I had a different plan for this week’s post, but I recently learned that my friend and mentor, Gary Collins, creator of “The Simple Life with Gary Collins,” passed away last month. Eerily, I spoke with Gary the day before his death, but I only found out about his passing a couple of days ago.

When we last spoke, Gary told me he was going on vacation, so I didn’t think much of it when he didn’t put out a podcast episode the following week. I had a work trip and a vacation of my own occurring in late September and early October, and I was distracted with planning these events and recording my own podcast episodes. Several weeks went by before I realized that we hadn’t communicated, and I hadn’t seen his podcasts appearing in the “Recently Updated” section of my Apple Podcasts feed, which was highly unusual.

Before sending him a message to touch base, I looked on his website to see if he had posted anything about his trip, and I saw a brief headline at the top of the page about his passing. I am both shocked and saddened by this unexpected news. I don’t know the details of Gary’s death, but he was only 52 years old, and despite some health issues he made reference to from time to time, by all accounts he lived a very healthy and active lifestyle.

For those of you who haven’t read my first blog post, Gary was an instrumental influence in me starting to reevaluate and simplify my life a couple years ago. Like many people, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic I was struggling with anxiety, anger, and spiraling mental health. I knew I was going down a dangerous path, so I started looking into positive mindset and health podcasts. I found “The Simple Life with Gary Collins” in September of 2020, and it quite literally changed my life.

Listening to Gary’s experiences as a veteran and former federal law enforcement investigator who grew up in California and later decided to give up city life to move off-grid to Washington State was something that really resonated with me, and I felt like I could relate to much of his journey. At the time, I was a police detective, living in Washington State, and I had also been born and raised in California. Gary was steadfast in his beliefs about patriotism and liberty, and he was outspoken about federal government corruption. His worldview on politics was very much in alignment with my own, and because I was in a position as a law enforcement officer where I couldn’t openly express my views and opinions, listening to Gary’s podcast episodes every week was a much needed reminder that I wasn’t alone in my beliefs.

In addition to his podcast, Gary was a successful entrepreneur and a best-selling author with a thriving business focused on wellness, self-improvement, and life simplification. He had a passion for sharing his experiences and educating others about what he referred to as “the three-legged stool,” an overall life balance concept centered around the ideas of optimal health, financial freedom, and finding your life purpose.

I read all of Gary’s books, except for the in-depth ones about off-grid living, and I began putting his advice into practice. I believed so strongly in the concepts I was learning from Gary that his teachings were a huge part of the shift in my mindset that resulted in me ultimately leaving my law enforcement career in pursuit of a more “simple life.”

Shortly after moving to Texas, I contacted Gary to schedule a consulting session because I was feeling like my life lacked purpose after giving up my career as a cop. At the time, I wanted to start a side business centered around investigative writing, and with Gary’s background, I felt like he was relatable and could understand where I was coming from. I had only scheduled a one-hour consulting session with Gary, but we ended up talking for over two hours, and we bonded over some of our shared experiences and beliefs.

Not only did Gary give me invaluable advice on what to do to start an LLC and create my business plan, but he also put me in touch with someone he knew who lived in Texas because he thought she might be able to steer me in the right direction with some possible leads and opportunities. Gary and I kept in touch after my session, and he often checked in to see how my business plan was coming along, always extending the offer to help me out when I had questions or wanted his input.

A few months after we connected, Gary sent an email to members of his website, asking if anyone was interested in writing blog articles. Even though I knew that starting down the path of blog writing would basically blackball my chances of success in the side business I was trying to create, I felt immediately excited and completely compelled to jump at the opportunity before I even finished reading the email.

My first article was posted on “The Simple Life” website this past March, and it was the catalyst for changing the course of my life. Gary was always supportive of my writing, and he never tried to edit, change, or censor any of my bold or controversial statements and opinions. He always gave me positive feedback and never turned down any of my ideas. He encouraged me to use my voice to inspire others, and he awakened a sleeping giant within me, completely altering the direction of my life purpose.

Gary basically gave me the opportunity to publicly step into my power and authenticity in expressing my beliefs with writing articles for “The Simple Life.” Having this platform to express myself and share my life experiences is what gave me the courage and desire to even contemplate creating my own website and blog with “Unapologetically Outspoken.”

I’m not sure what will happen with Gary’s website, the business he dedicated his life to, or the 185 podcast episodes he recorded (not to mention the numerous other podcasts and shows he was frequently a guest on), but I hope his legacy will remain available as reference and guidance for people who are interested in learning the concepts of his “simple life” program. Gary’s teachings and advice have been invaluable to me, and he was instrumental in reigniting my passion for writing. I will always be grateful I had the opportunity to experience his mentorship and friendship. It completely changed my world.

I’m writing this post to honor Gary in the best way I know how, by continuing on the “simple life” path he helped me start, and by using my blog, podcast, and social media platforms to inspire and encourage others to stand up for freedom and live their best fucking lives.

Gary, you were a genuine hero in my eyes, and you will be truly missed. Rest In Peace, my friend.

Unapologetically Outspoken,

Tara