The WHY Matters
Hey friends, this is Jessica and Will from WorldTowning. You’re listening to the podcast that shares the highs, the lows, and the “what the heck just happened” of our decade-long full-time travel lifestyle and how it has changed us. On The WHY Matters, we dig deep into the WHY behind our choices and the positive results they leave. If you are ready to spread your wings, have a laugh, and take the insights of full-time travelers into your everyday life, then this podcast is for you.
The WHY Matters
#46 - A Mother–Daughter Journey on the Appalachian Trail - The WHY Matters Podcast
In this episode of The WHY Matters Podcast, we sit down with Jamless and Green Bean, a daughter–mother duo who took resilience to the extreme by attempting a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail together—and learned that endurance isn’t just about pushing forward, but knowing when to pause.
They share the unfiltered reality of starting a massive journey at two very different stages of life: Jamless, young, driven, and physically capable, and Green Bean, experienced, determined, and navigating injury from day one. As miles passed and pain accumulated, their hike became a living lesson in boundaries, communication, and the quiet tension between ambition and limitation.
Through stories of injuries, missed miles, separation on trail, and moments of deep connection, they unpack how perseverance can slowly turn into self-betrayal—and how listening to your body can feel like failure in a culture that glorifies suffering. Together, they reflect on burnout, guilt, and the courage it takes to rest, especially when someone you love is still moving forward.
This conversation reframes resilience not as stubbornness, but as wisdom—and reminds us that recovery is not weakness, but strength.
You can hear more from them on: https://youtube.com/@kelseyontheat?si=gEgr3BfGPDQcd88y
@04:05 – Who Jamless and Green Bean are, and why they hiked together
@07:58 – Starting injured: ignoring the early warning signs
@11:44 – Different bodies, different limits, same trail
@15:32 – When “hike your own hike” isn’t that simple
@18:59 – The emotional toll of slowing someone you love down
@22:41 – Burnout, anxiety, and why the trail forced honesty
@26:18 – Guilt, pain, and the moment perseverance broke
@29:06 – Separating on trail: choosing health over pride
@31:48 – Redefining resilience through recovery and compassion
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10 years full-time travel with 2 world schooled kids, currently on a sailboat, writing about a travel lifestyle, education, equality & what it’s like to live an unconventional life.
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