Living the Could Life

Life becomes different for those who experience later-in-life challenges. Living The Could LIfe offers tips adjusting your life so that you can still travel and do all the things that you love. No toxic positivity here, just lived experiences from hosts and guests.

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Cruising is the Best Vacation for the Disability Community Aug 04, 2026

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20 Reasons Why Cruising is a the best vacation for those within the disability community

In this episode we continue our exploration of the advantages of vacationing by cruise ship. Those with disabilities will appreciate the benefits of traveling in a way that reduces stress, and eliminates changing hotels and dealing with learning new surroundings every day.

We share the last of the 20 reasons that show why if you are cruising with body disruptions and disability that this is definitely a choice that you should consider when making your vacation plans.

Living The Could Life contains affiliate links. They don’t cost you anything, but we may earn a small commission if you use them. We may have been hosted on a trip, excursion or other travel-related event. We may have received or experienced a product for review. Any opinion is our own. AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES

AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

Transcript

Click Here for Transcript Theresa:Welcome back to Living the good Life. Today we are going to continue our discussion about why cruising is so wonderful for people with body disruptions. Hope you enjoyed the show. Robert: Let's talk about that worst-case scenario. What if it's more than just a flare-up? What if someone actually needs clinical intervention? That's reason number nine. Onboard advanced medical centers. These are not first aid stations with band-aids and ice packs. Modern cruise ships have literal mini hospitals on the lower decks. They are staffed by international doctors and nurses, equipped with ICU level stabilization gear, x-ray machines, lab equipment for blood work, and cardiac monitors. If you have a chronic illness, knowing that life-saving medical care is literally under your feet, provides a level of psychological safety you cannot get at a remote beach resort. Theresa: Having said that, do be aware that these are not full hospitals, and you should always consult with a doctor before if you have a chronic condition, or especially if you have a terminal condition. There are people who want to do one last hurrah before, I guess, their expiration date comes up, like the next week, and they need to be evacuated from the ship. And I can tell you that does not always make your fellow passengers thrilled. So please don't put the other 3,000 or 6,000 or 900 passengers in a position they don't want to be in. Just so you know, just in case you do have an accident or something serious happen, because it can happen at any time, there is a morgue on the ship, and they will take care of you. Which, at that point, you probably don't really know. It does completely lower your nervous system alarm bells to know that you have an option for medical care. And speaking of comfort, let's add reason 10. Climate control autonomy. Many people undergoing cancer treatments or dealing with thyroid disruptions. Oh, do I get to add that to my list too? Great. They can experience extreme sudden shifts in body temperature. And I will say that also happens with menopause. So we don't want to not talk about the women who travel and might have that condition. Oh, in a hotel, the centr

Cruising with Body Disruptions and Disability Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

20 Reasons Why Cruising is a Great Vacation Option for Those Experiencing Body Disruptions

In this episode we explore the advantages of vacationing by cruise. Those with disabilities will appreciate the benefits of traveling in a way that reduces stress, and eliminates changing hotels and dealing with learning new surroundings every day. We share 20 reasons that show why if you are cruising with body disruptions and disability that this is definitely a choice that you should consider when making your vacation plans.

AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

Transcript

Click Here for Transcript Theresa: Welcome back to living the good life the podcast where we redefine what adventure looks like When your body doesn't always follow the standard script. I'm Theresa and I'm Robert Robert: Today, we are tackling a massive topic We talk a lot on this show about the friction of travel the cobblestones that eat wheelchair wheels the airport security lines that exhaust people with chronic pain and The terrifying game of restaurant roulette when you have severe dietary restrictions Theresa: Oh, I understand the restaurant roulette so well I don't have Crohn's or one of those diagnosed diseases Since I've had my gallbladder removed I have Serious digestive problems where if I don't take my one magical pill, which doesn't always work It's best that I just sit in the bathroom all day nothing ruins your vacation faster than a digestive flare-up in a restaurant Especially in a city where you don't speak the language. You can't find a public restroom You don't have a coin to pay for the public restroom or the restroom is down a narrow winding Staircase into the basement, especially bad for people like me with vision loss So sometimes the better option seems to just stay at home and get takeout or something like that But you have to deal with what you have Oh, that's the reality for so many of us dealing with what we call body disruptions Whether that's needing a wheelchair recovering from cancer treatments Managing sensory overload or navigating a joint replacement travel can feel very unfriendly Robert: It really can but today we're dedicating the episode to a travel style That a lot of people write off as old-school or cliche But it is secretly the ultimate hack for adaptive travel cruising and I will Theresa: Admit my guilt. I said that I would never ever No way Not in my life take a cruise because it was for old people novels other things after all we traveled on our own We bicycled across the North American continent. We bicycled in New Zealand and Mexico. We hide think a trail We did all that other stuff. There's no way that I would ever take a cruise I figured I'd have to be playing bi

Remembering that July Celebrates Disability Pride Jul 21, 2026

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A short history of of the disability movement

In this episode we explore the beginnings of the disability movement. July is disability month and a time to measure the progress. within the disability community. Some things we take for granted until we need them. Curb cuts are one example. Is it just an update to city planning? It should be, but many of the changes in buildings and in other public spaces is all about the disability movement. It started with a spark and is growing. But, there is still much work to be done.

AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

Transcript

Click Here for Transcript [Speaker 2] Welcome back to Living the Good Life, the podcast where we redefine what adventure looks like when your body doesn't always follow the standard script. I'm Teresa, and this month, July, is Disability Month. Our friends will discuss more information about the disability community in general. Thanks for listening, hope you enjoy this show. [Speaker 1] You know, it's funny, when you walk down a city street today and you see a curb cut, you know, those little concrete ramps right at the corner of an intersection? Right. Or like when you grab a handrail in a public bathroom or you press one of those giant silver buttons to open an automatic door, there is this built-in expectation that it's all just, I don't know, civic engineering. [Speaker 2] Yeah. [Speaker 1] Like at some point, some benevolent city planner just looked at a blueprint, stroked their chin and went, hey, let's make this easier for everybody. Right. We tend to view the accessible world around us as this byproduct of natural passive progress. Yeah, exactly. Like it's just the inevitable march of modern architecture getting, you know, kinder over time. Kinder, right. It feels clean, it feels structural. But then, and this is what we're getting into today, you start actually digging into the history of disability rights in this country, and suddenly that little concrete curb cut isn't just concrete anymore. [Speaker 2] No, not at all. [Speaker 1] It is a battle scar. Like when you look at the accessible landscape, you are looking at a world that was absolutely not given to anyone by benevolent lawmakers. Yeah. It was taken, demanded, and fought for in ways that are honestly jaw-dropping. It is the absolute definition of a hard-won revolution, and it completely shatters that illusion of passive progress, you know? Yeah. You realize very quickly that accessibility is not a charity project. It is a profound matter of civil rights. Which is exactly what we are getting into today. Welcome to the Deep Dive. We are honoring Disability Pride Month, which is celebrated every July to mark the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act back on July 26, 1990. It's such an important milestone. It really is. And for you listening, our mission today is to take you on a narrative journey. We've got an incredible stack of sources in front of us, ranging from a deeply detailed historical report from the U.S. National Park Service to several contemporary advocacy briefs that

Part 2 More Spoon Theory Jul 14, 2026

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Finding Your Baseline

In this episode we continue our exploration of Spoon Theory. We have models for you to find your own baseline. In addition we suggest how Spoon Theory and setting a baseline applies to travel. Want to apply Spoon Theory to travel? It's all about conservation of energy. Einstein might agree.

AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

Transcript

Click Here for Transcript Theresa: Welcome back to Living the Good Life, the podcast where we talk about rebuilding a life after change, the kind of change that shifts your energy, your identity, your body, or your sense of what's possible. This is a short overview of what we discussed. We talked about several types of medical issues, especially that drain your energy. I feel relieved that I do not have something where my mitochondria doesn't convert ATP to energy or an autoimmune disease, although I have been suspected of having one, even though I have some of the symptoms and blood test results that might indicate that. But just to get you up to snuff, we basically talked about how difficult it is for some people to make it through the day. We use spoons as an example of a type of energy currency. Robert: And we talked about where that whole idea came from. It started in 2003 when an advocate for lupus decided she needed a practical way to demonstrate to a friend how her energy allotment worked every day. Theresa: And she used spoons because she was in a diner and that was an easy way to explain. So one thing that we thought about, and this applies to travel because we will be talking about how the spoon theory applies to your travel, is that, I don't want to say in the old days, but when we were both younger, people used to collect souvenir spoons every time they traveled. Robert: And when we took a trip, we were sometimes asked by people who were collectors to see if we could find a spoon from a particular location. Theresa: And we were thinking about that. And because we don't go to souvenir shops very often, we were wondering. So let us know if people do still collect spoons. People put them in wooden cases and you'd see them hanging on a wall in their homes. Robert: And they'd show off their new spoons that they had just gotten from a trip or from a friend. Theresa: And then we realized also when we were younger, when we had our kids, it was pretty common for somebody to buy a spoon for the newborns. Robert: Usually a silver spoon.

Spoon Theory Part 1 Jul 07, 2026

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How to Regulate Your Energy Level

In this episode we talk about the Spoon Theory. Keeping your spoons organized is easier said than done. The practice of using spoons to keep track or your personal energy economy is not only helpful to people with chronic illness. Its usefulness extends to those who have experienced later-in-life disruptors.

Don't forget to come back next week to hear the rest of the story. You will learn how to set your daily spoon limit. There will also be some suggestions for applying the spoon theory to travel.

AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

Transcript

Click Here for Transcript Theresa: Welcome back to Living the Good Life, everyone. Today we're opening up a conversation about an idea that has entirely reshaped how millions of people talk about health, chronic illness, and daily survival. It's a framework that is so widely adopted that it's evolved into its own cultural identity. And so today we are going to talk about spoon theory. Robert: It's fascinating because if you spend any time in chronic illness circles online, you'll see people calling themselves spoonies. But if you aren't initiated, you're probably asking, why spoons? Why not batteries, dollars, fuel gauges? Theresa: And to understand that, we have to go back to a diner in 2003. The concept was created by an essayist and advocate named Christine Miserandino. I hope I pronounced that right. Christine was living with lupus, an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks your healthy tissues like your joints, your skin, and your organs. She was sitting in a diner with a close friend who looked at her and asked what it actually felt like to have lupus. Not the clinical definition, but what it felt like to live with it day to day. Robert: And that's a notoriously hard thing to articulate. When you look healthy on the outside, people assume your internal battery works exactly like theirs. To demonstrate, Christine looked around the diner, grabbed every spoon she could find from the tables around, and handed them to her friend. She handed her 12 spoons. Theresa: And she told her friend, this is your energy for the day. For a healthy person, energy feels virtually limitless. If you want to go to the store, you just go. But for somebody with a chronic illness, every single action requires a choice. And every choice costs a physical asset. In this case, a spoon. Robert: Christine had her friend walk through a typical day. But right out of the gate, before her friend even got out of bed, Christine took a spoon away. Why? Because her friend had woken up late, or slept poorly, or woke up in pain. Then, getti

Living The Could Life Workbook Primer Jun 30, 2026

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A Bit More About the Living The Could Life Workbook

In this episode we address some questions about our guided workbook. The gentle aspect of the book led to a few inquiries about the effectiveness of this 70-dday guide. We wanted to take an episode to dive deeper into the focus of the book and the importance of reading the intro and other parts of the workbook. We talk a bit of acetylcholine, Goldilocks and how relative stress may be.

AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

Transcript

Click Here for Transcript Theresa: Welcome back to Living the Good Life, where we talk about real travel for real bodies. The kind of trips you can actually take, not the ones that you used to be able to take. I'm Teresa. Today we're talking about how real change happens in the brain, not through force, not through intensity, not through try harder, but through gentle, meaningful challenge. Inside the brain, there's a chemical called acetylcholine. Think of it as your brain's spotlight operator. When something is new, interesting, or requires your attention, acetylcholine turns the spotlight on and says, hey, this matters. Let's strengthen it. For example, if something is too easy, something you can do on autopilot, your brain doesn't bother requiring anything it thinks. Oh, we already know how to do this. So let's make this real with an example. People often say, I do Wyrtle every day. Isn't that good for my brain? And the answer is, it's fun, but it doesn't create any new connections. So acetylcholine barely moves. No spotlight, no rewiring. And my guess is, it makes fewer connections if you learn a second romance language. What do you think? As opposed to a Germanic language. Robert: I guess the grammar is different. Like German, the joke is they always wait for the end of the sentence. Theresa: Right. We should do that for this podcast. Make you wait. Robert: And yeah, I hear people say learning Greek is very difficult, where they say learning Spanish is a lot easier, but when you start becoming really fluent in Spanish, it's still pretty, pretty challenging, I think. Theresa: And I think other languages, like some of the Asian languages or Chinese, which is, I believe, called a tonal language, where, you know, high, high pitch. I know they use the example ma, like there's several different ways to pronounce ma, and it totally changes the meaning. But anyway, I was just wondering about that. I don't know. So, back to language. Your brain can't solve, learn, you know, a problem, the problem of learning a new language with its old circuitry. Acetylcholine spikes, the spotlight turns on, and your brain says, this is unfamiliar. I, I need to build some new circuits.

Guided Immersion with ToursByLocals Jun 23, 2026

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A Deep Dive Into South Beach

In this episode we share our experience with our wonderful guide, Ileana from ToursByLocals. It's an ideal way to learn more about South Beach. We delved into the Art Deco heritage of the town. Next time, we are there, we will be more observant noticing the small details of the Art Deco style. We usually stay in an Art Deco apartment and will look out for more details the next time that we visit South Beach

AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

Transcript

Click Here for Transcript Theresa: Welcome back to Living the Could Life, where we talk about real travel for real bodies. It's the kind of trips you can actually take, not the ones influencers pretend to float through and show their wonderful bodies and new outfits. We're not quite like that. Today, we are heading to South Beach, part of Miami, that's in Florida, but it's not the version you get from a brochure. We're talking about exploring it with tours by locals and why having a local guide can completely change your experience. Robert: And we're not just talking about someone who knows the area. We mean people who live the culture, understand the history, and can point out the tiny details you'd walk right past, especially on an architectural tour, which is one of the most underrated ways to understand this part of Miami. Theresa: And that is so important. I've taken other tours. I was actually on a tour from a cruise ship where the guy just said: “On the left is the ocean,on the right are the mountains.” This advice applies to other tour companies or touring guides as well. Back to South Beach. It's one of the places where you can really get along on your own. You can walk. It's very walkable. You can take the free trolley. You can take a bus. There's Uber and other shared ride services. But to really get a good look at the area, it helps to have a guide or to have done a significant amount of research. So when you go on your own, it's likely you might miss 80% of the local interesting architecture, the local facts about South Beach. A lot of people there, they go just to go swimming, go to the beach, sunbathe, hang out, eat, drink, and party. With the local guide, you get the stories behind all the neon, the Art Deco, the families who've owned and operated restaurants and hotels for years, and the preservation battles behind the Art Deco district. Robert: And let's be honest, South Beach can be overwhelming. Crowds, heat, parking, noise. A local guide cuts through all that. They know the shady spots to stand in, the quiet corners, the clean bathrooms, the places where you can actually hear yourself think. Theresa: And that was definitely good for us, especially for me. When I don't see well, it was nice to know where

The Boat Company Saves the Tongass Jun 16, 2026

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Part 2: The Science Behind the Tongass and Why The Boat Company Wants to Preserve the Forest

In this episode we share a deeper dive into the Science of The Tongass National Forest. We have combined several bits of research, interviews and personal experience into two Notebook-generated conversations. The convo not only shows the advantages of sailing with The Boat Company, but also delves into the science that illustrates exactly why The Boat Company continues its committed to preserving this large expanse of inimitable space.

Transcript

Click Here for Transcript Speaker 2: So, I want you to imagine that you are sitting on this incredibly green, mossy log in absolute silence. Speaker 2: Just totally off the grid. Speaker 2: Exactly. You are miles from cell service and you think, ah, I have completely escaped the global economy. I'm finally out of it. Speaker 1: Yeah, you feel totally isolated from all of that. Speaker 2: Right. But you are actually sitting right on top of a highly aggressive $2.2 billion commodities market. Speaker 1: Oh, wow. That is quite the visual. Speaker 2: Isn't it? So, welcome to our deep dive into the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska. Speaker 1: It's an incredible topic and I'm really excited to get into the sources we have today. Speaker 2: Same here. But before we get into the hidden mechanics of what is happening under that moss, I really want you to try and picture the sheer scale of this place. Because, I mean, when I hear the word forest, my brain usually defaults to a nice, manageable state park. Speaker 1: Right. Like maybe some paved trails, a little visitor center. Speaker 2: Yeah, a place you can drive across in an hour, buy a postcard and go home. But the Tongass is over 16 million acres. Speaker 1: Which is, I mean, to put 16 million acres into a frame of reference that the human brain can actually process, you are looking at a landmass that covers roughly 80% of all of Southeast Alaska. Speaker 2: 80%? Speaker 1: Yeah. It is the largest national forest in the United States by a massive margin. But it is not just, you know, a monolithic block of pine trees sitting on a flat plain. The geography is completely splintered. Speaker 2: Splintered is a great way to p

Deeper Diving Into The Tongass Jun 09, 2026

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Part 1: What We Learned Cruising With The Boat Company

In this episode we share a deeper dive into the Tongass Naational Forest. We have combined several bits of research, interviews and personal experience into twoNotebook generated conversations. The convo not only shows the advantages of sailing with The Boat Company, but also delves into the science that illustrates exactly why The Boat Company continues its committed to preserving this large expanse of inimitable space.

Transcript

Alaska Cruising With The Boat Company Jun 02, 2026

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In this episode we share details about a recent cruise to Alaska. The Boat Company is a non-profit cruise line that has been plying the waters in SE Alaska for decades. Is this cruise line appropriate for those of us with body disruptions? Listen to find out.

Transcript

Click Here for Transcript Theresa: Some places don't need to be sold, they just need to be shown. Southeast Alaska is one of those places. It's a world of mist, mountains, and water that feels untouched, almost ancient. Robert: And tucked inside that world is the Boat Company, a small non-profit that's been quietly, steadily protecting this landscape for more than 40 years. They don't advertise loudly, they don't chase trends, they simply invite people into a place they love and use travel to help save it. Theresa: Today, we're talking about small ship cruising in Alaska with the Boat Company. Unlike other cruise lines you've heard of, they operate two small vessels, the Leesorone and the Mist Cove, each carrying just 20 to 24 guests. We sailed on Mist Cove. It's intimate, personal, and deeply connected to the land and water around it. Robert: And their mission centers on one of the most extraordinary ecosystems on Earth, the Tongass National Forest. Theresa: And because so many travelers don't realize what the Tongass actually is, and some have never really heard about it, we want to pause here and give it the space it deserves. Welcome to Living the Good Life. I'm Theresa. Robert: And I'm your co-host, Robert. So let's get into it. The Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the United States. Nearly 17 million acres of islands, fjords, mountains, glaciers, and old-growth rainforest. It covers almost 80% of southeast Alaska and forms the U.S. portion of the largest temperate rainforest left on Earth. Theresa: Like Alaska, this is a giant forest. Almost everything in Alaska is much bigger than you expect, or at least it was far bigger than I ever expected. This is the forest of giants like the ancient Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock, and Cedar. They have stood for hundreds, sometimes more than a thousand years. It's the old-growth forest at its best. These trees rise like pillars in a green cathedral, draped in moss and rooted in tongue. Robert: Beneath those trees runs water. Cold, clear, life-giving water. 19,000 miles of salmon streams braid through the Tongass. All five species of Pacific salmon spawn here, feeding bears, eagles, wolves, communities, and entire regional economies. Theresa: You can't go to Alaska without trying salmon. Wildlife thrives here in ways that feel almost mythical. Brown and black bears, the rare Alexander Archipelago wolf, Sitka black-tailed deer, and more tha

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Living the Could Life

20 Reasons Why Cruising is a the best vacation for those within the disability community

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20 Reasons Why Cruising is a Great Vacation Option for Those Experiencing Body Disruptions

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A short history of of the disability movement

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Finding Your Baseline

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How to Regulate Your Energy Level

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A Bit More About the Living The Could Life Workbook

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A Deep Dive Into South Beach

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Part 2: The Science Behind the Tongass and Why The Boat Company Wants to Preserve the Forest

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Part 1: What We Learned Cruising With The Boat Company

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Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Living the Could Life

20 Reasons Why Cruising is a the best vacation for those within the disability community

Transcript

20 Reasons Why Cruising is a Great Vacation Option for Those Experiencing Body Disruptions

Transcript

A short history of of the disability movement

Transcript

Finding Your Baseline

Transcript

How to Regulate Your Energy Level

Transcript

A Bit More About the Living The Could Life Workbook

Transcript

A Deep Dive Into South Beach

Transcript

Part 2: The Science Behind the Tongass and Why The Boat Company Wants to Preserve the Forest

Transcript

Part 1: What We Learned Cruising With The Boat Company

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