Ep. 80 | The #1 Most Important Question To Ask Yourself Going Into 2025

Dwight Eisenhower got it right when he said, "what is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important". 

I really connected with that on a deep level a few years ago when I was burned out and wishing decades of my life away.  I was dreaming of retirement because that's when I imagined I'd actually get to start living and enjoying my life. And I realized that I didn't want to keep doing that. I wanted to actually start enjoying the life that I had now - the one that I knew I was going to get to live. I realize how tragic if I spent my entire life self-sacrificing for a better future and I never actually got to enjoy that future! And so that's why when ever I have a guest on the podcast, one of the questions I ask is, "when do you feel most alive?" Because that question helps to reconnect us with those important things that may not feel urgent in life, but they make all the difference and get to the heart of what really matters. 

This podcast episode is compilation of the responses that my guests have had over the year as well as my own answer to inspire you. Getting clear on what helps you to feel most alive will help you to make changes in your life and navigate your day in a way that lights you up instead of burning you out. 

After listening, send me a message or voice memo sharing what your answer is to the question. I'd love to continue to have more roundups like this in the future!

For support making changes so you're not living your life letting those urgent, but not important things crowd out all the things that are truly important at the end of the day and at the end of your life that's what my coaching programs are designed to do to help you to reconnect with the version of you that feels most alive and fulfilled in life. Send an email at amelia@lifeboost.today or connect with me on Instagram (@lifeboostwithamelia) to connect and talk about what program or resource is best for you or visit my website: www.lifeboost.today/lbprograms. 

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, mental health, or professional advice. I am a certified health and life coach, not a licensed medical or mental health professional. Please consult with a healthcare provider before making any changes to your physical or mental health routines. If you are experiencing a crisis, seek help from a qualified professional or contact emergency services.

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To learn more about my approach and the programs and free resources available to support you, visit my website: www.lifeboost.today

I love to hear from you. You can always reach me at amelia@lifeboost.today.

Transcript

3:11

Welcome to the Life Boost with Amelia podcast where we're changing the narrative around what true health and success look like. They should give you energy, not drain it. I'm your host, Dr. Amelia multi-passionate integrative health and life coach, entrepreneur, and recovered burnout veterinarian. Together, we'll explore the science behind how your brain and body work, including the unconscious mind while also connecting with what your heart needs in order to stand up to the norm of feeling stuck on a hamster wheel-working hard yet feeling exhausted and not where you want to be- and instead live a life that makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning and in love with who you see when you look in the mirror. The reality is if you do what everyone else is doing, you're not going to feel good. Let's break the norm. Hi friend. As we wrap up this year and we look at their new year ahead. It can be easy to get caught up in all these thoughts about what we should do or need to do or want to do better in the new year. But one of the things I always try to remind myself of is a quote from Dwight Eisenhower. What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important. And I really connected with that on a deep level, when I was in burnout around when I started to really realize just how burnt out I was. And I started realizing that I was waking up already wishing for the workday to be over. On an even larger scale, I was dreaming of retirement because I imagined that's when I would get to start living my life. I was literally wishing decades of my life away. And I realized that I didn't want to keep doing that. I wanted to actually start enjoying the life that I had now. The one that I knew I was going to get to live. I started to realize how tragic if I spent my entire life kind of self-sacrificing for a better future. And I never actually got to enjoy that future. And so that's why when ever I have a guest on the podcast, One of the questions I ask is, when do you feel most alive? Because that question helps to reconnect us with those important things that may not feel urgent in life. But they make all the difference. And so as you're maybe setting intentions for the new year, I encourage you to take some time to think about this and to inspire you, I thought I'd include a Roundup of the answers that my podcast guests have had this past year. And after listening, I would love for you to send me a message or a voice memo, sharing your answer to when do I feel most alive? I hope you enjoy. This from episode 68, recovering from burnout with guest dr. Stacey Cordivano of the whole veterinarian.

Stacey: 6:26

I feel most alive when I'm challenging myself, I think. Whether that be, just took my son skiing yesterday, so like, that's at the top of my mind, right? Like, whether it's something physically challenging or speaking at AAP last year for the first time was a big challenge, and you finish that and you feel kind of like, wow, like this feels alive I'm doing something that makes a difference. So yeah, I think challenging and making a difference. You know, making a difference is one of my core values and so I think whenever I'm living into my core values, I feel alive and I, you know, I didn't learn that phrase until a couple years ago. So like, that's something I've been working on but I think if I really think about it, that's probably when I feel most alive.

7:20

This is Yvonne Chung from episode 70 human design and living life without regrets.

Yvonne: 7:26

I think that one of, one of them would be when I'm traveling. Um,

amelia: 7:33

Mm

Yvonne: 7:34

when I'm traveling, it's like, it's like, This, this question reminds me of this exercise that I do with clients around like, what are your key ingredients for thriving? Which is like, like, what are those elements that make you feel the most alive and present and engaged? And for me, that answer was always like traveling because something that I realized with traveling, my key ingredients for thriving, um, is like novelty. Like when there's, when I'm surrounded by newness, I feel so alive because it kind of almost forces me to be present and engaged in like in the present moment. So it's like new places, new people, new smells, new things that I see. And it's like it kind of puts me into the present moment. And I think another thing about traveling that makes me feel so alive is also engaging with people. It's something that I, I'm doing a lot when I'm traveling. It's like engaging with new people and feeling connected. And that makes me feel really alive too. It's like connecting with people. And then I think the third element that comes in with traveling is a lot of times when I'm traveling, I'm traveling to see like really beautiful nature spots and like being in nature. Really makes me feel alive because it's also again back to that present moment stuff, right? Or it's like I'm here. I'm in nature like I'm just I don't know, experiencing the rhythm, the natural rhythms around me. And that makes me feel really, really alive too.

9:03

This is Dr. Gus from episode 74, overcoming adversity wisdom from the wild.

Dr. Guss: 9:10

It has to do with the moments in which I connect with myself and my true self. And my true self does not have to be a Disneyland. I've been in prison, having a blast, feeling completely free, feeling completely alive. I've been in Disneyland. No, I did enjoy it. I wouldn't say but bored in one of the lines that took almost three hours. Yeah the truth is it has more to do with the consciousness of myself being alive, being with this wild aspect of me enjoying and understanding my purpose.

9:52

This is Dr. Eve Harrison from episode 75, breaking out of the black and white box and embracing the color in vet med.

Dr. Eve Harrison: 9:59

Ooh. I feel most alive when I'm playing my flute even more alive when I'm playing my flute in a psilocybin ceremony, which I do sometimes

amelia: 10:08

oh cool,

Dr. Eve Harrison: 10:10

there's a connection to God, there is air, there's music, there's creativity. I'm physically in my body performing for other people, connecting with other people, but really in my own Inner sanctuary. That's when I feel most alive.

10:27

This is Dr. Deborah Nicholson from episode 76: is the grass greener? Tips for vets considering industry and how to boost retention in veterinary practices.

Dr. Debra Nickelson: 10:37

I feel most alive when I've been able to help somebody be the best possible version of themselves. And, I do a lot of volunteer work. And one of the things I do is I teach community education classes. Just last week, I taught a class on women in leadership. And one of the students was Just all bent for complaining about her job in I. T. and the male dominated environment. And, really wasn't interested in being a leader. Just pretty much wanted to complain about her job. Which we already talked about earlier this this session. And, eventually I went to, what are the things you're really good at? And what are the things you really love to do? And what is the thing that the world needs? And what is the thing that, you can get paid for? And it's a graphic thing and it's a Japanese graphic called Ikejai. And basically it's a sweet spot. If you can do something that you really love, that you're really good at, what the world needs, and that people will pay for that's a sweet spot and she thought about she could use her IT experience to develop programs in order to help people Construct and Work on crochet projects now. I don't know anything about crochet, but this person really did and Love crochet and She was working this out in her mind that she would develop these programs that would help people design, a pattern and figure out what they needed for this pattern and actually do it, do the patterns and do this crochet thing. And she's thinking, that's what I'm going to do. And it just came to her, I didn't do it, she did it herself, and that was really rewarding.

12:27

And this is Stacy Pursell from the same episode.

Stacy Pursell: 12:30

When I'm helping others I love to solve problems. I'm a problem solver. So when somebody comes to me, whether that be an employer that has a challenging hiring need, they've been looking for somebody and they can't find this person. And I can help them find that I feel most alive or a candidate. They're looking for a new position and I can help put them in the right role. And then also, my, my family my, my youngest child is a senior in high school. I've got three in college. Just seeing them thrive, seeing them pursue their passions. It's like I'm raised my kids and now they're going off into the world pursuing their passions. I feel alive when I see them doing that.

13:11

This is Dr. Courtney from episode 77 from sciatica to gut health. Is your pelvic floor holding the secret to better health?

Courtney: 13:19

when I have control over my body, I would say Because for the longest time, I've been injured in the past I've not been able to do something that I, my, one of my biggest fears, I would say, because this kind of goes along with this, is aging and dying. Not being able to do what I want to do and that is my biggest fear ever I hate that. And so when I feel alive is when I can do whatever I want to do without any restrictions. And so when I like to exercise now, it has a lot to do with how I can strength train, how I can be flexible and go to a yoga class, how I can go for a 10 mile hike, how I can just go outside and go for a three to five mile run. I want to feel so good that if anybody says Hey, do you want to go play softball? You want to go for a run? Yes. Yes. I don't feel like I have to train for that.

14:20

This is Hugh Hiemstra from episode 78, leaders have panic attacks too a conversation on unspoken struggles and thriving in vet med.

Hugh: 14:28

Great question. I surf, so definitely not much beats a good surf. When you're out in the ocean on a great day, the waves are just right and you're getting waves. That would be very high on my list of when I feel most alive. Many things outdoors. Uh, yeah, a good run outdoors out in nature definitely does a lot for, for the spirit, for feeling alive. And In terms of what I do for a living, if I've written something or I've made a podcast and I'm finished with it and I'm publishing it, that moment of going, I'm proud of that it's going out in the world, that's a big buzz. I love that as well.

15:11

And this is Dr. Josh Rosen. From episode 79 clinical empathy, turn stressful conversations into your superpower.

Dr. Josh: 15:19

I think that I feel most alive when I'm traveling to a new place and experiencing everything for the first time. Even if it's the same country that I've been to before, but it's a new place within that country, whatever the case is, I love feeling new experiences occur. It makes me definitely feel alive for sure.

15:38

So what it for you? When do you feel most alive? For me, I feel most alive when I go out for my morning walk. When it is still dark outside, the sun is just beginning to come up. I just look around at the trees the birds are chirping. I can see the lake and everything is just so peaceful and still, and calm. It's like the world is still sleeping. And I get to see as the sun rises and begins to paint the sky. In the most stunning way. And in a way that's different every single day. That is one of the times when I feel most alive and connected to, I can't even describe what it is, but I know it's what really matters. And I feel alive when I am walking in the woods or going for a hike. And I'm breathing in just that crisp, fresh, clean air. I also feel alive when I'm getting to connect with someone, whether that's getting to understand them on a deeper level, having a really engaging conversation, just getting to be around someone who I get and getting to just laugh so hard. I also feel alive when I am coaching and when I get to experience that shift along with my client where they were feeling pressure or stuck or stressed or weighed down by something and there's that magical shift. And suddenly there's just this huge change in their energy and they feel so much lighter and have clarity and a new perspective. That's an amazing feeling. And at the end of a really great podcast conversation with a guest, I have just this huge amount of energy and excitement and this feeling like that was such a cool conversation. I feel so alive. And I get a similar surge of energy and excitement and happiness after a really great workout, like after I've pushed my body a little bit, whether it's maybe I'm doing hill sprints or lifting weights, it's that feeling of I've pushed myself, but in a way that just is grounded in confidence and nourishing and supporting my body and gratitude for my body. And in a gentler way, I feel really alive when Woodford comes up and asks to be cuddled. And I hold him in my arms and he nuzzles his head right up against my chest, where I just feel so loved and connected to him. And I feel alive when I am traveling or learning, it's this feeling of expanding my mind to seeing what more is out there. Whether that's getting to see a new part of the world and just being like, wow. Or whether it's learning something new and just starting to expand my perspectives. And then finally a time when I feel most alive is when I have given myself permission to take something off my plate or I've, I've found a new way around a challenge. And what that feels like in my body, I notice that I just feel so much lighter. Suddenly, I feel more playful. I'm in the mood to dance. I laugh more. And as I go into 2025, I really want to be using that version of me as a guiding light, more and more. Because I know that when I connect with that version of me, That's the true Amelia, that's the Amelia that maybe didn't get to show up as much growing up because of being weighed down by all of these responsibilities, and these shoulds, and these obligations. And more and more as I live my life and try to reconnect with who I am at the core. And releasing and letting go of those patterns and being that person that I thought that I should be. I'm really leaning into using that signal for my body and my energy to move forward and navigate things in a way that helps me to feel alive. And so thinking about all of the answers that everybody shared. One thing that really stands out to me is this common theme of connection. Connection to what really matters, whether that's nature or genuine connections with people or a connection with a pet feeling connected to your body, connected to the present moment. And connected to a sense of purpose. Like for me, all those times when I feel most alive align with my core values. That was the very first podcast episode that I had, because I think it is so important because that can be such a guiding light of navigating life in a way that helps you to feel alive, just like Stacey mentioned in that first response in this episode. And the other common theme is this feeling of going a little bit outside of your comfort zone, pushing yourself a little bit, novelty, adventure, but doing that in a way that is connected and aligned with your passions and the things that really light you up. And this is where in order to prioritize the things that help you to feel alive, you really have to be willing to break the norm. This is how you get off the hamster wheel. Because if you do, what's normal, it's so easy to become distracted and disconnected like disconnected from your body, from nature, from having genuine connections with others, from your passions, from the present moment. Because there are so many things that are constantly competing for our attention. And whether it's scrolling on our phones or getting distracted by all these things that feel urgent, but they're not actually important or just living constantly thinking about the future instead of just being in the present moment that we have right now. It's so easy to just get caught in that hamster wheel of distraction and pushing yourself, but in a way that's exhausting because it's not actually aligned with the things that light you up or your core values are, or even what actually matters. So that's when your life can start burning you out more than it's lighting you up. But the cool thing is that notice how these moments are available to you now. You don't have to wait until you have more money or you've made this huge shift in your job or your life, or you have achieved some external goal. These are things that you can start connecting more to today. Every moment there's an opportunity to just do something in a different way or with a different intention so that it does align more with the things that are most important to you and in a way that supports your energy more than it drains it. For example, I could take something totally mundane, like folding my laundry. And there's a way that I could do it of being like, oh, I hate doing this, and this is just like so boring and draining and being rushed. Or maybe I am thinking and worrying about other things that I have to do. Or I can do it with intention and do it in a way that aligns with what matters. Maybe I want to have a little dance party while folding my laundry. Maybe I'm going to call somebody who I care about to have a nice conversation, maybe I'll listen to a podcast on a topic that I'm really interested in that helps to expand my mind and helps me to learn. As you are setting your intentions for the new year, or maybe thinking about goals, before you really get caught up in like specifically what you want to do. Take a little time and think about, when do you feel most alive? What are your core values? It's so important that you think about how you can be connecting those actions and those goals with what really matters when you feel most alive? And if you'd like support connecting with your core values, shedding the patterns and the shoulds that have been weighing you down, and making changes in your life so that at the end of each day, Your heart feels full. So that you're not living your life, letting those urgent, but not important things crowd out all the things that are truly important at the end of the day. And at the end of your life. That's what my coaching programs are designed to do to help you to reconnect with the version of you that feels most alive and fulfilled in life. And the things that distract us and prevent us from prioritizing the things that truly matter, it's all about that unconscious programming, the beliefs that our society teaches us, and of course being stuck in survival mode, which is why the journey that I support you with is shifting out of survival mode, learning nervous system regulation, reconnecting with the real you, so that you can be making changes or shifting the way that you approach things in your life in a way that is lighting you up more than burning you out. Check out the show notes for links to learn more or better yet connection is what it's all about, right? So just reach out to me. You can send me an email at amelia@lifeboost.today we can connect on Instagram, send me a message and we can just start a conversation to see which coaching program or resource maybe the right fit for you. Cheers to health, happiness and success, the kind of success that lights you up instead of burns you out in 2025 and beyond.