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PODCAST · society

Free By Design

by Evan Williams

Quite simply this is a podcast that cuts through the noise to highlight what’s truly essential. Instagram: freebydesignchannel

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Mar 1, 2026 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. I Slipped Up

    We all have times when we falter and deviate from our desired course. That happened to me and I talk all about it on today’s episode. It’s perfect timing with the impending new year and all of the positive change that will, no doubt, be on everyone’s mind.

  2. Handling the Holidays

    Tis the season for relentless marketing and excessive consumption. Unless we rise above it. On today’s episode I talk about marketing and consumerism, but more importantly why we need to block these negative influences. I even go into some stats on some other relevant economics.

  3. Slowing Down Time

    Time’s flying! I can’t believe that it’s almost the end of the year! These are all things that we hear and we may have even recently said ourselves. Why is it that time seems to be passing by so quickly? On today’s episode I talk about how our most valuable asset, time, seems to pass by so fast,...

  4. Minimalist Medicine

    We all have things that we’re dealing with, and we all find ourselves down sometimes. There are some simple things that can help to lift our moods, even just a little bit. I like to refer to these things as minimalist medicine, and on this episode I discuss a few examples that I use to help lift…

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  5. Pared Back Wardrobe Reality

    Information about capsule wardrobes is all over the internet, but what’s it really like? This episode answers that question! Of all of the things you can pare back, your wardrobe is one that impacts your day to day life quite a bit. So let’s discuss the realities of living with an extremely pared...

  6. Eliminating Negativity

    Negativity, when left unchecked, can become a big problem. It finds its way into every aspect of our lives and weighs us down. On this episode I discuss negativity. I talk about how I control it and manage it in order to minimize its impact on my life.

  7. Choose Your Hobbies Wisely

    Hobbies come in all shapes and sizes. Some require a lot of STUFF, and others don’t. Some bring you a lot of gratification, and others may not. On today’s episode I discuss hobbies. I talk about my own hobbies and also new hobbies. I share ideas around how to manage hobbies so that you can stay…

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  8. What Minimalism Means to Me

    To avoid the pitfall of operating on autopilot, I carefully set intentions. I stay cognizant of the reasons why I do what I do. It’s so important to live an intentional life. As life is dynamic, we need to constantly check back in on our intentions. On this episode I talk about my intentions with...

  9. Fitness is Free

    Health and fitness has slowly become more and more complicated and seemingly out of reach as a result. This is largely for the benefit of health and fitness companies. It doesn’t have to be our reality. On today’s episode I talk about time tested fitness exercises that require no fancy equipment,...

  10. I Finally Bought Something

    After 9 months, I’ve finally bought something that’s a non-consumable. What was it that finally drove me to break this 9 month streak? On today’s episode I talk all about it. I discuss what I bought, why I bought it and all of the mixed feelings that I had.

  11. Socks Optional

    There are some things in our lives that fly under the minimalism radar. They do because they’re so common and so conventional. That doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t or can’t be minimized. Socks fall into that category, and on today’s episode I talk about how and why I’ve pared them back.

  12. Buried Under Paper

    Bills, newspapers, sentimental love notes...all of it is paper. All of it builds up over time and you may find yourself buried in it and overwhelmed by it. On today’s episode I discuss paring back paper. I go into my simplified approach to minimizing paper and how I got stacks and stacks of paper...

  13. A New Approach to Paring Back

    Hypothetical thought exercises can be extremely helpful practices. They can help us to envision future possibilities for ourselves. In today’s episode I discuss a hypothetical scenario where I pare a single family home down to a light weight and minimal amount of possessions. Arriving at a point...

  14. Living Out of One Bag

    Not only do I travel with just one small bag, but I live, full-time, out of just one small bag. On today’s episode I talk about what it’s like to live like this, and what it’s like to have all of my possessions fit into one laptop bag. There are definite pros and cons, but at the end of the…

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  15. Managing Commitments

    Sometimes we find ourselves saddled with commitments, energy drained, and with very little time. On today’s episode I’m back, neck deep in the topic of commitments. I cover off a few approaches that I use to help manage and, sometimes, minimize commitments.

  16. Navigating Commitments

    There are so many different commitments that we deal with on a daily basis. How do we manage them? How do we prioritize what’s most essential? On today’s episode I dive deep into commitments. I discuss a few different types of commitments and how I’ve navigated them.

  17. A Necessary Pause

    There are times when we need to prioritize what’s important. On today’s episode I de-prioritize the podcast to make time for family. To do so, I decided to show myself compassion and give myself some leniency. It’s okay. Don’t be afraid to show yourself compassion and be lenient with yourself.…

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  18. Healthy Disruption

    We all find ourselves in a rut from time to time. The rut may be new, or it may be a well worn path from years of neglect. Either way, disruption can be a healthy way to get out of these ruts. On today’s episode I talk about how I use disruption and change to get out of my own ruts.

  19. The Ultimate Uniform

    What am I gonna wear!? I can’t decide which pair of pants to wear. These are all questions I don’t ask myself. I don’t, because I have a pared back personal uniform. On today’s episode I talk about my personal uniform, the benefits I get from it, and some tips and tricks if you are looking to…

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  20. Embrace the Fast

    Our bodies are incredible. I love seeing what mine is capable of. On today’s episode I discuss the bodies radical ability to heal and I also dive deep into fasting. I get a lot of benefits from fasting and I discuss them on the episode. There are also negatives. I discuss them too. If you decide…

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  21. A Nightly Routine

    I’ve developed a daily routine and it’s been really improving my life in a lot of ways. On today’s episode I talk about what that routine is, how I got in to doing it, and all of the benefits that I’ve enjoyed so far by doing it on a daily basis.

  22. Retirement Simplified

    Instead of over complicating things, let’s simplify them! Retirement and savings is of no exception. In today’s episode I discuss an alternative and unconventional approach to saving for retirement. It’s a follow up to the last episode on minimalist pretirement planning.

  23. Minimalist Pretirement Planning

    Some people call it early retirement, some people call it micro retirements, I call it minimalist pretirement. In today’s episode I discuss this topic. I go back into expense management and alternative income streams. This will be episode one of two on the topic of minimalist pretirement.

  24. Downsized Diet

    I’m always so amazed at all of the different aspects of life that you can apply minimalist principals. On this episode I discuss diet, and how I’ve simplified it to align with minimalism. In the end, I find a pared back diet to be extremely optimal.

  25. Essential Exercise

    Even exercise can be minimized. It’s actually an aspect of my life that’s so much easier now that I’ve pared it back. In this week’s episode I discuss my bare essential exercise routine. I go into what it is, why I’ve designed it the way I have, and the benefits I’ve enjoyed from paring it back.

  26. Your Hypothetical Place

    Thought exercises are fun. You can even learn a lot about yourself through them. On today’s episode I y’all through a recent thought exercise I had. It was spurred on by a friend on Instagram and it gave me so much to ponder and think about.

  27. Minimalism Sucks Sometimes

    Minimalism isn’t all that great. Sometimes. This podcast is realistic. I go into a lot of pros about this lifestyle, but on this episode I discuss a con of minimalism in more detail.

  28. How Many Things Do I Own?

    We feel so compelled to measure things. There’s an almost innate urge to quantify so many things in our lives, but certain things, perhaps most things, should NOT be measured. On today’s episode I discuss the number of things I own, and if that number really actually matters.

  29. A Minimalist’s Guide to Quarantining

    Some may call it deprivation. I call it personal growth. There are a few surprising things that I no longer use on a regular basis. On today’s episode I discuss these things and how they’ve impacted my experience of the pandemic and the resulting lockdown.

  30. Don’t Buy, Breathe

    The urge to buy bubbles up sometimes. Understanding where these urges are coming from is so important. On today’s episode I discuss recent consumption urges that I’ve felt and how I dealt with them.

  31. The Process of Paring Back

    I have stuff. I wanna get rid of the stuff. How do I do it? Where do I start? In today’s episode I go into more detail about how I started the process of paring back, the approach that worked best for me and how I maintain a pared back life.

  32. It’s Okay to Feel Lonely

    For whatever reason we are so apprehensive about discussing our feelings. Loneliness is the topic I discuss on today’s episode. I go into why we find it difficult to talk about it, what triggers it, and what we can do about it.

  33. Make it Habitual

    Self discipline is more important than willpower. In this episode I discuss willpower and self discipline. I’ve come to the realization that willpower is a useless concept. The more valuable trait to develop is self discipline. I also share specific examples of how I’ve developed self discipline…

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  34. A Deeper Cultural Understanding

    Travel is a great way to learn about different cultures, but certain methods of travel can bring about a more intimate understanding of a culture. On today’s episode I speak with Julian from porsiemprelamoto.com. He and his family have been traveling by motorcycle for 18 years. Their approach to...

  35. Money Saved!

    With a little preparation and determination you can do so much! In today’s episode I go over the results of my personal spending experiment. There were some fails and some successes. More importantly there were helpful lessons learned and I share it all on this episode. M

  36. The Journey is the Destination

    So often what we see on the surface is a glamorized rendition of reality. Today’s episode is part two of my conversation with Samba and a Teco from KombiWasi.com. We dive in deeper into the realities of Van life. You can find them at: http://www.kombiwasi.com/ and http://www.vwgypsy.com/

  37. Reinventing Yourself

    We are dynamic creatures and we are able to adapt. On this episode I speak with Samba and Teco from KombiWasi.com. They’re currently traveling Mexico in a VW Kombi. It’s part one of the conversation. We cover a bunch of interesting topics about van life. You can find them at:...

  38. To Van or Not To Van

    The decision making process can be exhausting, but when it comes to major decisions it’s essential to be thorough. In this episode I discuss how I approach major decisions. I also discuss a decision I’m working through just now about van life. I go into what I feel are the biggest pros and cons…

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  39. We Don’t Need Any Stinking Goals!

    There’s been a recent outbreak. It’s contagious. And it’s ultimately knocking us out of commission so that we are missing out on tons of fun times with our loved ones. It’s an outbreak of goals. On this episode I talk about how goals can end up being counterproductive for us in regards to what we...

  40. Minimalism Gone Bad

    Moderation is such a useful practice. When paired with mindfulness it’s even more powerful. It’s story time! In this episode I tell a true story about an experience that I recently had that reminded me of the importance of moderation. It was an emotional rollercoaster and a strong lesson was...

  41. Off Grid to Remote

    There’re so often articles, social media posts, and videos about people fleeing the city life to escape into an off grid life in nature. I can’t remember hearing about the reverse. On this episode I speak with Jess Hocking. She’s an amazing person working remotely in Mexico. She now lives in a…

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  42. The Importance of Challenge

    Challenges and discomfort can often be the starting place for personal growth. In this episode I speak with Alee Denham and Eesh Simonsen. They are both on a challenging bicycle trip in Mexico. Our conversation covers a wide range of topics related to travel, long distance cycling, and so much...

  43. Connecting with Your Energy

    Keeping a close connection to your self is one of the most beneficial things that we can do for self care and development. In this episode I speak with Katerina Boriskina, the founder and operator of the Butterfly House in Oaxaca City, Mexico. We discuss this important topic in detail. You can…

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  44. Cathartic Chores

    The completion of chores can be a great way of find joy and meditation in your daily routine. In this episode I explain my approach to laundry. It’s yet another area of my life that I’ve applied the practice of simple living. As a result, this chore now actually adds so much more value to my life.

  45. Extreme Finance Management

    Extreme finance management has been so essential for me in achieving a more simple life. The conversation in this episode revolves around five key topics: Debt, Just in Case Savings, General Savings, Regular Expenses and Personal Spending.

  46. Diet, Wardrobe and Technology

    There are so many areas in life where simple living concepts can be applied. In this episode I discuss applying these minimalist concepts to diet, wardrobe and technology. I talk a bit about how I’m applying the concepts of simple living in these areas, tricks you can use, and how I’ve adapted my...

  47. Growing on the Trail

    Time in nature can bring about a lot of amazing benefits in your life. In this episode I speak with Marie Millet. Marie shares her experience while on a recent long distance hike, what she learned along the way, and how she’s changed as a result of her experience and time in nature.

  48. Creating Your Reality

    Simple living isn’t all about physical things. In this episode I speak with Richard Hansen. We dive into a number of interesting concepts and ideas around mental clarity. This is an aspect of my life that I’m eager to develop further and apply these extremely beneficial concepts.

  49. My Simple Living Story

    This is a quick story about how I became an extreme minimalist. In this episode I discuss what led me to living a much simpler life. I also discuss what worked best for me in paring back and some interesting essentialism lessons learned along the way.

  50. Life Designed for Passion (part 2)

    What truly drives and inspires us? This episode is the rest of my conversation with Steven Kraft. We dive into deeper conversations about his experiences, his passions, and what his ‘Essential’ is.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Quite simply this is a podcast that cuts through the noise to highlight what’s truly essential. Instagram: freebydesignchannel

HOSTED BY

Evan Williams

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Free By Design have?

Free By Design currently has 52 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Free By Design about?

Quite simply this is a podcast that cuts through the noise to highlight what’s truly essential. Instagram: freebydesignchannel

How often does Free By Design release new episodes?

Free By Design has 52 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Free By Design?

You can listen to Free By Design on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Free By Design?

Free By Design is created and hosted by Evan Williams.
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