Episode Transcript
[00:00:11] Speaker A: What's worthwhile? It's a question we all need to answer for ourselves. I'm Ramsey Zimmerman. As for me, it's building Mind, body and spirit wellness. Let's ponder the big questions together as we seek peace of mind, vitality of body, and joy of spirit.
[00:00:39] Speaker B: I've had this huge realization since the beginning, really of 2020 that no one's coming to save me.
[00:00:47] Speaker C: It's truly been a gift. And seeing the laughter, the tears and the breakthroughs, all those things reminded me that we, each of us, each of us don't have to do this healing work alone.
[00:01:00] Speaker D: And now we know. Now we are with Jesus help, we have healed deep betrayal.
[00:01:06] Speaker E: I did start noticing how much I'm appreciating every moment I'm having. Whether it's like with family or on the trail alone, climbing any summit or.
[00:01:15] Speaker F: Peak, finding those moments of joy to celebrate no matter what form it comes in, no matter what it looks like, even the tiniest, smallest celebration.
[00:01:24] Speaker G: I want to do more quality and less quantity. And it'd be great to write a book. And I do have a lot of songs left to write, record and produce.
[00:01:37] Speaker A: Now I'm dropping the question mark. I've discovered what's worthwhile for me.
Hey there, it's Ramsay here. That was a combination of Jane Barlow Christensen, Jose Ramirez, Karen Warwick, Robin Tucker, Sarah Wilson, Tracy Cannella, and me.
They were all guests this year on the what's Worthwhile podcast, so please refer to the show notes for more info about each one and also to listen to their full episodes if you haven't already. We all responded to an audio survey that I put together, reflecting on this past year 2024 and looking ahead at our hopes for this upcoming year 2025. I'm really excited to share the results with you now. I put this together because I felt like this has been a monumental year and the next year will bring some much wanted and needed resolution and forward movement. But I couldn't really put my finger on everything and I definitely wanted some other perspectives. So I am so glad and thankful that so many of my guests on the what's Worthwhile podcast responded to my request and sent us their thoughts and voices on what has happened and what is to come.
My responses are mixed in with the others, but full disclosure, I did listen to all of theirs before recording mine.
The first question was what really surprised or shocked you this year? Let's get started.
For the past couple of years, I've gotten a word to describe the upcoming year for 2024 that word was trial.
As 2023 closed, I had a strong sense that 2024 was going to be a trial for me personally, in addition to being an election year for our nation with one of the lead candidates literally on trial, or on several trials, in fact. But it was still surprising, if not shocking, that I got laid off from my job in March, and I spent the spring and summer wandering through the career wilderness and ultimately chose to go back to school for holistic health and nutritional therapy. I was not expecting any of that.
[00:03:48] Speaker F: This is Sarah Wilson. I think for me, the most surprising or shocking part of this whole year was reflecting on how many people want to be heard. Everyone has a voice, everyone has a message. It comes packaged in all different ways and varieties. But I think the one thing that I'm hearing is everybody wants to be heard and we want to be able to connect on a deeper level. Sure, surface level is fine for pleasantries, maybe quick exchanges, and that's wonderful. But I think connecting on a deeper level, that's the great part of this year.
[00:04:29] Speaker G: This is Tracy Cannella. When I think of 2024, I think the biggest shock was that a convicted felon, Donald Trump, won the presidential election.
Yes, he was actually convicted of. Of 34 felonies for falsifying records and also a sexual assault charge. But he was never sentenced because all of this stuff was delayed until after the election. But then he gets elected and poof, the crimes go away. It's absolutely unbelievable and shocking to me.
[00:05:01] Speaker E: This is Jose Ramirez. I guess something that shocked me this year was probably the election.
I was very surprised of how much Democrats ended up favoring Trump and moving with Trump.
And I thought it was definitely a big surprise. I didn't really see it coming, but when it started unfolding, I thought that was a cool thing to see.
[00:05:24] Speaker B: This is Jane Barlow Christensen. What really surprised me this year was the polar opposites in the division and the unity. I watched so many people be divided on world events, politics in particular, and then on the other spectrum, I watched so many people feel that there was a huge awakening going on, like what's been happening for the last five years. But it's been really, really surprising to me just how polar opposite some of these things are. Like I said, the division and then the unity, it's. It. It's been pretty cool to watch by standing somewhere in the middle, but also standing on the awakening side while understanding those who feel like they weren't listened to. It's been really a fascinating, beautiful year for that.
[00:06:23] Speaker A: Next question about 2024. What happened that made you feel relieved?
I was relieved by the election, but not necessarily because of who won, but instead I was relieved by the fact that it was decisive. I more expected it to be contested and up in the air for days and weeks. So I was relieved that the outcome was clear and agreed upon quickly and peacefully, without any protest or legal battles or civil uprising.
[00:06:57] Speaker B: If I am being honest, which I think this is a great time to stand up in our truth and be vocal, the election here in the US Brought a huge wash of relief over me. And at the same time, I've had this huge realization since the beginning, really, of 2020, that no one's coming to save me, no one's coming to save us. Not any political figure, there's no religious figure, there's no group outside of ourselves, our doctors, whoever. We are responsible for ourselves. And this is a deep truth that I've known my whole life. But it's really dialed in this past year. And I think that if we can absorb that and realize that it doesn't matter who's in office, we're the ones who get to take responsibility and relieve ourselves, if you will.
[00:07:47] Speaker E: I think there's a couple things, I guess, on a personal note, there's a couple things that happen within the family, like my wife graduating college and my kids playing sports and me completing the biggest race and toughest, one of the toughest physical things I've ever done in my Life, completing Bigfoot 200. I think that that makes me feel a little relieved. I think on a global level, I was happy that there wasn't like a crazy amount of forest fires here in Washington State.
[00:08:16] Speaker C: This is Karen Warwick. So what happened in 2024 that made me feel relieved and I want to use the word relieved and excited, was when I saw the community in and around Breathe again, wellness, really, really come together. And hosting women's circles and workshops, especially during a time when so many of us are craving connection, it's truly been a gift. And seeing the laughter, the tears, and the breakthroughs, all those things reminded me that we, each of us, each of us don't have to do this healing work alone. So knowing that safe supported spaces, this is where the relief comes in. Knowing that safe supported spaces, like my women's circles or any events like this in our entire community are making a difference. That brought a sense of relief and peace and fulfillment to my year.
[00:09:16] Speaker D: This is Robin Tucker. Besides my infinite relief in the infinite love of God, I have this very special earthly gift that God has given me and my now husband. We've been together almost five years, me and Christopher. But we have been through so much trauma, trial fighting, ignoring each other, trying to break up so much stuff. And now we know. Now we are with Jesus help. We have healed deep betrayal. We have healed so many things. And we know now through we have undeniable proof how much we each love the other. And so we know now that if we get twisted up with an issue or a trigger or a fight, we know it's the enemy. It's plain and simple. We know it's not us. We know he's playing our wounding. We sit down, we figure it out, and we let it go. And it's so beautiful and such a secure place to be.
[00:10:21] Speaker A: Last question about 2024, what did you learn or take away from either of those?
[00:10:31] Speaker E: The biggest thing I take away since it's my 40th year around the sun, I did started noticing how much I'm appreciating every moment I'm having. Whether it's like with family or on the trail alone, climbing any summit or peak. I think I take deeper appreciation of just living life with all the good and bads that come with it.
[00:10:54] Speaker A: So as I look at 2024, I do see it as a trial. I'm grateful to God for giving me the heads up before it began. I knew I needed some training and discipline to start the year, which is why I accepted the call to do Exodus 90 in January, February and March. That was 90 days of aestheticism and strict habits to focus on God and connect with brothers in the church. And that's where I met Jose. Of course, when I got laid off and I decided to take the risk of a real journey to figure out what was worthwhile, those guys were really supportive. I asked that question, what's worthwhile for most of the year. Come to think of it, in an election year, especially an election year with such completely different candidates, maybe the whole country asks what's worthwhile and votes accordingly.
[00:11:46] Speaker C: So what I've learned in 2024 is the incredible power of the breath to guide us, to guide each of us on health journeys, to guide home, so to speak, to ourselves and what really matters to our soul. Conscious, connected Breath work has taught me and so many others that I have witnessed that healing does not have to be complex or unattainable. It can be as simple as trusting the breath and then allowing the breath to take us where we need to go. I also realized in my takeaway was the value of community. In this Process again through group events and women's circles, because healing together magnifies the impact and the results. And it shows us that we're not alone and that our shared vulnerability and connection can really lead to profound transformation and healing.
[00:12:44] Speaker D: So my takeaway from this beautiful marriage I've been given, you know, I don't believe that God gives us these huge gifts to just sit around and enjoy it on our own. I am paying this forward. I am, as a relationship coach, I am helping especially women to either mend. We're mending marriages, we are helping them understand why the devil, how he spins you around, how he's a liar, how he separates us from each other, he separates couples, he separates families. He's, you know, he separates us from God. And trying in righteous anger to turn this around in our society. I am the first to stand up and say, I used to think marriage was disposable, and now I know it is one of God's greatest covenants. And you can experience healing and so much warmth and peace through your marriage. And I am here to help people do that.
[00:13:40] Speaker F: For me, learning lessons is always a great way to go back to the original drawing board and re strategize if necessary. I think it's always important to have a plan, but to be malleable or adjustable or flexible with what that plan may look like. And so while I try to focus on gratitude and I try to bring less anxiety to the plate, I think one of the things to really stop and take away from is the word fulfillment. And when we can really answer that question, I think that brings a part of us in a peaceful way that you might not otherwise know.
[00:14:27] Speaker A: First question about next year. What is 2025? The year for doing this was a.
[00:14:35] Speaker C: Fun question, because 2025 for me is the year for stepping into alignment with who I truly am. It's the year for everyone to step into alignment with who you truly are.
And what that means to me is that it's the year to stop putting off your healing and start creating space for the version of yourself that you've been longing for.
I see 2025 as a time for myself, my clients, my women's circles to use conscious, connected breath work and other healing modalities to help people release these old patterns that we all hang on to, this trauma, these limiting beliefs, all of those that no longer serve us. So 2025 for me is about saying yes to your health, to your growth, to your authenticity. I'm super excited for this upcoming year. It's going to Be great.
[00:15:30] Speaker B: The year of 2025 is definitely the year of doing, taking action, not waiting for someone else to do something so that you can do something. This is the time to be creative, to be abundant to. And for me, this means taking all the hard things that happened with me personally, with my business, things with my family. I think all of us can relate to this because a lot of divisions happened and I think it's up to us individually to be the mender, to be the unifier. And it's not about bringing and keeping toxic people in your life, even if they're family members. This is the time to bring your creativity, bring what gives you passion into humanity for the benefit and the beauty of everybody. I can't imagine a better time to do that than the 2025.
[00:16:24] Speaker A: The word that God has given me for 2025 is renewal. I think that's such a great word, renewal. I believe that renewal means the making new of things that are and that have been.
Renewal is like the opposite of breaking things. It is healing and repair. So I pray and trust that 2025 is the year for renewal, not just for me, but for everyone and for relationships and communities and nations.
The trial has concluded. The outcomes were decisive. It is up to us now to realistically and accurately assess where we're at and to move forward.
[00:17:11] Speaker F: I think a lot of that for me comes down to continuing along my health journey. But I will say one of the biggest things that I'm getting excited about, which I haven't done a whole lot, is just celebration. Finding those moments of joy to celebrate, no matter what form it comes in, no matter what it looks like, even the tiniest, smallest celebration. I'm going to say 2025 is going.
[00:17:35] Speaker G: To be the year of celebration in 2025. For me personally, I'm going to work on self care and transcending any world chaos that happens. And there's going to be a lot of it.
So for me that means going to bed at a certain time, getting enough sleep, doing enjoyable body movement, spending time with my family, pets, friends, loved ones, and doing the best I can enjoy in the work I do, which is helping people get through this life of ours. And I think just slowing down is probably a good first step. When you're working on self care, you really do need to slow down, notice and respond to what your body needs and what your mind needs. And so that's what I plan to do in 2025.
[00:18:35] Speaker A: Next question about next year. What do you hope to accomplish in 2025?
[00:18:43] Speaker F: I hope to accomplish. Gosh, I want to have high hopes and big hopes, but I think the biggest thing that I want to continue to do is stay on habit tracking and having the tiny 1% compound effects that will grow, that will eventually pay off, but sort of just keeping it slow and steady during 2025, not overwhelming and keeping it obtainable, not stressing myself out for no reason and again accepting and celebrating.
[00:19:12] Speaker E: Well, I hope as a career wise, I really want to grow my concrete company and push it to get a little bigger than it was last year and also just keep staying fit, staying fit and nourishing the friendships I've made in the last two or three years.
[00:19:29] Speaker D: I try to walk a fine line between having my own plan, which God expects us to do. He expects us to, you know, show up and make a plan, but to also part of our plan has to be to put faith in Him. So we don't necessarily know how every single step is going to be carried out. But God expects us to have a vision. And my vision is to grow my group, my, my women's coaching group to at least 100 members so that we have to meet several days a week. And I need extra coaches to grow my individual coaching to, you know, save more marriages, to help people find the love of their life under God's covenant, just to help bring people to Christ, as, you know, as the Holy Spirit calls them and as he uses me to do and to speak, to get out and speak more, to play music, to use my talents and not bury them in the ground.
[00:20:22] Speaker G: One of the things I hope to accomplish in 2025 is not to try and accomplish so much. I want to do more quality and less quantity.
And so here I am working with clients one on one. I also would like to develop some online courses to help them when I'm not available.
And it'd be great to write a book. And I do have a lot of songs left to write, record and produce.
So a lot of that, a lot of creative stuff and so many more people to help. I also want to do a TED Talk. Oh my goodness. Getting on stage. I definitely will not be bored in 2025, and I'm just hopeful that I will have a calm and peaceful life.
[00:21:16] Speaker A: What I seek to accomplish in 2025 is to drop the question mark and move boldly forward in 2024. What's worthwhile was a question for me. Now I'm dropping the question mark. I've discovered what's worthwhile for me. It's building three things to be A whole and healthy peace of mind, vitality of body and joy of spirit.
Having peace of mind is the opposite of being stressed out. It is knowing the truth, being okay with it, and having the liberty to speak the truth.
Vitality of body is the vigor, the energy, the physical strength to not only deal with what life throws at you, but also to enjoy your favorite activities.
And joy of spirit is the deep contentment of loving and being loved by God and family and friends and community.
Last question about next year. What must we avoid falling into in 2025?
[00:22:24] Speaker C: You know, in 2025 we have to avoid falling back into this trap of putting ourselves last. This is especially true for women and too often we prioritize everything and everyone else, which leaves our own health and our own emotional well being on the back burner.
So in 2025 this coming year, let's commit to avoiding burnout and this ridiculous cycle of over committing. So making 2025 the year that we all prioritize self care and health without guilt is my number one intention.
[00:23:03] Speaker B: I think the most important thing that we must avoid in 2025 is the technology trap. While we can benefit from it, I think it can work in our favor. As we all know, we all love technology, we're recording on this beautiful platform, but it can also lead us in to not only tyranny from my perspective, but it can lead us into places that we individually don't want to go, where we no longer listen to other views and talk to people. Everything that we do is online and we keep watching and scrolling through things that confirm our worldview and leave us in like an echo chamber. I think it's really, really important to get out into nature and disconnect from technology on a daily basis and for long periods of time. I think avoiding the trap of too much technology is the most important thing for 2025.
[00:23:58] Speaker G: There are so many things we need to avoid falling into in 2025. But I would just have to say off the top of my head, just don't be duped, don't be fooled, don't listen without researching. Please don't blindly listen to news and the opinions of others without checking your facts and consider what really matters to you, your values, and do your research before you decide to take an opinion or take action on anything. You know, this world is full of echo chambers. It's full of people who like to put their opinions out there. And you could just go with it, or you could research it and you can go with your values. For me, researching it, going with My values and living a value driven life is where I want to do my work in 2025.
[00:24:54] Speaker A: I think we must avoid falling into accepting nonsense.
Lets face it, there has been a lot of nonsense the past four or maybe 10 years now. Even if we still can't agree on exactly which things were nonsense, can we agree that there has been a lot of nonsense? Perhaps a big part of renewal in 2025 ought to be seriously and thoroughly scrutinizing what did happen and what does happen so that we can filter the nonsense from the truth. Why should that be hard? I feel like it ought to be easy to identify nonsense, but I guess people have such divergent understandings of reality these days that one person's truth is another person's nonsense. I may need to apologize in advance for labeling anyone's worldview as nonsense, but if it is, we should not accept it.
[00:25:46] Speaker D: I think in 2025 or in any season, we would do well to avoid falling into complacency. I think that is a really common thing in our world today. And you know, it basically boils down to thinking that we know better than our God. And so I would love to see more people fall into God. I would love to see more people trust Him. I would love to see more people trust his plan for their lives. And. And you know, if there's any way that I can help illuminate that for someone, that's what I'm here to do. But I think if we stay in humility and, you know, humbleness and we stay in grace and we keep our hearts open both for God and for each other, that is the best place to walk into a new year. Any new venture, any new relationship or old relationship and prosper.
[00:26:50] Speaker A: Final question of the day. Anything else you'd like to share?
[00:26:58] Speaker D: So to tie that in to your beautiful theme, Ramsey, of mind, body and spirit wellness, I would just invite and encourage everyone to really intentionally look after those three things in the coming months. Your mind, your body, and your spirit.
And know that honoring all of those things is honoring your God, is honoring our God, is honoring your family, your spouse. You know, when we let any one of those things go. In other words, when we prioritize the cares of this world over the wellness of our mind, our body, or our spirit spirit, we are damaging the temple God gave us. We are impairing and limiting it. And I know that's not what God wants for us. He wants us all to prosper and flourish in grace. And I wish that for all of.
[00:27:55] Speaker F: Your listeners and I would just like to add wishing Ramsey and all of the podcasting community and everyone out there listening, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy new year for 2025. While we have messes in our life and things really, really can get messy, we embrace the strength that we can find through that mess and the chaos and find the beauty and brightness that will come out of it. Thank you.
[00:28:20] Speaker G: I've really enjoyed collaborating with podcasters in 2024 and I look forward to doing that in 2025. I just want to acknowledge the audience though, people who are listening and hearing what people have to say. I think the main message that I have in all of my work is let's all connect, work together and find harmony, unity, agreement and safety in our world. It's so important. I truly appreciate everybody who listens to my podcast and Ramsey's and anybody else who has ideas to share and things that they really feel truly matter.
Thank you and I wish everybody a Happy and safe 2025.
[00:29:14] Speaker B: The final thing I wanted to share was just that we are really starting to realize that we are co creators of our very reality and that science and spirituality has been converging to show us that our thoughts, our emotions and our actions really shape our world. And I've also come to believe that the ego is starting to lose its grip and our hearts as humanity is starting to take the lead. Things like compassion, empathy and unity are really becoming the currencies of what it means to be human.
To be alive, to be awake and aware in this moment is truly a privilege and we need to realize that we are not victims of these times. We are the architects of them, and our soul chose to be here now because we knew we could help shape the future.
[00:30:11] Speaker A: To tie this all together, I am seeking societal and community renewal in addition to my own and other people's personal renewal.
I'm convinced that personal health and wellness is the foundation and prerequisite for each person to participate in a healthy society, family and community.
Simply put, we each must be taking care of ourselves in order to care for and about others.
Building a strong foundation of peace of mind, vitality of body, and joy of spirit will empower and enable us to productively participate in the renewal of communities and society.
And for today, that is enough.
Thank you for asking. What's worthwhile? Visit whatsworthwhile.net to learn more about me, Ramsay Zimmerman and please provide your name and email to become a supporter. I'm asking for prayer, advice, feedback and connections. The what's Worthwhile podcast is on Spotify, Apple. IHEART and Amazon. You can also listen@whatworld worthwhile.net thanks.
