How Are You, Really? w/ Jenna Kutcher

Podcast Summary

• Embrace authenticity and self-trust for a fulfilling life: Trusting oneself to know who we are and understand life's seasons leads to a fulfilling life. Staying true to oneself and embracing change can result in love and happiness.

  Authenticity and self-trust are essential for living a fulfilling life. Jenna, a successful author and podcast host, embodies these qualities and inspires others to do the same. She encourages people to know themselves and understand that everything in life has a season. Trusting oneself to slow down when needed and go hard when ready is crucial. Jenna's experiences and insights, shared in her book "Living your truth one answer at a time," demonstrate the importance of staying true to oneself and embracing change. Her journey serves as a reminder that trusting oneself and living authentically can lead to a life filled with love and happiness.

• Finding balance between woo and work for a fulfilling life: Identify your season, prioritize rest as a birthright, and embrace stillness to live a balanced life

  Finding balance between the "woo" (manifestation and visualization) and the "work" (hustle and achievement) is essential for living a fulfilling life. It's important to identify which season you're in and how to live it out as your truth. Rest is a crucial component of this balance and should not be overlooked or earned but embraced as a birthright. Learning to rest takes effort, just like working hard, and can be achieved by gradually increasing the amount of time spent in stillness. The world often encourages us to earn the right to rest, but it's important to remember that rest is necessary for our well-being and should not be an afterthought or a reward for hard work.

• Prioritizing Rest for Productivity and Well-Being: Intentionally make time for rest, especially for women, to improve productivity, well-being, and live more authentic lives through self-awareness and introspection

  Rest is not just about idleness or laziness, but an essential component of productivity and well-being. It's important to intentionally make time for rest, especially for women who often carry a heavy mental load between their personal and professional lives. The book "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz offers tools for self-awareness and discernment, encouraging individuals to ask themselves important questions to better understand their own happiness, contentment, and definition of success. By prioritizing rest and introspection, we can live more authentic and fulfilling lives, rather than following someone else's directions blindly.

• The Importance of Self-Reflection: Take time for self-reflection, prioritize self-care, and recognize the value of your time to achieve a more fulfilling and balanced life. The tipping point comes when you feel secure enough to trade money for time.

  It's essential to take time for self-reflection and introspection, even during the busiest and most successful periods of life. We often prioritize helping others and focusing on external achievements, but neglecting to check in with ourselves. The speaker shares a personal experience of feeling disconnected from himself during a moment of stress and realizes the importance of self-reflection. He encourages listeners, regardless of their current stage in life, to recognize the value of their time and prioritize self-care, leading to a more fulfilling and balanced life. The concept of a tipping point is emphasized, where one feels secure enough to trade money for time, leading to a more meaningful and purposeful existence.

• Prioritize rest and recovery: Recognize signs of burnout, avoid the grind, check in with body, and be present in the moment to maintain optimal functioning and overall health.

  It's essential to prioritize rest and recovery to maintain optimal functioning and creativity, as well as overall health and well-being. The discussion emphasized the importance of recognizing the signs of burnout and avoiding the grind, even at early stages. Some individuals may have a higher tolerance for functioning while burned out, but a crash is inevitable without proper rest. The conversation also touched on the importance of checking in with one's physical body and addressing any issues, as well as having a positive relationship with one's body. It's common for individuals, regardless of gender, to look back at old photos and remember past insecurities, highlighting the importance of being present in the moment.

• The Power of Self-Perception and Body Acceptance: Recognizing our worth as whole beings and embracing our bodies can lead to strength, vibrancy, and self-love, rather than shame and criticism.

  Our perception of ourselves and our bodies significantly influences how we live our lives. The speaker shares a personal story about her daughter and how her belief in her daughter's perfection impacted her. She also discusses how societal pressures and past experiences can lead us to criticize our bodies and separate ourselves from them. However, the speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing that we are whole beings, and our bodies are part of who we are. By learning to love and accept ourselves as we are, we can find strength and vibrancy, rather than shame and criticism. The speaker's experience of embracing her body during pregnancy and being celebrated for it, despite societal expectations, highlights the transformative power of self-love and acceptance.

• Finding Balance in Health and Fitness: Embrace a healthy balance between personal goals and present enjoyment for continued growth and success.

  Health and fitness go beyond physical appearance and should be about finding balance and enjoying life. The speaker shares how they've learned that being "energized and healthy" is more important than striving for a specific body type or external validation. They also emphasize the importance of being true to one's own blueprint for happiness and success, rather than conforming to others' expectations. Additionally, the speaker acknowledges the fear of letting go of self-criticism and the belief that it contributes to success, but encourages the idea that enjoying life and finding balance can actually lead to continued growth and achievement. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of finding a healthy balance between striving for personal goals and enjoying the present moment.

• Trust yourself and past achievements: Believe in your abilities and past successes, prioritize self-care, and trust your instincts to move forward.

  Trusting in ourselves and our past achievements is crucial, rather than relying on external factors for success. We often prioritize work and momentum over personal relationships and self-care, leading to burnout and doubt. Our visions and callings are unique to us, and no one else can fully understand or fulfill them but ourselves. It's essential to trust our instincts, prioritize self-care, and lean on our inner resources to move forward. The fear of losing momentum can be a significant obstacle, but remembering the gifts and strengths that have brought us this far can help us find rest and renewed focus.

• Staying true to values and living authentically: Values guide us to live authentically, find creative solutions, and maintain clarity in our goals. Being present in the moment allows us to cherish life and recognize who we truly are.

  Success and creativity thrive when we stay true to our values and prioritize our personal definition of success. The speaker shares her experience of writing a book on her own terms, refusing to compromise her vision for external validation or deadlines. She emphasizes that boundaries, rather than limiting us, help us live authentically and fully in our lives. By staying aligned with our values, we can find creative solutions to challenges and maintain clarity in our goals. The speaker encourages us to recognize and cherish the present moment, rather than longing for the past or future. Her book, "How are you really?", explores this concept further and invites us to consider not only how we are, but also who we truly are. The speaker's friendship with Drew serves as a reminder of the importance of living in alignment with our values and being present in our lives.

• Checking in with ourselves to ensure alignment with present vision: Embrace change and evolution to live a fulfilling and authentic life, it's never too late to pursue new passions, and unexplored curiosities can lead to guilt and shame.

  Our visions and desires evolve over time, and it's essential to regularly check in with ourselves to ensure that our current life aligns with our present vision. The story of the corporate lawyer who traded his successful career for a life of surfing and snowboarding serves as a reminder that it's never too late to pursue new passions and embrace change. We may resist change due to uncertainty and fear of identity foreclosure, but it's important to remember that growth brings growing pains, and the expansiveness of who we are can change the world. Additionally, unexplored curiosities and unfulfilled childhood dreams can lead to feelings of guilt and shame, so it's crucial to examine where we are today and identify any areas where we've let go of pieces of ourselves. Overall, embracing change and evolution is a key component of living a fulfilling and authentic life.

• Celebrating small progress: Slow progress is still progress. Focus on building confidence and checking in with ourselves to ensure our goals align with our hearts.

  Progress, even if it's invisible, is still progress. We often feel guilty or ashamed when we haven't achieved our goals, but it's important to remember that slow progress is still progress. Confidence builds on itself, and as we continue to make efforts towards our dreams, our self-worth will expand. We should remind ourselves that we are the investment, not the risk. Additionally, it's crucial to check in with ourselves and ask if our vision is still our vision. Instead of focusing on what our goals look like, we should consider how they should feel. Often, we set goals based on external expectations or societal pressures, leading to a sense of emptiness when we reach them. By asking ourselves how our goals should feel, we can ensure that we're pursuing what truly aligns with our hearts.

• Creating space for joy and fulfillment: Focus on self-care, creativity, and asking for help to live more meaningful, joyful moments.

  Time is our most valuable currency, and it's essential to live in the present moment and identify what brings us the most joy and fulfillment. To do this, we must create space in our lives for creativity and self-care, and be open to asking for help when we need it. The speaker shared her personal experiences of burnout and the importance of rediscovering passions from childhood, as well as the power of asking for assistance from others. By focusing on these elements, we can live more meaningful, "fat minutes" in our lives and work towards a vision that truly resonates with us.

• Asking for help is a powerful act: Asking for help strengthens relationships, frees up resources, and promotes personal growth. It's a skill that can be practiced and leads to progress.

  Asking for help is a powerful act that benefits both the person asking and the person giving. It's important to recognize that asking for help is a skill that can be strengthened with practice, and it's essential for personal growth and achieving one's goals. Help is like a muscle that grows stronger with use. Asking for help allows us to receive support, freeing up time and resources that are necessary for progress. Moreover, helping others is often a source of purpose and fulfillment for many people. Offering help creates a sense of reciprocity and strengthens relationships. To start implementing this in your life, focus on taking action rather than just accumulating knowledge. Identify one step you can take today to create a new vision for your life and begin implementing it with the help of others. Remember, asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength and wisdom.

• Embracing small steps for personal growth: Making authentic, small steps towards self-care and mindful progress leads to deeper roots and significant changes in life.

  Making impossibly small progress towards personal growth and living into one's truth can lead to deeper roots and significant changes in life. It's not about drastic actions like moving zip codes or getting divorced, but rather about making small, authentic steps. The author's book, filled with stories, strategies, and tactics, encourages listeners to prioritize self-care and mindful progress, rather than constant hustle and maxing out. This approach, as shared by the author and her guest, is about finding balance and living authentically. It's a message of encouragement and inspiration for those seeking to make meaningful changes in their lives.