Choosing Aliveness Over Adrenaline

Setting an Intention for 2025...

In a world that often equates busyness with productivity and success, it’s easy to find ourselves rushing from one thing to the next, feeling disconnected from our purpose. I pride myself on being an opportunity creator, but that often means finding myself stretched thin! As I reflect back on the year, I can see that this relentless pace comes at a cost – to my relationships, my ability to create at scale, and even my well-being.?

I’m on a journey to change this, to shift from this adrenaline-driven, relentless productivity to a life that feels alive, aligned, and authentic—rooted in love and abundance rather than fear and scarcity.

To be perfectly honest, this is not a journey I’ve mastered, but it’s one I’m deeply committed to. So, as the new year approaches, I’m sharing themes of growth, not as a finished roadmap, but as a work in progress. Please, help keep me accountable!

1) Finding your Zone of Genius

Living a life of aliveness starts with knowing what lights you up. One of my favorite reads this year, Everyday Dharma by Suneel Gupta , offers a step-by-step guide to finding joy and success in everything you do. At its core, it’s about discovering your zone of genius—the activities that energize you and create the greatest impact.

I come alive when I am invested—whether in an idea or a person—creating possibilities and building meaningful connections. My eyes light up, and my energy becomes irresistibly contagious. Whether it’s co-founding Blue Tulip Ventures , launching Pioneers of AI , vision boarding with my kids, or opening doors for a founder, I thrive on co-creating opportunities and witnessing the magic unfold.

The challenge, of course, is letting go of tasks that don’t fall into your zone of genius. For me, that’s task completion! We all know the weight of unfinished business – it takes up mental space and drains emotional energy. One of my intentions for 2025 is to develop robust systems for completing commitments—whether by partnering with the right people, outsourcing, or refining my own processes for accountability and follow-through. Ideas welcome!

2) Tapping into our Bodies’ Intelligence?

In this age of AI—where machines are becoming smarter, more creative, and even empathetic—I’ve been reflecting on what truly makes us human. One thing AI doesn’t have is the ancient wisdom of our bodies’ intelligence. Our intuition. This innate, powerful sense of connection to ourselves and the world around us is uniquely ours.

While intuition can seem mysterious, it’s rooted in our accumulated experiences, subconscious processing, and emotional awareness. It’s the brain’s way of synthesizing information quickly based on patterns and prior knowledge, often bypassing linear thought processes.?

Our bodies carry immense wisdom, yet we often overlook their signals. I’m learning to tune into these physical and emotional cues and let them guide my decisions. Goosebumps and heart flutters tell me when something (or someone!) resonates deeply, while a racing heart signals discomfort or misalignment.?

However, I find that it's hard to tap into this wisdom if I am in a rush, stressed or not present. In 2025, I’m committing to carving out intentional time to foster this wisdom: keeping blocks of time open for deep work, taking long walks, meditating and continuing my practice of journaling. The goal is to discern what fuels me versus what depletes me. (And yes, this was a 2024 goal that didn’t quite pan out!)

3) Speaking Powerfully?

The words we use have incredible power to shape our reality. I am practicing making bold declarations, making unreasonable asks and of course fulfilling promises with intention.

Equally important is spacious listening: slowing down to truly hear others and connect authentically.

This balance of intentional speaking and deep listening is essential for building trust and creating meaningful relationships. I also love the power of serendipity and finding common ground with others—it’s where meaningful connections begin.?

And speaking of powerful speaking, let’s talk about the word “No”! Rejection is a personal challenge of mine—likely the result of my competitive, “A-student” mentality! It is also likely why I find it hard to say no! I’m working on reframing rejection as simply a step toward the right opportunity. As Trevor Timbeck often reminds me, “Yes lives in the land of No.” Each “no” brings clarity and moves me closer to the right “yes.”?

4) Investing in the Wealth Money Can’t Buy?

One of my other favorite reads this year is Robin Sharma 's The Wealth Money Can’t Buy. Sharma outlines seven forms of wealth beyond financial wealth: growth, health, love, community, adventure, craft and impact.

In 2025, I want to be intentional about investing in and building every form of wealth. Here are a few key areas:?

• Health: Consistent weightlifting, pilates, and yoga (which I’ve re-discovered and become addicted to!), and of course zumba. I also want to spend more time in nature (when it’s not so brrrrr!), enjoy saunas, and commit to healthy eating.
• Love: Investing in healthy relationships by being intentional about who I spend my time with and how we co-create together. Prioritizing quality time with my kids and loved ones remains central to this intention.
• Adventure: Nurturing a sense of wonder and playfulness by exploring new ideas, traveling to new places, and making space for creativity.
• Impact: Deepening my work to establish human-centric AI as the gold standard for building AI. I want to stay invested—discovering and supporting extraordinary founders, amplifying the stories of remarkable innovators in AI, and continuing to explore what makes us uniquely human.
• Community: Building and nurturing an incredible ecosystem around human-centric AI, bringing together like-minded investors, founders, thinkers, and changemakers to drive meaningful impact.

Wealth isn’t just what we accumulate but also how deeply we live and connect. By cultivating all these forms of wealth, I hope to build a life that feels abundant, joyful, and full of meaning.

5) Remember to savor the Journey

These themes are not goals to check off a list; they are ongoing practices to cultivate daily.?

As we start a new year, I invite you to reflect on your own journey. What lights you up? Where are you out of alignment? What systems can you create to support the life you want to live & the impact you hope to have on others??

A big shoutout to Trevor Timbeck , my amazing coach and accountability partner, for helping me stay focused and intentional on this journey.