Touching The Trail Podcast

Our society is addicted to busyness and we have no idea what to do with free time. We live in a vicious cycle of drifting amongst leisure and so adding more busyness to salve our confusion. We are lost. A good friend of mine recently remarked to me, for the 100th time, "Oh, I'm so busy, it's been absolutely crazy." Busyness seems to be a badge of honor and a point of pride, a marker of success as it were. We are chained to our busyness, despite the fact that research shows that we now have more free time than ever. So the question becomes: What do we do with busyness? I believe that we must not allow ourselves to be a prisoner to it, take a step back and breathe, plan, eliminate extraneous tasks, single task, delegate duties, and learn from others. These paths to mental peace and freedom in the face of busyness are what I delve into in today's episode. Join me.Muchas gracias,Jarod ContrerasSources:Robinson, John P. "Americans less rushed but no happier: 1965–2010 trends in subjective time and happiness." 

It's awfully funny to me how often we impose limitations on ourselves. Before recording today's episode I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to talk about. To be quite honest, I did not even want to record the episode. However, it took me a second to realize that the reason I could not find a topic was because I was letting distractions rule. I took off the headphones and took a few deep breaths before I wrote down something that had kept my weekend sane: lists. Though as life is this episode evolved into much more than observations on lists. It evolved into an examination of what it means to ask questions, how to listen to your body, and of course why lists keep things simple.With gratitude,Jarod ContrerasSupport Touching the Trail:touchingthetrail.com/donate targetreleaserecovery.comFind Touching the Trail: touchingthetrail.comTouching the Trail Weekly: eepurl.com/bEENNPInstagram: @touchingthetrail instagram.com/touchingthetrailTwitter: @touchingtrail twitter.com/touchingtrailFacebook: Touc

“I have to make a change, you have to make a change, we all have to do something to be role models for the young people in our world."-Anna FrostThe people that continually fascinate me are those that shatter the norm. This week's guest is a prime example of that. Anna Frost (a.k.a. Frosty) might as well be the embodiment of tough, with her wins at the Hardrock 100 and running adventures across the globe. She has traipsed in many countries and that deep set love of travel and experience has forged her into who she is today. That is what we explore in this episode, who Frosty is. We delve into her mental headspace amongst pain and as a motivation to others, especially young people. We examined her battles with identity and what it means to acknowledge the complexity within ourselves. We explore finding peace amongst chaos and how to build equality in sport and in life. Please enjoy this wonderfully wide ranging discussion.Gracias,Jarod ContrerasFind Anna:frostysfootsteps.wordpress.comInstagram: @annafrost

We are bombarded on a daily basis with techniques for how to make our lives easier, happier, or, more generally, better. However, many of these techniques are snake oil medicine that have no lasting, nor truly beneficial, impacts on our life. One technique that has been repeated in many different forms throughout all of my spiritual, religious, philosophical, and scientific research of how to better ourselves is preparation. In all aspects of life, from athletics to spirituality, having a plan is one of the most beneficial ways to forge consistency, honesty, accountability, and responsibility. Through having forethought, and therefore establishing a system to follow, we allow ourselves to build a foundation on which all of our other practices for betterment are built. Quite simply, having a system frees you to focus.Let's explore this,Jarod ContrerasSupport Touching the Trail: touchingthetrail.com/donate targetreleaserecovery.comFind Jarod: touchingthetrail.com Meditation Coaching: to

The choice between reaction or response is demarcated by a fine line. A line that is determined by the breath. We are either prisoner to our emotions or we take a breath and take a step back to use them, instead of abuse them. This most recent quarter, Winter Quarter, at my college, Cal Poly SLO, I let myself be ruled by reaction, instead of response. Too often I allowed my difficulties in the Calculus class that I was enrolled in drag me down and control me. That class was one of, if not the, hardest classes that I have ever taken and I passed with a C+. A grade that, even six months ago, I would have balked at and been ashamed of. However, today I am ecstatic about that grade, because I have shifted my perspective from A, A, A, to simply doing my best. If my best results in an A, then great. If my best results in a C+, then great. I took a breath to choose. The test now comes in seeing if I learn anything from last quarter and choose between reaction or response.Let's find out,Jarod ContrerasSupport Touchin

As you know all too well, each of us are impacted by the people around us. That influence can be negative or positive, depending on the person performing the influencing. In every interaction we are shaped by those around us and I have recently been positively shaped by my Soil Science professor. I was continually amazed while taking Soil Science 121 with Dr. Appel at how often soil went unnoticed in my life before taking this class. Soil is, almost quite literally, beneath my feet everyday and with every step, yet I never considered its importance. Throughout this class I was fascinated with the nuances and intricacies of soil and with its massive influence over our world at large. That fascination was largely fueled by Dr. Appel's effusive love for the science of soil. Dr. Appel reminded me what it was like to have a teacher who is passionate about his or her subject, of which teachers I have had only a few. Today I want to delve into, and begin a conversation about, what it means to have passion for y

For quite awhile now, a little over a year, I have admired the food blog and social media presence of Vegan Yack Attack. So I decided I wanted to have whoever was behind Vegan Yack Attack on the show. That person is Jackie Sobon and it only took us almost a year to align our schedules to finally sit down, over Skype, and have a chat. It was well worth the wait. As always I am fascinated by the deeper questions beyond simply what, when, or how to eat. Today Jackie and I delve into a wide-ranging conversation covering the accessibility of veganism (and the wellness movement at large), the creative and artistic process of developing a recipe, Jackie's personal evolution, incorporating health into our day to day lives, work ethic, and more. Please enjoy.Thank you,Jarod ContrerasMore Jackie:veganyackattack.comamazon.com/Vegan-Yack-Attack-Plant-Based-Fast-Paced/dp/1631594222/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521515935&sr=8-1&keywords=vegan+yack+attackSponsor:Touching The Trail Podcast is sponsored by Health IQ, a

There are certain things in life that simply get on your nerves, right? Meditation, spirituality, and religion provide me bases of knowledge to intellectually know that I must respond, instead of react, to those stressors, but I am not perfect and sometimes I can become prisoner to what surrounds me. In my apartment here on campus at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo I have, at times, let myself be prisoner to the situation that surrounds me. The people, and the filth that they generate, that live with me in this apartment are aspects that are at odds with my personality. To clearly illustrate: I would never invite a friend to hang out in this apartment, not due to embarrassment, but because I don't think anyone should have to be amongst the filth that surrounds me on a day to day basis. Today I delve into how I work through my imperfections and respond to what I can, or cannot be prisoner to, because ultimately I have the choice.  Thank you,Jarod ContrerasSponsor:Touching The Trail Podcast is sponsored by H

There's always a story to tell, right? Well, there is for me at least. Today's story is multi-faceted, it involves a difficult calculus class, soil science, long drives, Los Angeles, the gym, and trails. However, today's stories converge on one singular point: curiosity. This is the first episode in what I foresee as a series on the wide-ranging topic of curiosity, but as always today we start at the beginning. The beginning of what curiosity can and does mean for our journeys and how curiosity can positively impact our ability to engage with the world around us. Curiosity is a skill that must be built through honesty and vulnerability. Those attributes of honesty and vulnerability are exemplified in opening our hearts and minds, in asking questions, and in reading. So remember to be curious, be honest, and enjoy this episode!As always,Jarod ContrerasSponsor:Touching The Trail Podcast is sponsored by Health IQ, an insurance company that helps health conscious people like runners, cyclist, weightlift

Each day we form opinions, judgments, and beliefs. These aspects of our personality manifest themselves in our conversations. Today's conversation is, quite simply, my own musings on the past few weeks of chaos in my life. This is the manifestation through conversation of my opinions, judgments, and beliefs. I strongly believe that it is vital to tell your story and today there are some good ones. I delve into my fractured (or strained) wrist, observations on the gym, working through failure in Calculus, and the difference between birthdays and true chapter headings in our lives. I truly hope you enjoy and that these musings give you a better perspective of who you truly are.As always,Jarod ContrerasSponsor:Touching The Trail Podcast is sponsored by Health IQ, an insurance company that helps health conscious people like runners, cyclist, weightlifters, strength trainers, and vegans get lower rates on their life insurance.  Go to healthiq.com/touchingthetrail to support the show and see if you qualif

"It's the silence in between the noise that's important."-Pete McBrideI have dreams. You have dreams. We have dreams. There is always something in the future that we wish to have in our grasp now and there is always something from the past that we wish we never had in our grasp. Today’s guest, Pete McBride, embodies the life that I dream of living, however he embodies so much more than a selfish goal. Pete is a self taught photographer, filmmaker, writer, and public speaker who uses his skills to uniquely focus on a topic that may seem saturated, but is in fact in dire need of attention: freshwater. Recently Pete has turned his attention to his own backyard and to his own river, the Colorado River, while also documenting the state of rivers across the globe. He decided to hike the length of the Grand Canyon (roughly a 700 mile long trek) to increase awareness on the Park’s developmental pressures. This is a noble goal focusing on an area that holds a special place in my heart, which drew me to Pete in th

"You're only taking one lap and then that's that, so you might as well have fun."-Luis EscobarSurrounding all great stories there is a thick mist of lore. The tale of a 2006 adventure in the Copper Canyons immortalized in the book Born to Run by Christoper McDougall is no exception. Luis Escobar was an integral part of that party that traveled to the Barrancas del Cobre and the story from that undertaking told in Born to Run has shaped my life. However, my excitement and gratitude for Luis making time to chat does not stem from that book. It stems from Luis as an individual.This is not a conversation only on Born to Run, it is a conversation on and with Luis. It was an honor to run with Luis and friends for 12 miles before we recorded this discussion. That run gave me a more intimate perspective on who Luis is, his passion, honesty, and grit. Today's exchange covers the art, culture, and influence of photography, ultrarunning (specifically Luis's time at the Tahoe 200), Born to Run's affects, the death of Cab

Within each of our own lives the buck stops with us. We have the choice between prison and freedom. Whether that choice comes in school, work, family, relationships, or health, we have the choice. Now I do not mean the prison after a trial, I mean the prison that we build when we allow ourselves to be a prisoner to our responsibilities, stressors, annoyances, and qualms. For me, personally, I have recently put a lot of work into solidifying my ability to learn from impermanence, from my difficult living situation, from the people that surround me, and from school. I could easily have let those stressors become my masters. When we are not honest with ourselves, when we are not listening to our breath, and when we are not present we fall easily into the habit of building our prison's walls and allowing the bars to fall. We lay the bricks to encase ourselves and then we question our, seeming, lack of ability to move and breathe. Instead of chaining ourselves to the floor, why don't we realize our ability to choo

"The government has been blocking information like this [a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle], it's been controlled. We're all guinea pigs! The dietary guidelines have been framed by the industry and that's disgusting. They don't want radical change like this!"-Dr. T. Colin CampbellThere are people who affect change and there are people who make change. Dr. T. Colin Campbell has, throughout his storied and lengthy career, revolutionized our perceptions as a society of what it means to care for our bodies. His groundbreaking book, The China Study, showed the world that a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle not only prevents cancer and other disease, but reverses them! From growing up on a dairy farm to number one proponent of eating plants, Dr. Campbell has been shaped by his researche and has shaped the world with it.However, this show has never been strictly about my guest's stories, it is not an audio biography. I am fascinated by what makes my guests tick, what makes them who they are, and what makes them pe

What's the point? Why do all of it for a seemingly meaningless result? Why? These are questions that have surfaced many a time in our lives. As a college student these are questions that have been asked of me by a multitude of my friends. Friends wishing they could be out in the "real" world, friends who are bored and angered by classes, friends who wish they took a gap year to "grow," and friends who want to drop out. These qualms arise in the biased and insulated life that we lead as college students, but these are qualms and questions, in different forms, that arise in everyone's life.We wonder what a different life would be like. We hope for it, even. However, today I want to discuss a solution to these issues that is simple in its idea, but difficult in its execution: change your perspective. Whether it is changing your perspective about the situation you live in or changing your perspective about what you are capable of, it is possible. Remember, as well, that the person that you identify as is usually

To Coco,I miss you. Quite simply, Coco, you were a shining light in my life and you were part of my evolution. It has been less than a week since you disappeared and I still can't imagine a life without your meow, your purr, your eyes, and your light. You were a cat like no other and I truly hope that you are sleeping in the sun right now, not in pain or fear. If you are to come back to us, to your family that loves you and keeps you safe, then you will, and so will we, find love, peace, and happiness again. However, if this is your time, and you have stepped out of our lives, then so be it. I will take this emotion and pain as a lesson, as a teacher. I will remember you. I will honor you. I will love you. For Coco you have been, and always will be...our love.With Love and Memory,Jarod ContrerasSponsor:Touching The Trail Podcast is sponsored by Health IQ, an insurance company that helps health conscious people like runners, cyclist, weightlifters, strength trainers, and vegans get lower rates on their li

As a people we have been inculcated with the wrong ideal that our problems are someone else's fault. Inherent within each moment we have the capacity to acknowledge the fact that in our life the buck stops with us. Placing blame on others is simply faulty excuses and betrays your weakness. Recently I placed blame on others and let my ego control my emotions, which caused me to feel lost. Recently I've seen this happen in a friend of mine, getting overwhelmed by what is impermanent. Recently I employed a tactic to return to peace: I fell in love with the process. Please join me today as we examine the fact that inherent within each moment we have the opportunity to acknowledge that moment's opportunity for growth, to find the beauty, to break down what we will accomplish, and to therefore fall in love with the process.As Always,Jarod ContrerasSponsor:Touching The Trail Podcast is sponsored by Health IQ, an insurance company that helps health conscious people like runners, cyclist, weightlifters, strength train

Happy New Year! For me, 2017 was a life changing year, there is no two ways about it. Accepting the inevitability of change is a vital part of our personal evolutions. Going into 2017 I knew how much change their would be for me, but I never imagined in how many ways it would come and how positive it would be.Now, 2018 provides us an opportunity and responsibility to choose between two very simple things: good or bad. I hope that you will choose good. If you do, the good does not come in resolutions or false promises, it comes in a commitment to bettering yourself. Listen in this week as I discuss what it means to choose, in each moment, to be and become the best version of yourself.Happy New Year,Jarod ContrerasSponsor:Touching The Trail Podcast is sponsored by Health IQ, an insurance company that helps health conscious people like runners, cyclist, weightlifters, strength trainers, and vegans get lower rates on their life insurance.  Go to healthiq.com/touchingthetrail to support the show and

Our journey's are sacred and we must treat them as such. To put in the work, daily, to be the best version of ourselves is a sacred process. One aspect of our personal evolution that we must always remember is that the people around us must be those who further our journey and do not hold us back from it. I can honestly say that my immediate family, my mother, father, and sister, are my best friends, my tribe, and the people who most fulfill me. We come together to support each of our journey's to build something greater than the sum of its parts. I can say that, because I am honest with myself. I can also say, with honesty, that I must let go of the majority of my extended family, because they let ego control them and hold me back from my journey.On my father's side of the family his siblings have been, for all intents and purposes, nonexistent in my life as aunts or uncles. They are prisoners to their greed and to their past. That chain that they cannot break, because they have not put the work in to do so,

To often we are prisoners to the situation. To often we excuse ourselves into laziness. To often we reach for the easy thing. Throughout our lives, inherent within each moment, we have the opportunity for growth. This opportunity is to often passed up, a societal sickness made clear to me throughout my first quarter at college. This paradigm is one that has allowed us to become the worst version of ourselves, when instead we must work to be the best. That mindset of working to better myself through having a strong work ethic in every aspect of my life has not only taken me far, but has also been consistently instilled in me daily by my parents. I have learned to be open to the lessons taught by those around me and the lessons taught by my failures. Today I hope we can all realize the power of putting your heart and soul into each moment.Gratefully,Jarod ContrerasSponsor:Touching The Trail Podcast is sponsored by Health IQ, an insurance company that helps health conscious people like runners, cyclist, weightli