Alisha Leytem: Hello everyone! Welcome back to another episode. This is going to be a really special episode because it's like a recap of the podcast. This is our one year anniversary of this podcast. I am really impressed with us that we have been doing this for a year, and also slightly shocked that it’s already been a year.
As I was doing some prep and reflecting on this episode I realized how much has actually happened in this last year since releasing our first episode of Unlock Your Well-Being. It's been quite a lot, so if you are interested in tuning in, I will discuss what we have released, our top episodes, what my few favorites were, and what you can expect moving forward for the rest of season 2 and season 3. Then if you stick around I have a gift for my podcast listeners.
Let’s just get right into it. If this is our first time meeting, hello my name is Alisha Leytem. I am a well-being consultant and coach. I am the founder of Alisha Leytem Wellness where you can check more out at alishaleytem.com.
We released our first episode of January of 2022. Since then we have released a total of 34 episodes, which is great because we took an entire summer off. That is something that is really important to me is when I start a project I really intend for it to be sustainable. For me, I know myself well enough that I know I need to give myself breaks.
Some people run long projects a little bit differently, some like to go at a slower pace too. Maybe if someone has a podcast they will do it every other week, or they will just stop for a few weeks and come back on and do it periodically.
Accolades To The Team
I feel and know that we are in a really nice flow between myself and my team. We have an awesome team. You guys have heard me talk about Ainsley Heise quite a bit on the show. She is our podcast producer. She does such a great job at putting together each episode for us. Then of course we have our graphic designer, Caitlyn Alford. She is incredible as well. Then we also just brought on someone new recently, which I will introduce to her at a later time. Our little team is doing a great job at keeping this running and connecting you guys with it.
It’s really important to me that I take breaks. To me, taking a break over the summer and intentionally slow down, enjoy the outdoors, and enjoy time with my family. Knowing that that time when I am slowing down is actually giving me downloads of content. It truly refills my cup, so that I am able to pour energy back into my work. We will likely be doing that again in this upcoming year.
The Recap
We have done 34 total episodes between season 1 and season 2, so far. We are not done with season 2, this is actually going to be a pretty long season. We have had over 2,200 downloads. That is actually great for a podcast because podcasts are considered long forms of content. We are all super busy people and so when you hit download on an episode with the intention to listen to it, that is a pretty big commitment.
It’s not a 30 second video on youtube or Tik Tok. You need to have a little bit longer of an attention span for it. It’s a big commitment of your time and your attention. I am so grateful for each and every download that we have received from this.
I really hope everyone has received value, inspiration, education, and real tools that they can walk away with to create more well-being in your life. You’ll notice towards the end of season 1 and definitely in the beginning of season 2 we have been bringing on more guests. That’s been really fun!
I would love to hear about what you guys think about that. If you prefer to have more guests on, or if you prefer to hear more of Alisha’s solo episodes, or if you are really likely a little combo of both. I think that would be really cool to hear from you guys.
Of those 2,200 downloads about 1,900 of them are from the U.S. The other 278 are broken down like this: we have 125 downloads of people from Canada, 76 from Australia, 22 from the UK, 18 from India, and 37 Other. It's really cool that we are international! Thank you so much for tuning in!
It looks like about half of the episodes were downloaded on the apple podcasts app and the other half were on other apps. Likely spotify, or youtube. If you are watching on youtube you will also notice that it is in the video form, so I am trying to do that with more of my solo episodes. Then we also have it on google podcasts which was requested right when we launched the show.
Our Top 5 Episodes By Downloads:
1. S1 E1: An Introduction to Well-Being
This episode had 245 downloads. I have mixed feelings about this because this episode I was nervous. I had done it for the very first time as my first episode. I would like to think we have gotten better, but I am grateful, excited, and thrilled that people are interested in learning what my framework to well-being is. At least the introduction to it. If you haven’t checked out that first episode that just gives you my overall framework to well-being. This is also in my book The Six G.O.L.D Keys to Well-Being.
2. S1 E3: Burnout, Mindfulness, and Leadership with Micahel Leytem
Sitting at number two is an episode with my husband. This had 104 downloads. You guys just love when we bring Michael on, and I love it too. We actually have not had him on enough in season 2. We will make sure to have to do that. The thing is with us both working and running our businesses at home, and also taking care of our daughter Melrose, it can get a little tricky to find time to sit down uninterrupted to record the episode. Just know that when we do it takes a lot of time, energy, and effort to come together. Oh the joy of being parents and running your own businesses! There’s just more on your plate that you have to be even more intentional with what you choose to do. The good news is that when you do say “yes” to whatever that thing is you know it’s in alignment with the timing of everything going on. I think it forces you to be more intentional which is great.
3. Season 1 Finale: Life + Biz Updates (100 Downloads)
This was actually the season 1 finale. I think people are just interested because it says life updates, is that why? I am not sure. I don’t like to share a ton about my personal life because I used to so much in my early days of my business. I don’t do that as much because it feels better to keep more of my personal life private and share my work instead. It almost feels like it gives me more freedom and more space. I can also maintain it and it doesn’t feel like I am burning out as much. Then it feels like I don’t have to show every part of my life. I totally used to do that many years ago. I used to show it on video, on instagram a ton. While I think that is great for people if it aligns with their business model, I just have found it better to not share as much. Sometimes I will open up and maybe that's what draws people in.
4. S1 E13: Connection is the secret to well-being with Fitness Coach Erika Hermsen
This one had 87 downloads. I loved this episode with Erika. I think it was really beautiful to hear a different perspective of well-being and really highlight the importance of relationships and connection with other people in a community. She had really created that in her business and it helped her through a really dark period in her life. There is so much research out there that loneliness is just as deadly as smoking. With the pandemic creating solitude and loneliness for a lot of people, we are now seeing the fallout and repercussions of people being really lonely. It’s only highlighting the importance of community and relationships and making that a priority.
I think we are all in a really interesting place where we are relearning how to be social and not be socially awkward with others. Or making sure we can go into new conversations and avoid the dread of small talk. I really don’t like small talk. I really just want to get into the meat and get real. You kind of lose that after a couple of years of dealing with a pandemic. I’ve seen a lot of people talk about this re-entering. It’s been a little bit of re-entering post pandemic, but it takes time because of all of the trauma that we have experienced. So, if that’s one area that you are wanting to improve in your own well-being then that's a great episode for you to check out and dive into.
5. S1 E18: 5 Foods to Avoid that makes you Stressed and Tired
This episode had 84 downloads. This doesn’t surprise me at all. People are very interested in understanding the importance of their diet and what foods can increase or deplete your energy. In that episode I talked about how our gut is considered our second brain. So the health of your gut, meaning the foods that you are eating and the ability to digest and assimilate the food will directly impact the health of your brain. So, knowing what to eat and how to eat is really important. To give you a little sneak peak: just stay away from processed food and choose whole, natural foods.
There’s a really interesting graphic going around right now that was released from a government agency. They released a random list of foods and categorized it into the top 10 foods that they encourage people to eat, the top 10 foods that they tell people to eat moderately, and then the top 10 foods that we should avoid completely. People are just ripping it to shreds because some of the top listed foods to eat were lucky charms, chocolate covered almonds, or frosted mini wheats, over eggs cooked in butter. I did see that an egg substitute cooked in vegetable oil was better than a whole egg fried in butter. That just blows my mind. That will be an entire episode that I will go into! The number rule is seed oils cause inflammation, don’t eat it, stay away from it at all costs. The second rule is to eat real foods because real foods are where the nutrients are.
There are so many nutrients in a whole egg that are naturally better for you. Especially for pregnant women. There is a nutrient in it called choline. Choline is a vital nutrient that pregnant women need to have to fundamentally develop the baby. I believe it is for their brain mostly. When I was pregnant, I ate 3-4 eggs every single day. This topic is recently on my mind because I truly cannot believe it. So, check out that episode and look over the links in the show notes that will provide you with more research.
ALW Business Yearly Recap
This has been a really, really fun year! It has been so fun to become a podcaster. I still don’t really see myself as that, but I should acknowledge it. I think I said this in the first episode actually. You have to be willing to be bad at something when you first start it, in order to become better at the thing that you are doing. Also to have compassion for yourself as you are learning. I hope that you can kind of see that in my energy during the episodes.
Here are the things that I want to highlight about the podcast and this past year. I released the podcast in January of 2022. 3 months later in April of 2022, I released my first book The Six G.O.L.D Keys to Well-Being. This is available over on Amazon that you can go grab your very own copy from. If you’ve read it, I would love it if you left us a review. Even just 5 stars, a written review helps even more. We have some great reviews on Amazon as well. I know so many of you have read it and that would be just the best gift ever if you could leave us a review over there.
I also began to speak much more in 2022 in my consulting and speaking business. Which has been super amazing and really, really fun. Something else that we released in the middle of the year, mostly for our clients, was an affirmation card deck. This is a deck that our designer on team ALW, Caitlyn Alford, designed. She is the greatest artist ever. What we did is we took all the affirmations that we have at the end of each chapter of my book and put them into this beautiful card deck. That came out in July.
The only way to get these is to become a client of mine. I offer them at some of my spelling engagements, my consulting gigs, and sometimes if people reach out to me as a special client I will give you a deck. If you are interested in these just reach out to me at [email protected].
A few episodes before we have shuffled this deck and pulled a card and that is what I want to do right now. We are going to see what our affirmation is for this episode. Two cards fell out! The first one is “I enjoy moving my body to celebrate what my body can do.” That is an affirmation from the third chapter, which is the gold key of movement. The second one is from the sleep chapter. “My bedroom is relaxing and I easily fall asleep now without guilt and with deep gratitude.”
I really love this sleep affirmation because one of my favorite episodes that I released was actually in season 2. Season 2, Episode 21: The Guided Affirmation for the End of the Day. This is quickly becoming one of the top ones, but I just loved it. I would love to know if you guys would like more meditations on the podcast. I am happy to do more of them if you are interested.
That was a mediation specifically to help you release your day, to help you fall asleep with gratitude. This is in order to feel good and have a better quality of sleep. I think that this was pretty cool that it was the affirmation that we just pulled for ourselves.
The other thing that happened, and this is actually brand new. We have officially released my self study online course to The Six G.O.L.D Keys to Well-Being. I am so thrilled and really excited about it because I know that many people want to dive into the program. They want to dive deeper into the framework, and concepts. They want to become healthier, but they aren’t really sure where to start. Or they don’t want to do a live program because they don’t have that kind of time. They just want something that is customized and they can go at their own pace.
So, that is what this program fulfills! It's a 6 module self-study course. This means you can go at your own pace. I have instructions on where to start. You can watch the modules from beginning to end and you can choose which of the keys you are going to dive deep into over the course of the next few weeks or months. Or you can start a different way than I listed as well. Each module has a ton of really amazing resources as well.
For example, each module has several meditations for you to listen to. My movement module has several yoga classes for you. The course includes a workbook for you to print off and utilize as you work through each key. Including trackers to keep you consistent on your journey and your progress. This will help you really decipher your own approach to a well-being lifestyle.
Here’s the deal, the course is listed priced at $197. As a listener, I am going to gift to you a $50 off coupon code. I am not going to put this anywhere else! The code is: UYW2023. This will also be in the show notes, so if you head over to Alishaleytem.com you will see a tab on the top called “Self Study Course.” You can pop in that coupon code and that will populate the $50 off for you. So instead of $197 it will be $147 for you. You will have access to the entire program including any additional updates or bonuses we apply to it along the way.
It is based on the book, but it goes much deeper than all the concepts of the book. It kind of brings everything to life for you and has everything there for you. So, I am super thrilled for you guys to dive into that. Now if you have any questions or concerns please email me.
A couple of other things I want to chat with you about in this special 1 year anniversary episode. My favorite episode featuring a guest was one of the most recent ones. This was episode 31 called Taking A Leap of Faith in Your Career with Ryan Tucker and Michael Leytem. This was one of the coolest episodes because we told the story of how Catching Leadership has become in a way a very special, family business that started from this podcast and ended with Ryan joining Catching Leadership. So go give that episode a listen if you want to hear some of the crazy ups and downs of a very synchronist story that was universally led.
I really want to hear from you guys. What is it that you want to see or hear more of in this next year of the show? I already asked you earlier in this episode, but I would love to hear if you prefer more guests or more solo episodes, or if you prefer this blend of guests and solo episodes coming out on a regular basis.
We have a couple more guests that are coming out in the line up soon, but I would really love to hear your input on this. My intention as we continue on this show is to connect more with you guys. I really encourage and would love for you all to send me an email. Send me an email if you like a certain episode or topic or even just say hi. I would love to connect with you. You can connect with me over on LinkedIn.
We are also going to bring Ask Alisha back. We did this mostly in season 1. This segment was usually at the end of my episodes. So, if you have a question for me please put it in this Ask Alisha survey box. This will be in the show notes as well.
You can expect us to wrap up season 2 at the end of spring. We will then take the summer off and come back feeling refreshed for season 3. I so appreciate you guys and I really hope that this adds massive volumes to your lives. I hope we can continue to bring relevant information, inspiration, and topics for you all.
Continue to tune in every Friday and get a dose of inspiration, connection, and actions that you can take to implement these tools. All of this will help improve your life and be happier. That is ultimately what we are all seeking and aligning ourselves with.
So thank you again for being here and I will see you on our next episode. All of the information from today will be in the show notes for you to check out. See you next time! Namaste.
