How to Go Carbon Neutral, Grow from Rejection, and Have the Pope Ask for Your Prayers with Jared Brock – SASM 076

Summary: <br> I had no idea how Christians signed emails until I met my guest.<br> And you probably didn't know that he flipped the script on books about prayer by making his eclectic, soulful, and hilarious.<br> This Smart and Simple Matters episode with Jared Brock – co-founder of Hope for the Sold, author of A Year of Living Prayerfully, and frequent forest resident of a 1975 Airstream trailer – switches quickly from inspiring, funny, and practical.<br> You'll probably pull different gems from our conversation, but I was struck by a couple of Jared's statements in particular. The first was his answer to one of my favorite questions: what does simple living mean to you?<br> Simple living means cultivating a margin of time and money in order to focus on projects that I feel called to do. [It's] stripping out anything that's non-essential to achieve our goals and dreams. – Jared Brock<br> The second was telling and insightful as well, especially if you struggle with the fear of rejection (I know I do):<br> [In life,] you're currently at a baseline of “no.” No, the Pope's not going to meet you. No, they're not going to let you into North Korea … The worst case scenario with an ask is getting a “no.” But you've already got that [by not asking].” – Jared Brock<br> If you're looking for hearty laughs, deep spirituality, or easy tips to tread lightly through the world, crank this episode up and don't skip a moment.<br> You're about to Learn …<br> <br> * How living at an eco-resort or intentional community can change everything.<br> * What happens when a little kid loses a $20 bet (with money he doesn't have).<br> * Why you need to do a full life audit to become carbon neutral.<br> * Some of the best, easiest ways to stay carbon neutral.<br> * Why Pope Francis asked Jared to pray for him.<br> * How Jared landed on “pizza buffet duty” during his Costa Rica travels.<br> * His girlfriend's one condition before she'd accept his marriage proposal.<br> * The beauty of a silent Quaker church service.<br> * Why you need a total disregard for rejection.<br> <br>  <br>  <br> Resources and Items Mentioned in This Episode:<br> <br> * Websites:<br> <br> * <a href="http://jaredbrock.com/about/">JaredBrock.com</a><br> * <a href="http://hopeforthesold.com/about/">Hope for the Sold</a><br> * <a href="http://joelzaslofsky.com/patreon" target="_blank">Joel on Patreon</a><br> <br> <br> * Resources:<br> <br> * <a href="http://simplerev.com/tickets">SimpleREV 2015 tickets</a><br> * <a href="http://guynameddave.com/about-the-100-thing-challenge/">The 100 Thing Challenge</a><br> * <a href="http://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/">Carbon Footprint Calculator</a><br> <br> <br> * Books:<br> <br> * <a href="http://LivingPrayerfully.com">A Year of Living Prayerfully</a><br> <br> <br> * Videos:<br> <br> * <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2GyycjheLg">The Video Trailer for A Year of Living Prayerfully</a><br> * <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Le_uq37EAQ">How Christians Sign Emails</a><br> <br> <br> * Blog Posts:<br> <br> * <a href="http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/10-ways-simplify-your-life">10 Ways to Simplify Your Life</a><br> <br> <br> * Where to find Jared on social media:<br> <br> * <a href="https://twitter.com/jaredbrock">Twitter</a><br> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jaredabrock">Facebook</a><br> <br> <br> <br> Topics<br> <br> * [04:45] Jared's seeds of awesomeness<br> * [07:36] How to practice Quaker simplicity and silence<br> * [09:35] What simple living means to Jared<br> * [12:51] The origins of his minimalist lifestyle<br> * [15:09] What makes for a good intentional community<br> * [17:38] Why Jared is carbon neutral and how he stays on track<br> * [22:58] Passover Seder with Hasidic Jews<br>