitian Becca Shern , and they answer the following questions: What is our language problem? (02:11) What is the difference between loving someone and being in love with someone? (03:45) What does commitment mean to you? (05:30) What is your definition of “love”? (09:55) How do you view unconditional love? (13:25) How do you recognize when it’s time to end a relationship? (16:11) What are...
Jan 19, 2021•49 min•Ep 271•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about reducing—or maybe even eliminating—obligations, and they answer the following questions: What is your ‘context’? (02:23) When is an obligation an actual obligation and not a perceived obligation? (04:31) Is there a difference between commitment and obligation? (05:28) What is the difference between want and desire? (07:04) Do we truly want to be happy? (12:27) What do you mean by ‘commitment’? (13:46) How do I appropriately address societal obligations, such as charita...
Jan 12, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep 270•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about starting over and kicking off the New Year with some friendly decluttering, and they answer the following questions: How do I start decluttering? (04:02) What is the difference between decluttering and organizing? (07:05) How do I conduct an effective Packing Party? (07:38) How do I get my kids involved in decluttering? (13:01) How do I determine whether or not to keep a car that’s functional, but not ideal? (14:49) Once you declutter, how do you keep the clutter from ...
Jan 05, 2021•45 min•Ep 269•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about habit change, letting go of stuff, and the creative process that went into making their new film, Less Is Now , with filmmaker Matt D’Avella , and they answer the following questions: How long have you been working on Less Is Now ? (01:50) How did the Less Is Now project start? (05:51) How did the Less Is Now project evolve? (07:49) How did you settle on a budget for Less Is Now ? (10:16) How do you curate the absolute essential tools for your work when it seems to req...
Dec 29, 2020•1 hr•Ep 268•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan discuss finding peace within and without with writer Leo Babauta , and they answer the following questions: How can you be a minimalist with a large family? (03:34) How did you start on your minimalist journey? (05:39) Who inspired you to adopt minimalism? (09:06) How do you convert other family members to minimalism to ensure peace when you’re living in close quarters? (11:32) How important is it to recognize what you’ve accomplished? (12:46) Is leading by example the best appro...
Dec 22, 2020•50 min•Ep 267•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua treats The Minimalists’ audience to three exclusive conversations with Glennon Doyle (04:48), Dave Ramsey (18:13), and Derek Sivers (33:09) in celebration of the ten-year anniversary of The Minimalists, and they answer the following questions: Has quarantining been a blessing in disguise for some people? (04:48) Why do we have so much difficulty addressing our discontent? (07:46) What is our ‘braver, bolder self’? (09:27) How crucial is the ‘why’? (12:22) Do we compound our problems by fo...
Dec 15, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep 266•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan discuss their evolution as The Minimalists over the last decade, and they answer the following questions: Does it feel like ten years since you started The Minimalists? (03:44) What did you believe about minimalism that you no longer do? (04:52) How have we been lied to as a society? (07:41) How is the word ‘hope’ problematic? (09:03) Is there an issue with forming habits? (10:21) What is the difference between the ‘how’ and the ‘why’? (12:33) How might ‘help’ be a bad thing? (15...
Dec 13, 2020•52 min•Ep 265•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Rebecca Shern talk about what it really means to eat in a balanced way, how to improve our immune systems, and why our overall health is related to our gut health with author and VEEP Nutrition CEO Joel Greene , and they answer the following questions: Why are the most common-sense health practices not obvious? (01:35) What is the immune system, and why is it so important? (02:57) (03:25) What is making us more susceptible to COVID-19? (05:10) How crucial is it to control inflammation...
Dec 08, 2020•46 min•Ep 264•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about celebrating the holiday season with purpose and intention with author Meg Nordmann , and they answer the following questions: Why is gift-giving problematic? (01:59) What do you think of when you think of the holiday season? (03:35) What is the most common question you get about the holiday season? (04:27) How do you handle someone who insists on giving gifts? (04:45) How do I mentally manage the holiday season when I work in an industry dependent on consumerism? (10:2...
Dec 01, 2020•48 min•Ep 263•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about the high price of materialism, and they answer the following questions: What is a ‘curative’? (02:43) Why is it important to recognize our discontent? (06:52) Is money entirely problematic? (07:38) Why does it seem most of us continue to make terrible financial decisions when we’re poor? (16:18) Do celebrities influence society with their bad habits? (17:22) How do I strengthen my focus on minimalism to avoid materialism? (19:18) How do I get my family’s buy-in regardi...
Nov 24, 2020•42 min•Ep 262•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about mental health, the psychology of healing, and consciously creating a healthy relationship with yourself and others with author and holistic psychologist Dr. Nicole LePera , and they answer the following questions: What is a ‘holistic psychologist’? (01:05) What do you focus on in your new book? (03:02) How do you define ‘trauma’? (05:06) How do I stay positive and focused on the days when maintaining my mental balance is particularly challenging? (08:22) What is ‘bypas...
Nov 17, 2020•45 min•Ep 261•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about how to find redemption within ourselves and with others with author and former con artist Matthew Cox , and they answer the following questions: When did your journey as a con artist start? (04:52) What incident stands out above all others in your journey as a con artist? (11:42) What are ‘enhancements’? (12:39) How did you create fake individuals? (14:15) When did your scams start falling apart? (18:14) Did you ever squeeze out of a scam? (22:32) How do you define ‘re...
Nov 10, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep 260•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about the 2020 election, our current political divide, and how we can find unity even when we disagree with returning guests T.K. Coleman , Kim Iversen , and Jamie Kilstein , and they answer the following questions: If your values aren’t aligned with either of the major party candidates, is voting for a third-party candidate really a wasted vote? (06:36) How do we incentivize the system to improve? (11:33) Is it okay to minimize politics in my life and ignore the social medi...
Nov 02, 2020•41 min•Ep 259•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about sex and porn addiction—how to recognize it, how to break it—and, conversely, even the possible positive attributes of porn with director, media personality, and adult film star Lisa Ann , and they answer the following questions: Is porn addiction a recognized addiction? (03:40) How do we better restrict our children’s access to porn? (06:40) Do we overmoralize porn? (09:20) Is porn addiction just a matter of self control? (11:00) Why is Gen Z statistically having the l...
Oct 27, 2020•54 min•Ep 258•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua discusses our constant craving for spirituality with author, podcaster, and pastor Erwin McManus and his son, film producer Aaron McManus , and they answer the following questions: How do I responsibly let go of expensive items that can't be reused by others? (06:17) Is anything actually ‘free’? (08:14) How compatible are minimalist and Buddhist practices? (12:25) I recently let go of religion, but I don’t know what to cling to next. (24:16) What is the difference between religion and fai...
Oct 20, 2020•39 min•Ep 257•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about how The Minimalists apply minimalism to social media, how they’ve changed their opinion about social media over the years, and they review the new Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma with social media specialist Jess Williams , and they answer the following questions: Is social media the original social distancing? (02:06) How do we do a better job of using social media as a tool? (07:17) What are the problems with social media? (16:16) Has the smartphone become mor...
Oct 13, 2020•56 min•Ep 256•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about repairing and strengthening relationships during difficult times with comedian Josh Wolf , and they answer the following questions: Is it possible that the global pandemic actually helped save some relationships? (01:20) What are some good habits to adopt to save a relationship? (06:36) What is ‘Object A’? (09:59) How much is enough? (10:37) What does it feel like to be satisfied? (13:13) What is the difference between pleasure and joy? (15:32) What is the ‘price of ad...
Oct 06, 2020•1 hr•Ep 255•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua discusses books and how to best ensure they enhance our lives, and he answers the following questions: What is the true value of books? (04:42) How do I determine whether to keep or purge books I own that I haven’t yet read? (06:10) What do I do with books to which I’m attached but my partner insists I let go? (12:33) Why do writers choose that profession? (16:10) How do I let go of books I inherited from a loved one that have sentimental value? (21:03) How do I start trimming my book col...
Sep 29, 2020•50 min•Ep 254•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua talks about waste and all the ways in which we are wasteful with Sheila Morovati , Founder and President of Crayon Collection and Habits of Waste, and they answer the following questions: Why do we rarely consider how we’re being wasteful? (03:44) How can I reasonably ensure my donated items don’t become a burden to anyone else? (04:57) How do I ensure I don’t receive unwanted correspondence? (11:47) How do I responsibly repurpose or recycle outdated technology at work? (17:06) What are m...
Sep 22, 2020•43 min•Ep 253•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan discuss spirituality, evolving beliefs, and the impermanence of everything with author, podcaster, and theologian Rob Bell , and they answer the following questions: What does it mean to ‘own your story’? (02:10) How has Rob’s faith evolved? (04:40) What is the origin of the book title, Everything Is Spiritual ? (07:09) What is the ‘wordlessness of grace’? (09:02) What does it mean to ‘hold a place for God’? (10:31) Do you believe in a higher power that can provide comfort and gu...
Sep 15, 2020•53 min•Ep 252•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan discuss the many ways we’ve stuffed our lives to the breaking point, how we can relieve that pressure, and they answer the following questions: How do I determine what is essential to pack for a move? (06:08) How do I incorporate some friction into my decision making? (09:22) What should I do with scrapbooks and mementos that I’m clinging to? (10:10) Is it inconveniencing others to ask them for help in storing items? (11:23) Is it helpful to limit storage space when decluttering?...
Sep 08, 2020•54 min•Ep 251•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about all the extra things we do, and the extraneous activities, obligations, and tasks we commit to that make our lives more complicated with author and fitness expert Ben Greenfield , and they answer the following questions: How do I let go of limiting beliefs? (06:38) How do I reconcile my creativity and my desire for profit? (07:04) How important are mission statements? (07:35) How important is the skill of delegation for creatives? (11:33) How do I appropriately delegat...
Sep 01, 2020•47 min•Ep 250•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan discuss all things weddings—debt, expenses, expectations, responsibilities, ceremonies, outfits, wedding guests, and more—with blogger, author, and matrimonial expert Jessica Bishop , and they answer the following questions: What are the most common questions regarding weddings? (04:17) How do I appropriately manage my family’s expectations regarding the wedding? (08:50) Where do most couples go wrong regarding their wedding planning? (09:37) Is there any scenario where it would ...
Aug 25, 2020•54 min•Ep 249•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan discuss the death of shopping malls and the shopping mall culture, and they answer the following questions: What are the different kinds of dying malls? (03:50) What is the history behind malls? (10:51) How do we encourage retailers to use environmentally responsible packaging? (16:48) How effective is recycling? (18:44) Where do fashion and intentionality align? (24:58) How do we transform vacant malls into a community commodity? (35:06) Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podc...
Aug 18, 2020•54 min•Ep 248•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about owning less, wanting less, decluttering physical and digital spaces, and more (about less) with YouTube minimalist Ronald L. Banks , and they answer the following questions: How do I ensure I purchase new items intentionally? (02:01) How do I appropriately address my constant yearning for upgrades? (05:15) Why do we try to use possessions to validate ourselves? (06:18) How do I appropriately manage my bloated digital storage? (10:53) What is the best method for organiz...
Aug 11, 2020•36 min•Ep 247•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan discuss the fear of missing out (FOMO), the joy of missing out (JOMO), and how to be content in the midst of uncertainty with author, theologian, and philosopher Peter Rollins , and they answer the following questions: What is ‘the lack’? (03:51) What is the difference between freedom and determinism? (04:58) What are hypothetical and categorical imperatives? (06:27) Can too much freedom cause anxiety? (11:52) How do I find satisfaction with my current situation rather than const...
Aug 04, 2020•51 min•Ep 246•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about stuff and why many of us still have too much, and they answer the following questions: How can pressure help me become a better minimalist? (02:21) How do I manage my children’s belongings? (03:52) How do I help my loved ones simplify their lives? (06:30) How do I address my compulsion to build collections? (11:39) What is the difference between joy and happiness? (12:28) What creates true joy? (14:40) How much is enough? (15:42) How can friction help me on my minimali...
Jul 28, 2020•48 min•Ep 245•Transcript available on Metacast Joshua and Ryan talk about our obsessions with trends and fashion, as well as dissect our infatuation with clothing, style, and shoes with the founder of PreachersNSneakers, Tyler Jones , and they answer the following questions: How did PreachersNSneakers start? (02:11) Is the current hip wardrobe of many modern religious leaders simply the new version of wearing the ‘Sunday best’? (11:10) Is it problematic for modern religious leaders to promote and sell church-branded swag? (13:44) Is it accep...
Jul 21, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep 244•Transcript available on Metacast 
