Optimize Yourself Zack Arnold

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My guest today is Christina Rasmussen who is an acclaimed grief educator and counselor. She is the bestselling author of Second Firsts, Where Did You Go? And her new book Invisible Loss is the focus of our conversation today. Now you might be wondering why I’m talking to a grief counselor on a podcast about optimization. But you’ll quickly realize that living a fulfilling and rewarding life is hindered by “invisible losses.” These unrecognized losses leave us feeling like we’re not living the life we’re meant to live.
Christina and I delve into the concept of the 'Thriver Self,' the part of us that's unhindered by fear, eager to try new things, looking for opportunities, and ready to take action. She argues that through an invisible loss, we lose our connection to our Thriver Self thus hindering our ability to move forward.
You will hear Christina put me on the hot seat as the tables turn and I get vulnerable about the circumstances of my life over the last year and a half. Christina helps me connect to my Thriver Self and identifies a simple step I can take to restore what was lost. This practical approach that she calls Life Reentry, is a process that will help us move on and thrive in our new reality.
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Here's What You'll Learn:Christina's origin story of why she chose to become a grief counselor (she didn't lose anyone yet)Why Zack calls the COVID pandemic, The Great CorrectionWhy Zack decided to make a career transitionThe (untold) Christopher Rush storyHow Christina discovered invisible lossKEY TAKE AWAY: Invisible losses can be more catastrophic than recognized lossWhat is Mental Stacking and how is it doneThe Survivor Self and Thriver Self and why it's important to distinguish themMental stacking with Zack - finding and recognizing an invisible lossWhat's a 'plug in' and how can it help to reconnect with your Thriver SelfUseful Resources Mentioned:I Was Tired of Putting My Kids to Bed via FaceTime Every Night. Here’s What I Did About It
GO FAR: The Christopher Rush Story
The Invisible Losses Library
Invisible Loss book
Continue to Listen & LearnEp254: The Ugly Truth About Burnout (Even When You’re Unemployed), and How to Build Immunity From It | with Dr. Kandi Wiens
Ep237: A New Approach to Relieving Stress & Anxiety (and Improving “Emotional” Health) | with Nick Wignall
Ep42: How to Reverse Depression, Anxiety, and ADD at the Genetic Level | with Dr. Ben Lynch
Ep226: The Benefits of Mindfulness & Therapy (and How to Know Which One You Need) | with Seth Gillihan
Ep26: The Power of a ‘Mindfulness’ Practice | with Dr. Swati Desai
Ep170: How to Avoid Burnout and Live a More ‘Effortless’ Life | with Greg McKeown
Severance Is Not Only the Dystopian Future of Workplace Burnout…In Many Ways We’re Already There
The difference between exhaustion and burnout (and my dirty little secret)
Ep64: [CASE STUDY] Overcoming Burnout and Imposter Syndrome | with Chryss Terry
Ep47: The Ugly Side of Depression, Burnout, and Imposter Syndrome | with Gen Malone
Ep03: The Science Behind Success and Creative Burnout (And Why You’re Approaching Both Mostly Wrong) | with Eric Barker
Ep82: Real Talk About Mental Health and Depression | with Michael Kammes
Ep01: Understanding the Link Between Creativity and Depression | with Dr. Edison de Mello
Guest Bio: Christina Rasmussen
  
Christina Rasmussen is an acclaimed grief educator and bestselling author of Second Firsts (Hay House, 2013), Where Did You Go? (Harper One, 2018), and Invisible Loss (Sounds True, 2024). In 2010, four years after her thirty-five-year-old spouse passed away from Stage 4 colon cancer, she created the Life Reentry proces

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My guest today is Dr. Romie Mushtaq who is a board-certified physician who brings together more than two decades of leadership in neurology, integrative medicine, and mindfulness. She is the author of the recently published book, The Busy Brain Cure.
Dr. Romie offers a fresh approach to understanding stress, anxiety, and burnout from the perspective of a brain doctor. In our conversation, Dr. Romie and I talk about what she calls 'busy brain,' a condition stemming from unchecked stress and burnout, and how these can lead to burnout without us even realizing it. We dive deep into the symptoms of a busy brain and I reveal the score I got when I took Dr. Romie’s Busy Brain Test. We discuss what circumstances led to that score and she introduces me to the concept of Caregiver Burnout which was revelatory to me.
Dr. Romie knows the science of the busy brain but she also shows her deep empathy for anyone who may appear to have it all together but inside you are falling apart. She wants you to know that you are not alone and there is help. Dr. Romie provides your next steps to understanding your own chronic stresses to help you create a personalized path to healing.
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Here's What You'll Learn:Dr. Romie's origin story and what led her to write her bookHow modern society repackages meditation, mindfulness, healing as some 'new age cure' without addressing the real problemThe difference between acute and chronic stressWhat is Hormetic stressThe Busy Brain TestThe differences between anxiety, depression and burnoutKEY TAKE AWAY: Only trained professionals can diagnose depression, anxiety, and burnout.The top reasons for depressionWhat are the symptoms of a busy brainHow medications can lead to stimulant-sedative cycleThe root cause of burnoutHow to practice non-attachment without detaching yourself from your goalsUseful Resources Mentioned:The Busy Brain Test
Ep188: How Your Gut Health is the Key to Unlocking a Healthier & Happier You | with Dr. Edison de Mello 
Ep152: Understanding the Difference Between Integrative & Traditional Medicine | with Dr. Edison de Mello 
Ep95: On the Frontlines with COVID-19, How to Boost Your Immunity, & Testing Safely | with Dr. Edison de Mello
Continue to Listen & LearnEp254: The Ugly Truth About Burnout (Even When You’re Unemployed), and How to Build Immunity From It | with Dr. Kandi Wiens
Ep237: A New Approach to Relieving Stress & Anxiety (and Improving “Emotional” Health) | with Nick Wignall
Ep42: How to Reverse Depression, Anxiety, and ADD at the Genetic Level | with Dr. Ben Lynch
Ep226: The Benefits of Mindfulness & Therapy (and How to Know Which One You Need) | with Seth Gillihan
Ep26: The Power of a ‘Mindfulness’ Practice | with Dr. Swati Desai
Ep170: How to Avoid Burnout and Live a More ‘Effortless’ Life | with Greg McKeown
Severance Is Not Only the Dystopian Future of Workplace Burnout…In Many Ways We’re Already There
The difference between exhaustion and burnout (and my dirty little secret)
Ep64: [CASE STUDY] Overcoming Burnout and Imposter Syndrome | with Chryss Terry
Ep47: The Ugly Side of Depression, Burnout, and Imposter Syndrome | with Gen Malone
Ep03: The Science Behind Success and Creative Burnout (And Why You’re Approaching Both Mostly Wrong) | with Eric Barker
Ep82: Real Talk About Mental Health and Depression | with Michael Kammes
Ep01: Understanding the Link Between Creativity and Depression | with Dr. Edison de Mello
Guest Bio: Dr. Romie Mushtaq
 
Dr. Romie Mushtaq is a board-certified physician who brings together more than two decades of leadership in neurology, integrative medicine, and mindfulness. She is an award-winning speaker working with

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more?
→ Click here for your customized podcast playlist
My guest today is Dr. Kandi Wiens, Director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Masters in Medical Education Program and co-founder of Big Sky Leadership Labs. But what brought her to my attention is her book, Burnout Immunity, and her perspective on the subject.
My conversation with Dr. Wiens starts deep and goes deeper with both of us admitting to feeling burned out right out of the gate. This isn’t two experts who have it all figured out spouting advice from the mountain top. This is a very real conversation talking about burnout from the trenches. Dr. Wiens takes us deep into the psychology of burnout to gain an understanding of its root causes. We explore why we tend to drive ourselves to burnout, even when we may be unemployed or underemployed. Dr. Wiens reveals how the term burnout is often overused and that sometimes, we might not be burned out at all. More importantly, Dr. Wiens and I talk about the strategies and tools you can use to develop burnout immunity so you can build resilience and heal your relationship with your work and live a more balanced, fulfilling life.
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Here's What You'll Learn:How Dr. Wiens personal experience led her from being a management consultant to studying burnoutHow past experiences affect how we deal with stress and also hold ourselves backWhat is Emotion Focus Coping and how we can shift away from it to taking 'control' of our stressThe root cause of burnout and why it's important to knowWhat drives us to burnout (without us realizing it)?Burnout versus Overextension and why it's important to know the differenceHow to know your degree of burnoutWhat are protective patterns when dealing with burnoutHow we can be burned out even without a jobWhat is Burnout Immunity and how to develop itHow to self-regulate and change your mindsetUseful Resources Mentioned:A Classic Case of Post-Production Burnout
I Was Tired of Putting My Kids to Bed via FaceTime Every Night. Here’s What I Did About It.
Are You Burned Out? Or Is It Something Else? 
Burnout Risk Assessment | Kandi Wiens
Ep224: Managing & Alleviating Chronic Pain with…Creativity? | with Anna Holtzman
kandiwiens.com
Continue to Listen & LearnEp170: How to Avoid Burnout and Live a More ‘Effortless’ Life | with Greg McKeown
Severance Is Not Only the Dystopian Future of Workplace Burnout…In Many Ways We’re Already There
Ep147: [CASE STUDY] From Total Burnout to Shooting for the Moon (Literally) | with David J. Turner
The difference between exhaustion and burnout (and my dirty little secret)
Ep64: [CASE STUDY] Overcoming Burnout and Imposter Syndrome | with Chryss Terry
Ep47: The Ugly Side of Depression, Burnout, and Imposter Syndrome | with Gen Malone
Ep03: The Science Behind Success and Creative Burnout (And Why You’re Approaching Both Mostly Wrong) | with Eric Barker
How I burned out as a burnout coach (and then bounced back)
So You’re Burned Out…Now What? [7 Ways to Climb Out of the Hole]
7 Red Flags You Might Be Burned Out (Or You’re Headed There)
Ep82: Real Talk About Mental Health and Depression | with Michael Kammes
Ep01: Understanding the Link Between Creativity and Depression | with Dr. Edison de Mello
Guest Bio: Dr. Kandi Wiens

Kandi Wiens, EdD is the Director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Masters in Medical Education Program and the Penn Health Professions Education Certificate Program. As a sought-after international speaker, Dr. Wiens is co-founder and chief research officer of Big Sky Leadership Labs, where she leads and conducts evidence-based research on executive performance, emotional intelligence, burnout, and resilience. Her work has been prominently featured in the Harvard Busin

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more?
→ Click here for your customized podcast playlist
My guest today is Gay Hendricks who is a psychologist and leader in the fields of personal growth, relationship transformation and bodymind therapies for more than 45 years. He is the author of numerous bestsellers, including The Big Leap, The Genius Zone, and Conscious Loving.
In our conversation, Gay and I talk about what he calls the Upper Limit Problem - a concept in which we ourselves tend to sabotage our own successes, preventing us from reaching our own full potential. We dive deep into how the Upper Limit Problem works in order to better understand where it's coming from and more importantly, how to overcome it. Gay walks us through some of the strategies described in his book, The Big Leap Year, to break through the upper limit problem and reach an area he calls The Genius Zone where you can grow in your own innate creativity and live a more fulfilling life.
If you feel that something keeps holding you back from your own breakthrough, I highly recommend that you listen to my conversation with Gay Hendricks as well as read his books, The Genius Zone and The Big Leap Year. He offers life-altering strategies in order for you to end negative thinking so you can live more freely in your own genius zone and creative fulfillment.
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Here's What You'll Learn:What is the Upper Limit Problem?How Gay discovered the Upper Limit ProblemKEY TAKEAWAY: The Upper Limit Problem affects even the highest functioning peopleHow the upper limit problem worksHow to identify where our limiting beliefs are coming from and why knowing this can help us overcome our upper limit problemThe four zones of life where we spend our timeWhat is the Genius Zone?How to find your genius zoneHow does the Woo Woo factor play a role in the upper limit problem?Useful Resources Mentioned:Gay Hendricks’ Books
Continue to Listen & LearnEp252: Find Your Creativity by Finding Your Why | with Dr. Mark Shrime
Ep161: Managing Limiting Beliefs, Imposter Syndrome, and all the “Chatter” In Our Heads | with Ethan Kross
Ep132: How to Pursue Fulfilling Work and Find Your ‘Calling’ | with Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar
Ep75: The Four Tendencies’ (aka ‘The Matrix’ For Understanding Yourself & Others) | with Gretchen Rubin
Ep216: Chase Jarvis On Building Your Network of ‘A-Gamers,’ Designing the Life You Want, and Fulfilling Your ‘Creative Calling’
Ep03: The Science Behind Success and Creative Burnout (And Why You’re Approaching Both Mostly Wrong) | with Eric Barker
Ep226: The Benefits of Mindfulness & Therapy (and How to Know Which One You Need) | with Seth Gillihan
Ep217: How to Live a Better Life Simply by Asking Better Questions | with Marc Champagne
Ep178: How to Manage An Identity Crisis (Especially When You Know You’re Meant For Something More) | with Erica Wernick
Guest Bio: Gay Hendricks

Gay Hendricks has served for more than 30 years as one of the major contributors to the fields of relationship transformation and bodymind therapies. Along with his wife, Dr. Kathlyn Hendricks, Gay is the author of many bestsellers, including Conscious Loving, At The Speed Of Life, The Big Leap, and the New York Times bestseller, Five Wishes. Dr. Hendricks received his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Stanford in 1974. After a twenty-one-year career as a professor at University Colorado, he founded The Hendricks Institute, and later co-founded its charitable organization, Foundation for Conscious Living. He was also the founder of a virtual learning center for transformation and a publishing company and was a co-founder of a conscious entertainment company. Throughout his career he has done executive coaching with more than 800 executives, includi

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→ Click here for your customized podcast playlist
My guest today is Dr. Mark G. Shrime, who is the author of the book, Solving for Why: A Surgeon's Journey to Discover the Transformative Power of Purpose. You might wonder why I’m talking to a surgeon on a podcast about creativity and living a fulfilling life, but as you’ll learn, Dr. Shrime is also a sought-after speaker helping others find meaningful career paths. In this conversation, you will discover how to take risks, make tough decisions, and listen to your heart in order to live a life of passion, meaning, and purpose.
Dr. Shrime explains the power of solving your why so you can get unstuck and move onto the right path. He lays out 4 questions and a 3 step plan to help you live a life aligned with your passions, skills, and values. . He also shares how to overcome the decision paralysis that is keeping you on the wrong path.
If you're stuck in an unfulfilling job or feel like you’re not living to your full potential, this conversation could be the first step towards the rewarding life you deserve.
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Here's What You'll Learn:Dr. Shrime's origin story and the three ethics he had to unlearnWhat is moral injury and how it affects our lifeDr. Shrime's epiphany of what he really wanted to do after 15 years of doing a job he hatedKEY TAKEAWAY: Intention is the key to constructing a fulfilling lifeThe importance of knowing your why and how it changes your perspective of the path you are onThe three-step process to solving your whyThe 'Gary Parker Rule' and how it can help you in your decision-makingDr. Shrime's American Ninja Warrior story: Lessons about failure and how you perceive yourselfThe four questions to answer to understand your path in lifeHow to live in alignment with your whyWhat to do if you fail to build your life around your purposeBIG MYTH: The next decision must be the right oneUseful Resources Mentioned:Ep152: Understanding the Difference Between Integrative & Traditional Medicine | with Dr. Edison de Mello
Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes - William Bridges
Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life - Richard Rohr
Start With Why - Simon Sinek
Ep218: How to Know (Without a Doubt) If It’s Time to Quit | with Annie Duke
Ep232: How to Future-Proof Your Creative Career, Avoid Burnout, and Build a Life Bigger Than Your Résumé | with Christina Wallace
Ikigai - Wikipedia
Continue to Listen & LearnEp48: Feeling Lost? It’s Time to ‘Find Your Why’ | with David Mead
Ep233: Redefining Your Career Path in a Post Generational Society | with Mauro Guillén
Ep132: How to Pursue Fulfilling Work and Find Your ‘Calling’ | with Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar
Ep06: Defining Your Purpose and Living Large | with Tony Horton
Ep240: Stop Delaying Your Dreams and Live a Life Rich in Experiences | with Bridget Hilton & Joe Huff
Ep242: A Mental Performance Expert on Shifting Your Mindset to Endure Setbacks | with Derin ‘DMac’ McMains
Ep228: The Link Between Telling Your Story & Identifying Your Purpose (And How to Do Both) | with Dan Davis
[CASE STUDY] Why I Said No to a Job (A Great One)…During a Pandemic
Ep198: Terrified to Make a Big Change In Your Life? Start By “Showing Up Small” | with Eddy Roche
Ep169: Why Becoming a Failure is Essential to Success | with Alex Weber, ANW
Ep143: Mastering the “Chess Mindset” to Achieve Any Difficult Goal (and Get Really Good at Failing Along the Way) | with Misha Tenenbaum
Ep36: How to Accomplish Your ‘One Thing’ Every Day | with Jay Papasan
Guest Bio: Dr. Mark Shrime

Dr. Mark G. Shrime is the International Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Ships and a Lecturer in Global Health and Social Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. He is the

Given the vast uncertainty in the job market over the last year, it can feel near impossible to both structure your time so you actually feel productive and also manage your finances so you have the confidence you’ll weather this storm.
That’s why the Optimizer team & I have put together this Top 5 series the Creative’s Guide to Time & Financial Freedom. We have chosen my most relevant conversations with some of the world’s experts on both time & financial management to help you gain a little more control in a world that feels very out of control. These episodes are packed with actionable tips from brilliant minds who understand the unique challenges faced by freelancers and creatives, both inside and outside, of the entertainment industry. 
If you haven’t already, make sure to visit optimizeyourself.me/podcast to download your very own customized podcast playlist based on your goals.
Without further adieu, here is the final part of this five-interview series with Silvia Inks. She’s the founder of SMI Financial Coaching where she helps people organize their finances so they can sleep easy at night and focus on the things they love instead of worrying about their money. 
You can find the original show notes for this interview at optimizeyourself.me/episode43.