{"id":7889,"date":"2026-02-08T12:59:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T18:59:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whyamipod.com\/?p=930"},"modified":"2026-02-08T12:59:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T18:59:49","slug":"why-am-i-ryan-estrada-banned-book-club","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/?p=7889","title":{"rendered":"Why Am I Ryan Estrada \u2013 Banned Book Club"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-offset-key=\"5ljb8-0-0\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-932\" src=\"https:\/\/whyamipod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/thumbnail-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/whyamipod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/thumbnail-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/whyamipod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/thumbnail-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/whyamipod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/thumbnail-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/whyamipod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/thumbnail-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/whyamipod.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/thumbnail-1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/div>\n<div data-offset-key=\"5ljb8-0-0\">\n<p class=\"Type__TypeElement-sc-goli3j-0 gfMYqC\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-encore-id=\"type\" data-slate-fragment=\"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\">Ryan Estrada has been homeless in a typhoon, thrown off a moving train by police, almost eaten by lions, and banned in multiple U.S. states, and somehow came out of all of it more optimistic than most people.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Type__TypeElement-sc-goli3j-0 gfMYqC\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-encore-id=\"type\" data-slate-fragment=\"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\">In this episode of Why Am I?, Ryan traces how growing up anxious led him to deliberately chase discomfort: moving to a new country every year, embracing failure as fuel, and turning everything that goes wrong into a story worth telling. We talk about fear, creativity, rejection, community, book banning, and why mistakes are the most valuable thing an artist can have.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Type__TypeElement-sc-goli3j-0 gfMYqC\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-encore-id=\"type\" data-slate-fragment=\"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\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/72x72\/1f517.png\" alt=\"&#x1f517;\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/> Don\u2019t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations that chase the story behind the person.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-offset-key=\"5ljb8-0-0\"><\/div>\n<div data-offset-key=\"5ljb8-0-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/creators.spotify.com\/pod\/profile\/whyamipod\/episodes\/Why-Am-I-Ryan-Estrada---Banned-Book-Club-e3eqf49\">Podcast episode on Spotify here<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div data-offset-key=\"5ljb8-0-0\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/creators.spotify.com\/pod\/profile\/whyamipod\/embed\/episodes\/Why-Am-I-Ryan-Estrada---Banned-Book-Club-e3eqf49\/a-acf9vpa\" width=\"400px\" height=\"102px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div data-offset-key=\"5ljb8-0-0\">Youtube version here:<\/div>\n<div data-offset-key=\"5ljb8-0-0\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DW9LWtCaa9I?si=rTV04muinCdRsMXW\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div data-offset-key=\"5ljb8-0-0\">\n<div class=\"DK2WGA7X3rKos2v1AABBD _20x9t-BL2SDh7lOGEew66E\" data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"97ugl\" data-offset-key=\"b0nt9-0-0\">\n<div class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\" data-offset-key=\"b0nt9-0-0\">\n<p class=\"Type__TypeElement-sc-goli3j-0 gfMYqC\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-encore-id=\"type\">Please show them some love on their socials here:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ryanestrada.com\/\">https:\/\/www.ryanestrada.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Type__TypeElement-sc-goli3j-0 gfMYqC\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-encore-id=\"type\"><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.015em;\">If you want to <\/span><strong style=\"letter-spacing: -0.015em;\">support the podcast<\/strong><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.015em;\"> you can do so via <\/span><a style=\"letter-spacing: -0.015em;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/whyamipod\">https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/whyamipod<\/a><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.015em;\"> (this gives you access to <\/span><strong style=\"letter-spacing: -0.015em;\">bonus content including their Fantasy Restaurant!<\/strong><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.015em;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ryan Estrada has been homeless in a typhoon, thrown off a moving train by police, almost eaten by lions, and banned in multiple U.S. states, and somehow came out of all of it more optimistic than most people. In this episode of Why Am I?, Ryan traces how growing up anxious led him to deliberately [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-podcast"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7889"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7889\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7961,"href":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7889\/revisions\/7961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gregsowell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}