Tammy Strobel

I could never see Tammy Strobel walk into a room, not get something she wants, and then proclaim, “Do you know who I am?!”

She's way too kind and humble for that. However…

I can definitely see myself walk to the far corners of the Internet, find people who don't know who Tammy is, and then declare, “What?! You don't know who Tammy Strobel is or what RowdyKittens is all about?”

That's exactly what I'm doing with this episode of Smart and Simple Matters.

Tammy is a lot of things to a lot of people, but she's also not a lot of things that most people are. And to me and the many people who follow her journey, that's a very good thing.

In shorter terms, her mission is all about “going small, thinking big, and being happy.” It's something that I can get behind, and so can the people who have heard about Tammy in places like USA Today, The Huffington Post, The New York Times, and The Today Show.

In our chat, Tammy and I talk about some of the themes from her book – You Can Buy Happiness (and It's Cheap) – but we also go beyond happiness.

We talk about creating space in your life. How kindness and empowerment work together to become something even more powerful. We talk about… well… we cover a lot.

Here's a glimpse of Tammy's thoughtfulness:

I didn't realize how much the “stuff” was weighing down my mental state. With a lot of stuff, you have to keep track of it [and] that takes up a lot of space in your brain. – Tammy

This was such a good conversation that even I said something useful.

It's fun to be consumed when you're consumed with the right things. – Joel

[Tweet This]

Tammy even complimented me on my curating via spreadsheets, so instantly, she gets bonus points. But don't let my light-heartedness obscure the serious – and seriously awesome – message that Tammy has for us all.

You can read more about it below and I'd encourage you to click on some links if you normally don't do that.

What You'll Learn

Besides increasing mindfulness, creating space in all facets of your existence, and learning to use empowerment, you'll get a ton from this one.

In this episode you'll learn about:

  • How to use your personal story to help people find their own happiness.
  • Why empowerment is so powerful … and can eliminate the feeling of being controlled.
  • How to have more physical (and mental) space for the things that matter.
  • Why “should” and “have to” should lead to you judging less.
  • How to push people towards happiness without shoving them unwillingly.
  • The strange, wonderful link between photography and simplicity.
  • How a morning ritual can help you slow down and be grateful.
  • Acting from a place of kindness and not making assumptions about people.
  • Approaching the roadblocks on a simplicity journey with a “beginners” mindset.
  • A double rainbow other than the YouTube guy's one.

Resources and Items Mentioned in This Episode Include:

Topics

  • [03:49] Tammy's seeds of awesomeness
  • [06:56] Tammy's downsizing story
  • [11:33] Ways to find happiness
  • [16:31] The link between simplicity, photography, and rituals
  • [19:43] The peer mindset
  • [23:00] Why tiny houses are awesome
  • [25:46] How Tammy curates her existence
  • [28:52] E-courses (Tammy/Courtney Carver's and others)
  • [33:40] Double rainbows

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Transcript

The transcript will not be available until I find a new transcriptionist (if you know someone good, let me know).

I'm Grateful for Your iTunes Reviews!

If you enjoyed this specific episode or the Smart and Simple Matters show in general, I always appreciate when people go to the iTunes page and leave an honest review. Every single review is a huge help and received with gratitude!

If you want to make me incredibly thankful, like the people who have recently left an iTunes review, here are the four quick steps (assuming iTunes is already installed):

  1. Visit the Smart and Simple Matters iTunes page here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/value-simple-podcast-joel/id545208089
  2. Click the blue button on the left labeled “View in iTunes” below the cover art of the show
  3. When iTunes loads, scroll down below the “Customer Reviews” section and click the link labeled “Write a Review”
  4. Write a review with whatever title you like, whatever length you have time for, and give the show an honest rating. If you don't think it deserves five stars, don't rate it as a five star show.

And if you have someone or something you'd like us to cover on an upcoming show, tell us in the comments below.