The Road Less Traveled with The Traveling Burns

By The Traveling Burns
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Join Eric and Laura as they dive deep into what it really looks like to question the traditional path and build a life that actually feels aligned. They’re a couple who stepped away from the default version of success, and they’re here to share the honest, in-between reality of choosing a different way. From the quiet realization that something feels off to the decisions that come with redefining stability, they explore the tension so many people feel, but don’t always talk about. Discover what it looks like to rethink the American Dream, create more time and flexibility, and build a life that supports your values, your relationship, and your well-being, without needing to blow everything up overnight. Tune in for honest conversations, grounded perspective, real-life experiences, and a refreshing take on what it means to live life on your own terms. thetravelingburns.substack.com

  1. Aug 11

    Episode 14: A Better Way to Think About Risk

    Episode Overview Most of us want things that require some level of risk. More freedom. A career change. A healthier life. A stronger relationship. A business of our own. But it's easy to focus on the outcome without thinking too much about what might be required to get there. Time. Money. Patience. Discomfort. Uncertainty. The possibility that things won't work out exactly the way we hoped. And that's usually where risk enters the conversation. In this episode, we explore why we tend to want certainty before we're willing to commit, what happens when we spend so much time trying to eliminate the unknown, and why our own relationship with risk looks a little different than we realized. This conversation isn't about taking risks simply for the sake of taking them. It's about recognizing that there's rarely a completely risk-free path, and that the outcome may not be the only way to decide whether something was worth doing in the first place. In This Episode 1. Why we want everything to feel safeHow the desire for guarantees, perfect timing, and more information can keep us waiting for a level of certainty that may never come. 2. Wanting proof before we're willing to participateWhy we often want to know something will work before we're willing to fully commit to it, and the problem with expecting proof before we've taken the first step. 3. What the things we want actually ask of usWhy meaningful change usually comes with a cost, whether that's consistency, vulnerability, patience, money, discomfort, or uncertainty. 4. The idea of a risk-free pathWhy every decision comes with some kind of cost, including the decision to stay exactly where you are. 5. How we've come to think about riskThe realization that we've rarely judged our own decisions solely by whether they worked out exactly as planned, and how that has shaped the risks we've been willing to take. 6. What you get even when the outcome is differentHow a new perspective, lesson, skill, or better understanding of yourself can change the way you evaluate whether something was actually a loss. If something in this episode made you think differently about risk... Share it with someone who's been waiting for more certainty before making a decision. Leave a review to help more people find these conversations. Follow the show so you don't miss future episodes. Reach out if there's a topic or question you'd like us to explore. Stay Connected If you've been enjoying these conversations, Substack is where we're sharing more of the deeper thoughts, stories, and behind-the-scenes reflections that don't always make it into the podcast. It's become our favorite place to slow down, think out loud, and connect more intentionally. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetravelingburns.substack.com

    Episode 14: A Better Way to Think About Risk

  2. Aug 4

    Episode 13: The Biggest Lie About Work-Life Balance

    Episode Overview Work-life balance. It's one of those phrases we've heard so many times that we rarely stop to question it. It's become the goal. The thing we're all supposed to be striving for. But have you ever actually met someone who has it? For a long time, we accepted work-life balance as something we'd eventually achieve if we worked hard enough, managed our time well enough, or just made it through our current season of life. But the more we talked about it, the more we started wondering if we were chasing something that was never meant to be permanent in the first place. In this episode, we explore where the idea of work-life balance comes from, why so many people feel like they're constantly falling short of it, and what changes when we stop trying to perfectly balance work and life and start thinking differently about the role work plays within the life we're building. This conversation isn't about saying balance doesn't matter. It's about asking whether the way we've defined it is actually helping us or keeping us chasing a finish line that always seems just out of reach. In This Episode 1. The picture most people have of work-life balanceWhy work-life balance became such a common goal, where the idea originated, and how it's shaped the way many of us think about work and the rest of our lives. 2. What we thought we were chasingThe assumptions we made about balance, what we hoped it would solve, and why it always seemed to be just around the corner. 3. Why balance can feel impossibleHow changing seasons of life, work, family, and priorities make perfect balance difficult to sustain, and why that may not be a personal failure. 4. What we were actually looking forHow our conversations led us to realize we weren't really looking for perfect balance, but for more ownership over our time, more presence, and a week we didn't feel like we needed to escape. 5. Rethinking the questionWhy asking, "How do I balance work and life?" may lead to a different answer than asking, "How do I build a life where work fits into it?" 6. Maybe balance isn't the destinationWhy we've started wondering if work-life balance is less about arriving at a perfect state and more about navigating different seasons with intention. If something in this episode made you rethink the way you've been looking at work-life balance... Share it with someone who's been trying to find more balance in their life. Leave a review to help more people find these conversations. Follow the show so you don't miss future episodes. Reach out if there's a topic or question you'd like us to explore. Stay Connected If you've been enjoying these conversations, Substack is where we're sharing more of the deeper thoughts, stories, and behind-the-scenes reflections that don't always make it into the podcast. It's become our favorite place to slow down, think out loud, and connect more intentionally. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetravelingburns.substack.com

    Episode 13: The Biggest Lie About Work-Life Balance

  3. Jul 14

    What Does Financial Freedom Actually Mean?

    Episode Overview When most people hear the words "financial freedom," a certain picture usually comes to mind. Retiring early. Never having to work again. Having enough money that you never have to worry. For a long time, we pictured it the same way. But somewhere along the way, we realized we weren't actually chasing money. We were chasing what we believed money would make possible. In this episode, we explore why financial freedom may have less to do with reaching a certain number and more to do with understanding what you're actually hoping money will give you in the first place. This conversation isn't about saying money doesn't matter. It absolutely does. It's about recognizing that money is often a means to something deeper, and that defining what financial freedom means to you can completely change the way you think about the life you're building. In This Episode 1. The picture most people have of financial freedomWhy financial freedom is so often associated with retirement, never working again, or reaching a specific dollar amount, and where those ideas come from. 2. What we thought we were chasingThe assumptions we made about money, why we believed financial freedom was the destination, and when we started questioning that belief. 3. What we were actually looking forHow conversations about money led us to realize we were really looking for more choice, flexibility, margin, and ownership over our time. 4. Why financial freedom looks different for everyoneWhy one person's version of financial freedom may look completely different from someone else's, and why that's okay. 5. Redefining what financial freedom meansWhy we don't think financial freedom has to mean never working again, and how shifting your definition can change the decisions you make today. 6. A different question to askWhy asking, "What kind of life am I trying to build?" may be more valuable than asking, "How much money do I need?" If something in this episode made you think differently about financial freedom... Share it with someone who's been thinking about what financial freedom really means. Leave a review to help more people find these conversations. Follow the show so you don't miss future episodes. Reach out if there's a topic or question you'd like us to explore. Stay Connected If you've been enjoying these conversations, Substack is where we're sharing more of the deeper thoughts, stories, and behind-the-scenes reflections that don't always make it into the podcast. It's become our favorite place to slow down, think out loud, and connect more intentionally. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetravelingburns.substack.com

    What Does Financial Freedom Actually Mean?

  4. Jul 7

    Episode 11: We Thought Remote Work Would Set Us Free

    Episode Overview For a long time, we thought remote work was the answer. No commute. The ability to work from anywhere. More flexibility. More freedom. And in many ways, it was. Getting a remote job completely changed what was possible for us. It allowed us to move into the RV, travel full-time, and build a lifestyle we'd been dreaming about for years. But after a while, we started noticing something we didn't expect. Even though we could work from almost anywhere, our days still revolved around work. In this episode, we explore the difference between location freedom and time freedom, why they're often confused with one another, and how getting the thing you thought you wanted can sometimes reveal what you've actually been looking for all along. This conversation isn't about saying remote work isn't worth pursuing. It absolutely changed our lives for the better. It's about recognizing that sometimes the thing we think will solve everything ends up pointing us toward an even deeper desire. In This Episode 1. Why remote work became the dreamWhat made remote work so appealing, why it felt like the ultimate goal, and what we imagined life on the other side would look like. 2. What remote work genuinely changedHow working remotely gave us location independence, eliminated the commute, and made full-time RV living possible. 3. What didn't changeWhy work still determined our schedule, meetings still shaped our days, and why Monday still sometimes felt like Monday. 4. Location freedom vs. time freedomThe realization that being able to choose where you work isn't always the same as being able to choose how you spend your time. 5. What we were actually looking forHow remote work helped us realize that what we valued most wasn't simply working from anywhere, but having more ownership over our days and the choices that shape them. 6. When getting what you want changes the questionWhy reaching a goal doesn't always mean you've arrived, and how sometimes the biggest gift is discovering what you're really searching for. If something in this episode made you reflect on what freedom means to you... Share it with someone who's been dreaming about remote work. Leave a review to help more people find these conversations. Follow the show so you don't miss future episodes. Reach out if there's a topic or question you'd like us to explore. Stay Connected If you've been enjoying these conversations, Substack is where we're sharing more of the deeper thoughts, stories, and behind-the-scenes reflections that don't always make it into the podcast. It's become our favorite place to slow down, think out loud, and connect more intentionally. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetravelingburns.substack.com

    Episode 11: We Thought Remote Work Would Set Us Free

  5. Jun 30

    Episode 10: Why Everyone Lives for Friday

    Episode Overview It's one of the most common phrases we hear every week. "Thank goodness it's Friday." "Only a couple more days." "I can't wait for the weekend." Most of us say these things without giving them a second thought. But when you stop and really listen to what they're pointing to, a bigger question starts to emerge. Why are so many people spending five days looking forward to two? In this episode, we explore what weekends have quietly come to represent, and why paying attention to what you're actually looking forward to might tell you more about the life you want than you realize.  This conversation isn't about convincing anyone to stop enjoying weekends. It's about asking whether the things we love most about weekends, freedom, rest, time with the people we love, and a little more ownership over our days, have to be limited to two days each week. In This Episode 1. Why Friday became the finish lineHow phrases like "Thank God It's Friday" became so deeply woven into our culture, and why we rarely stop to question what they reveal about the rest of the week. 2. The five-to-two tradeoffWhy so many people spend most of the week waiting for the weekend, and what that pattern might be telling us about the way we've structured our lives. 3. What we're really looking forward toWhy weekends often represent something much deeper than time off, and how words like freedom, rest, autonomy, and breathing room are often hiding behind "I can't wait for Friday." 4. When we started questioning itThe perspective shift we experienced several months into RV life that made us realize the goal wasn't simply to have better weekends. 5. Building a life instead of escaping oneWhy the real question may not be how to enjoy weekends more, but how to create weekdays that feel just as meaningful. 6. A question to leave you withWhat you're actually looking forward to when you find yourself counting down to Friday, and why your answer might reveal more about the life you want than you realize. If something in this episode made you pause or rethink the way you've been looking at your weeks... - Share it with someone who's been counting down to Friday. - Leave a review to help more people find these conversations. - Follow the show so you don't miss future episodes. - Reach out if there's a topic or question you'd like us to explore. Stay Connected If you've been enjoying these conversations, Substack is where we're sharing more of the deeper thoughts, stories, and behind-the-scenes reflections that don't always make it into the podcast. It's become our favorite place to slow down, think out loud, and connect more intentionally. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetravelingburns.substack.com

    Episode 10: Why Everyone Lives for Friday

  6. Jun 23

    Episode 9: The Conversations People Avoid Having With Themselves

    Episode Overview A lot of people spend more time trying to quiet certain thoughts than they do actually listening to them. Not because they don't know those thoughts are there. Because they do. They tend to show up in quiet moments. On a Sunday evening. During the drive home from work. When life finally slows down long enough for a question to surface. Questions like: "Is this actually working for me?" "Do I really want to keep doing this?" "If nothing changed, would I actually be okay with that?" In this episode, we explore the questions people tend to avoid asking themselves, why those questions keep resurfacing, and what happens when we stop immediately distracting ourselves from them. We talk about the difference between knowing something and acknowledging it, why avoidance can sometimes masquerade as peace, and how awareness often begins with simply being willing to stay with a question a little longer. This conversation isn't about having all the answers. It's about creating enough space to listen to what your own thoughts might be trying to tell you. In This Episode 1. The questions that keep showing up Why certain questions about work, time, fulfillment, and the future tend to keep resurfacing, and why they rarely disappear on their own. 2. Why some questions are so easy to avoid How the discomfort isn't always the question itself, but what happens if we're honest about the answer. 3. What changes when you stop avoiding it Why awareness doesn't automatically require action, and how simply acknowledging what's true can change your relationship to what you're experiencing. 4. The difference between avoidance and peace How people often mistake distraction for resolution, and why ignoring a question isn't the same thing as answering it. 5. Why awareness matters How noticing patterns, paying attention to recurring thoughts, and becoming more intentional can help us better understand ourselves and the lives we're building. 6. Reframing the conversation Why the goal may not be to have all the answers, but simply to stop cutting the conversation short and give yourself permission to explore what keeps coming up. If something in this episode made you pause, think differently, or reflect on a question you've been pushing aside for a while... Share it with someone who might need this conversation Leave a review to help more people find these conversations Follow the show so you don't miss future episodes Reach out if there's a topic or question you'd like us to explore Stay Connected If you've been enjoying these conversations, Substack is where we're sharing more of the deeper thoughts, stories, and behind-the-scenes reflections that don't always make it into the podcast. It's become our favorite place to slow down, think out loud, and connect more intentionally. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetravelingburns.substack.com

    Episode 9: The Conversations People Avoid Having With Themselves

  7. Jun 16

    Episode 8: You Don't Have to Have It Figured Out to Start

    Episode Overview A lot of people tell themselves they're waiting for clarity. A little more certainty. A little more confidence. A little more proof that they're making the right decision. And on the surface, that sounds responsible. But what if the thing you're calling a lack of clarity is actually a lack of guarantees? Because when we look back at many of the decisions that ended up shaping our lives, we weren't completely certain. We didn't know exactly how things would turn out. We didn't have all the answers. What we had was enough curiosity to take the next step. In this episode, we explore why so many people feel pressure to have everything figured out before they begin, and how that belief can quietly keep them stuck. We talk about why exploration is often undervalued, how many of the things we learn about ourselves come through experience, and why some of the answers people are looking for can only be found on the other side of action. This conversation isn't about making impulsive decisions. It's about recognizing that life rarely offers guarantees, and that many of the things that bring us clarity aren't discovered through more thinking. They're discovered through experience. In This Episode 1. Why people feel like they need clarity first Why certainty is often treated as a prerequisite for action, how the fear of making the wrong decision keeps people stuck, and why overthinking can sometimes disguise itself as preparation. 2. The myth of finding yourself before you begin Why we often learn more about ourselves by trying things than by thinking about them, and how experience reveals things reflection alone never could. 3. Why exploration is underrated How exploration is often mistaken for indecision, why people feel pressure to optimize every decision, and why exploration is often part of the process, not a detour from it. 4. What action gives you that thinking never can Why some lessons can only be learned through movement, how experience creates feedback, and why reality often teaches us things imagination never could. 5. Why uncertainty isn't actually the problem How uncertainty exists in almost every meaningful decision, why waiting for certainty can become a permanent strategy, and whether people are really afraid of uncertainty or simply afraid of making the wrong choice. 6. Reframing the conversation Why the goal may not be to figure everything out before you begin, but to trust yourself enough to learn as you go and allow clarity to emerge through experience. If something in this episode made you pause, think differently, or reflect on an area of your life where you've been waiting for more certainty before taking action... Share it with someone who might need this conversation Leave a review to help more people find these conversations Follow the show so you don't miss future episodes Reach out if there's a topic or question you'd like us to explore Stay Connected If you've been enjoying these conversations, Substack is where we're sharing more of the deeper thoughts, stories, and behind-the-scenes reflections that don't always make it into the podcast. It's become our favorite place to slow down, think out loud, and connect more intentionally. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetravelingburns.substack.com

    Episode 8: You Don't Have to Have It Figured Out to Start

  8. Jun 9

    Episode 7: When Staying the Course Is Keeping You Stuck

    Episode Overview We've all heard some version of the advice: Don't quit. Stay committed. Push through. Be resilient. And honestly, a lot of the time that's good advice. But what happens when the thing you're pushing through no longer feels right? In this episode, we explore the tension between persistence and reassessment. We talk about why perseverance is so heavily praised, why many people stay committed to things long after they've stopped questioning them, and how to recognize the difference between a difficult season that's worth pushing through and a path that may no longer fit. This conversation isn't about encouraging people to quit. It's about learning how to periodically step back and ask whether what you're pursuing is still taking you where you want to go. In This Episode 1. Why persistence gets so much praise Why resilience, commitment, and endurance are celebrated in our culture, and how the advice to "never quit" became one of the most common messages many of us grew up hearing. 2. The problem with blanket advice Why not every situation deserves the same answer, and how persistence and avoidance can sometimes look surprisingly similar from the outside. 3. When pushing through makes sense How to recognize healthy struggle, why growth often feels uncomfortable, and the signs that a challenge is still connected to something meaningful. 4. When it might be time to pivot The difference between outgrowing a goal and simply hitting a difficult season, and why pivoting is often a response to new information rather than a sign of failure. 5. Why changing direction feels so difficult How identity, past investment, expectations, and the fear of starting over can keep people moving toward things they haven't truly reassessed in years. 6. The role of reassessment Why we hear so much about persistence but so little about reassessment, and how regularly checking in with yourself can help ensure you're still building a future you actually want. If something in this episode made you pause, think differently, or reflect on a goal you've been carrying forward for a long time... Share it with someone who might need this conversation Leave a review to help more people find these conversations Follow the show so you don't miss future episodes Reach out if there's a topic or question you'd like us to explore Stay Connected If you've been enjoying these conversations, Substack is where we're sharing more of the deeper thoughts, stories, and behind-the-scenes reflections that don't always make it into the podcast. It's become our favorite place to slow down, think out loud, and connect more intentionally. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetravelingburns.substack.com

    Episode 7: When Staying the Course Is Keeping You Stuck
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About

Join Eric and Laura as they dive deep into what it really looks like to question the traditional path and build a life that actually feels aligned. They’re a couple who stepped away from the default version of success, and they’re here to share the honest, in-between reality of choosing a different way. From the quiet realization that something feels off to the decisions that come with redefining stability, they explore the tension so many people feel, but don’t always talk about. Discover what it looks like to rethink the American Dream, create more time and flexibility, and build a life that supports your values, your relationship, and your well-being, without needing to blow everything up overnight. Tune in for honest conversations, grounded perspective, real-life experiences, and a refreshing take on what it means to live life on your own terms. thetravelingburns.substack.com

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