The Purpose Filter

Have you ever tried to quit a bad habit yet failed to make a lasting change? You were motivated, you knew what was at stake and yet you went back to your old ways faster than you could say "whiplash" What if I told you there something you could do that would EXPONENTIALLY increase your chances of achieving any goal you set for yourself? Well, that's exactly what this week's episode is all about! T...

How is it that two people who start out under the exact same circumstances can get to the end of their life in totally different places? How does one radically transform their life while the other stays exactly where they are? The answer, as with most things is MINDSET. In this week's episode I share with you the 4 words that could be the difference between being chained to your past or breaking f...

Picture this: you spot an attractive person across the room and you start walking over to introduce yourself but they panic sets in and you awkwardly run away to hide Or you finally muster up the courage to ask your boss for a promotion, only to talk yourself out of it because "what's the point in even asking?" Sound familiar? If you've ever been on the brink of putting yourself out there, whether...

Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning, as it covers topics related to death and suicide. Please listen with care. Whether or not we are aware of them, mental health issues exist within our families, workplaces, and communities and have a profound impact on nearly everyone we know. Today, I'm opening up and being completely vulnerable as I share my own mental health story in the h...

How would you like to be remembered? What are the stories that you want people to tell about you once you’re gone? Answering these questions has everything to do with the legacy you’d like to leave behind. By knowing and understanding this, you can reverse engineer your life so that you are living with purpose and passion today. We can all name someone who has left a profound and lasting impressio...

Imagine what life would be like if you didn’t care about the opinions of others. If the thought of being judged by family, friends or colleagues didn’t make you pause and factor into your decision-making. Picture yourself wearing the clothes you feel comfortable in, and going after the job you are passionate about. If this sounds like a dream, then you’re in the right place. People pleasing is the...

There are so many aspects to living a life of fulfillment, but what if there was one area of your life you could improve that would spill over into all others? Sounds like a bit of a life hack. Well, it is, and we want to share it with you on today’s episode. Is your sex life fulfilling, or are you just going through the motions? The empowerment you get from knowing what you want in the bedroom an...

When someone compliments you, do you receive it with a thank you, or do you go on to diminish the compliment to make everyone feel more comfortable? Do you apologize for things that aren’t your responsibility? This is a common societal issue, especially for women. We’ve been taught that it is a bad thing to take up space in the world, and putting yourself last is praised. This whole structure is u...

Two things can be true at the same time, like a half full or half empty water glass. I've seen my fair share of duality play out in palliative care where immense suffering can exist side by side with infinite love. And you can nurture this exact duality in your own life can help nurture more inner peace and comfort. This is the paradox that, if mastered, could totally change the your experience of...

"He did the crossword puzzle in INK." The sentence above doesn't make sense now, but once you listen to the episode, you'll understand why it's such a profound sentence and the inspiration for this week's message Most of us spend our days hiding our true nature because we're afraid of judgment or shame. We believe we won't fit in or be accepted by our peers. It seems easy, but we make it tough on...

We all have scars. Sometimes there’s an exciting story, or perhaps they’re from something a little less ‘cool’ and light-hearted. But what about the scars that aren’t visible? The ones that serve as a constant reminder of a past trauma, or something you’re ashamed to talk about. No matter how obvious your scars are to the outside world, each and every one of them has a story to tell. In the final...

Most of us don't feel as though we're good enough. Sound familiar? Confidence is a fickle figure and is closely related to feelings of self-worth. So many of us don’t feel confident in every, or even any aspect of our lives. But what if you understood that identity actually plays a significant role in how you perceive yourself? It can determine how you think, feel and plan for your future self, an...

In a society built on instant gratification, from texts to same day shipping, when was the last time you gave yourself some peace and quiet? We have become so accustomed to daily distractions and chatter that even the thought of sitting in silence or there being a silent moment in a conversation creates a ton of anxiety. Join Dr. Zhang in this enlightening episode as she discusses how to she uses...

Today’s episode may be one of our most important episodes we have aired. What you are about to listen to will change your perspective and the course of your relationships forever. After witnessing death time and time again in the palliative care unit, a common theme has emerged from the patients and their loved ones. There are typically FIVE phrases that are said at the end of life that we want to...

How can something as counterintuitive as leaving your job become the exact catalyst needed to reinvigorate your work and personal life? Do you ever feel like a robot could replace you because your life is on autopilot? After all, you wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, go to bed and do it over and over again. Day in, day out. You ask yourself “How did it get like this? What am i even doing...

What if I told you that you're already an artist and you don't need a shred of artistic or drawing ability to prove it? YOU are the painter/sculptor/writer/glassblower of your OWN life. But so many of us operate as the observers of our lives, rather than the creative directors we all should be. How can viewing yourself as the artist of your own life help you live more authentically and in alignmen...

Think about a situation or person in your life where you have held on so tight, refusing to let go, all while knowing keeping that person around, or staying in that situation is not serving your highest good. How does it make you feel to feel stuck there? Pretty terrible I’m guessing. Letting go is never easy, but it might be the last barrier between the life you have now and a life of peace and p...

How do some people manage to work, spend time with their families, exercise, read, meditate, work on their business AND get a full 8 hours of sleep?? How do people prioritize their time and balance their various obligations? What do time management and productivity have to do with living a fulfilling and meaningful life? What if YOU always had enough time for exactly what you needed to do? How wou...

If your daily internal monologue were to be blasted on a boombox for everyone to hear, how would it sound? If you're like most people, your inner voice can be mean or even downright nasty. In this jam-packed episode, you'll learn proven strategies to help you overcome that negative self talk and to nurture the self-compassion needed to love yourself unconditionally. You'll learn: the tools you can...

You've been here before: You meet someone new and the conversation is so awful you'll make up ANY excuse just to run away. But what if it didn't have to be that way? What if you were able to form deep, fulfilling and meaningful connections with complete strangers with ease? How would that enhance your life? How would that change how you relate to others? How would that change how you relate to you...

Have you ever returned from a trip and thought, "WOW, what a spectacular experience we just had!" Well, this week the podcast is back with part 2 of the lessons learned from traveling through Costa Rica and how we can immediately apply those lessons to radically improve our quality of life NOW This episode discusses: what is pura vida and why is everyone so obsessed with it? how to incorporate mor...

A few years ago, this concept mentioned in the title would have driven me up a wall and totally turned me off. “What do you mean life is happening FOR me?! Clearly things are not going my way, how is this beneficial for me in any way, shape or form?” Ever since leaving that mentality behind, life just feels SO MUCH more fun, free, exhilarating and peaceful. Trust me when I say life is WAY better w...

You've heard of that cute little phrase: "You Have the Power to Protect Your Peace" If you've ever read that quote and thought "ok, that's nice and all, but HOW do I actually do that??" Then this week's episode is a MUST listen, as it's all about how to CREATE and more importantly, MAINTAIN healthy boundaries After listening to this week's episode, you'll learn: how boundaries can help foster heal...

Here's a simple communication tip that will immediately uplevel your conversation with ANYONE, and it's only 6 words long: "What does that mean to you?" "What does ______ mean to you?" In this episode, I bring back another palliative care pearl and discuss: the importance of clarifying and diving deeper into why people say the things they sayhow our own internal implicit and explicit biases play a...

Our guest today grew up in a family that encountered substance abuse, incarceration, unstable housing, food insecurity and more before she was emancipated at the young age of 15. Nowadays, Elaine Stageberg, MD, MHA is a psychiatrist, mother of 4, & Owner of Black Swan Real Estate. She owns & manages a portfolio of >$200 million in assets under management. It took her 10 years before she...