A Life of Value: Kylene Bogden

A Life of Value

Are you living your truth? Or are you living someone else’s version of your life?

Your values exist whether you recognize them or not. When you become indifferent to them or stuff them inside of yourself, you lose track of your true self. You feel like you are searching for something…something…but you’re not sure what. You feel discontented, restless and unhappy.

On the other hand, when your thoughts, speech and actions match what you truly value, life feels really good. Knowing your values helps you make decisions and plans that are right for you. You feel whole, content and in charge of your life, because your life is aligned with your values!

Read how Kylene Bogden’s life is aligned with her values and why she is so energized and ready to jump out of bed and create her  another satisfying day.

Kylene Headshot

Using the Value Finder, what did you identify as your top five values, Kylene?

Sustainability, adventure, compassion, hard work and knowledge

How does knowing your values increase your happiness and help you make decisions?

Sustainability

sustainability coffee date with Michael
I would never be able to have coffee dates with my husband if I didn’t work for myself !!

Now this might sound like the strangest value on earth for someone to prioritize, however, just hear me out! If you are not living a life that is sustainable, soon enough, everything else will take a turn for the worst. I once had a job in patient care where I worked so hard and so long that it was not possible to have a lunch or bathroom break on some days. As a result, my health started to decline. I was no longer able to make food from scratch, a quick run on the elliptical felt like climbing Mt. Everest, and I had zero energy to give to my family and friends. I was a miserable person. While most people would jump to family or health as their #1 value, I don’t believe either of those can thrive if you do not have sustainability at the root. Now that I work for myself and live a life that is 100% sustainable, I am energized, productive, and SO happy!!! My friends and family will tell you the same.

Adventure

adventure value iceland
My family and I in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland!

If I am living a life where I am doing the exact same thing day in and day out, I am not happy. If someone told me I would never be able to travel again, that would also crush me! Without prioritizing adventure both personally and professionally, I truly feel that I would never reach my potential in this life. I love meeting new people and learning about new cultures. It’s tough to save the world if you never leave your cubicle!

Compassion

compassion bayla and too much kale
This is her classic “mom overloaded me on kale” face.

 

I feel that compassion is so incredibly important, yet sometimes it is difficult to make a priority.

My best days as a dietitian, wife and mother are the days that I have compassion. In a way, it reflects my philosophy as a functional nutrition trained dietitian: Get to the root in order to better understand the situation and resolve the problem with compassion.

I have found it incredibly helpful to find the “why” in every situation. Instead of being angry or frustrated or blaming that person, I try to put things back on myself in order to approach the situation with compassion.

My favorite example from this past week?

My 7 month old was screaming non-stop. The non-compassionate part of me wanted to feel annoyed and frustrated. Until the compassionate part of me kicked in… I realized it was because I went a little wild with the kale and the fiber was hurting her stomach!

Hard Work

There are few things in this life that I believe to be more important than hard work. In fact, I firmly believe that hard work outweighs even the best of talent.  Now, of course, having both is ideal but when compared side-by-side, hard work always takes the lead.

When I study the greatest athletes and entrepreneurs in the world, I find one common denominator: hard work. I used to think that these people had special super powers, or perhaps were provided different opportunities as a result of their upbringing but when I dive deep;  I see that their success was a result of them out-working everyone else in their space.

Take LeBron James for example, he truly did show up to train long before everyone else on the team (often 2 hours earlier sometimes!). Even after all of the accomplishments he had at that point in time, he was still the first to show up to our practice facility and often the last to go home. It is something I will take with me forever.

Knowledge

knowledge value cavs and ginger
Me at the Cavs practice facility acting like I have ginger for antlers

When you know better, you do better.  If I did not continually challenge myself to learn and grow as an RDN, there is no way I would have the success and opportunities that I have today. I would still be in my conventional nutrition bubble, probably handing out calorie counted meal plans, versus really learning how to individualize the approach for my patients and athletes.

Knowledge is power! End of story.

How about you?  Do you feel you are living the life you were meant to live? Feeling like something is missing! I invite you to take the Value Finder and discover what needs to be in place so you like Kylene can’t wait to jump out of bed and  live another best day!

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