Podcast Summary: CHEERS! with Avery Woods – EP 60 | New Year, New Advice

Host: Avery Woods
Release Date: January 20, 2025

In Episode 60 of CHEERS! with Avery Woods, titled "New Year, New Advice," host Avery Woods dedicates the entire episode to addressing listener-submitted questions. Throughout the session, Avery delves into a variety of personal and relational topics, offering heartfelt advice drawn from her own experiences as a registered nurse, mother, and content creator. This detailed summary captures the essence of Avery's discussions, including key insights and memorable quotes with corresponding timestamps.

1. Prioritizing Relationships Over Friends

Question: "How do I nicely tell my fiancé to stop living with his friends?"

Avery emphasizes the importance of open communication and setting clear priorities within a committed relationship. She advises partners to ensure that their significant other recognizes the relationship as the foremost priority, especially when transitioning into married life or parenthood.

• Notable Quote:
  "[05:05] Avery Woods: You need to sit him down and tell him, hey, you proposed to me, we're starting a life together. You need to show me that I am your number one priority because you are mine."

2. Staying Motivated in Nursing School

Topic: Advice for nursing students struggling with motivation and workload.

Avery shares strategies that helped her navigate the demanding environment of nursing school. She underscores the importance of keeping one’s eyes on the ultimate goal—graduation—and adopting study methods that align with individual learning preferences.

• Key Insights:

  • Visual Learning: Avery advocates for visual study techniques like color-coding and flashcards, which significantly aided her retention and comprehension.
  • Study Groups: Collaborating with peers who have different learning styles can enhance understanding and provide mutual support.
  • Organizational Tools: Utilizing schedules and checklists helps in managing assignments and reducing overwhelm.

• Notable Quote:
  "[05:45] Avery Woods: Keep your eye on the prize, keep your eye on the goal, and that's obviously graduating."

3. Gaining Confidence in Yourself

Question: "What's your biggest advice in gaining confidence in yourself?"

Avery reflects on her personal journey toward building confidence, highlighting the role of supportive relationships and self-acceptance.

• Key Insights:

  • Supportive Partner: Having a partner who uplifts and reassures you can significantly boost self-esteem.
  • Self-Belief: Internalizing positive affirmations and recognizing one’s worth independent of others’ opinions is crucial.
  • Confidence in Vulnerability: Being comfortable in intimate settings, like the bedroom, enhances personal confidence and relationship satisfaction.

• Notable Quote:
  "[10:15] Avery Woods: Confidence radiates happiness and livelihood. Life is too short to not be comfortable in your own skin."

4. Following Your Heart or Your Head

Question: "Do you follow your heart or your head? I'm having such a hard time deciding."

Avery discusses the balance between emotional intuition and logical reasoning, suggesting that the optimal approach depends on the context of the decision at hand.

• Key Insights:

  • Contextual Decision-Making: Leaning towards logical decisions in business matters and emotional ones in personal relationships.
  • Boundaries: Ensuring that decisions do not lead to being taken advantage of by maintaining clear boundaries.
  • Example - Financial Gifts: Avery shares advice from David’s grandfather about giving money as a gift rather than a loan to preserve relationships.

• Notable Quote:
  "[15:30] Avery Woods: You need to make sure that you're making a decision that you are comfortable with, and that's not putting you in a situation where someone's taking advantage of you."

5. Navigating Friendships in Mid-20s

Topic: Managing relationships when friends are at different life stages.

Avery addresses the challenges of maintaining friendships when individuals are experiencing varied milestones such as marriage, parenthood, or career changes.

• Key Insights:

  • Communication: Regular check-ins to understand each other’s evolving circumstances.
  • Flexibility: Adapting to friends’ schedules and life changes to maintain strong bonds.
  • Empathy: Recognizing and respecting the different pressures and transitions friends may be undergoing.

• Notable Quote:
  "[18:20] Avery Woods: Just have healthy communication and work with everyone's schedule and learn to adapt a bit when someone else's life is shifting."

6. Maintaining Fitness and Productivity

Topic: Staying motivated to work out and be productive.

Avery shares her personal fitness routine centered around Pilates, emphasizing the importance of enjoying exercise to sustain long-term commitment.

• Key Insights:

  • Enjoyable Activities: Finding a workout regimen that is enjoyable ensures consistency.
  • Routine Building: Establishing a daily routine helps in integrating fitness seamlessly into a busy schedule.
  • Mental Health Benefits: Regular exercise provides a mental break and enhances overall well-being.

• Notable Quote:
  "[21:00] Avery Woods: Exercise and fitness and moving your body should be an enjoyable thing. Just find something that works for you."

7. Pursuing a Degree You Don’t Enjoy & Handling Student Loans

Topic: Dealing with dissatisfaction in one's career path and managing educational debt.

Avery candidly discusses her own experience transitioning from nursing to podcasting and social media, alongside the financial strain of student loans.

• Key Insights:

  • Value of Education: Even if a career path changes, the knowledge and skills acquired remain valuable.
  • Financial Management: Aggressively paying off student loans can prevent long-term financial stress.
  • Alternative Career Paths: It’s acceptable to pivot career paths based on personal fulfillment rather than solely on academic training.

• Notable Quotes:
  "[19:30] Avery Woods: There's nothing wrong with studying something, getting a degree, and then realizing you don't like it because how do you know, right? You don't know until you try it."
  "[19:50] Avery Woods: I paid off my student loans in full, which was so gratifying because otherwise, I would have been paying them off for the rest of my life."

8. Overcoming Life’s Obstacles When It Feels Like Nothing is Going Right

Question: "What do you do when it feels like life isn't on your side no matter what you do?"

Avery recounts her personal struggles during nursing school and her husband’s caregiving responsibilities, highlighting the importance of resilience and support systems.

• Key Insights:

  • Support Systems: Leaning on partners, family, and friends during tough times is essential.
  • Perseverance: Continuously pushing through challenges with the belief that situations will improve.
  • Self-Care: Making time for oneself amidst chaos to maintain mental and emotional health.

• Notable Quote:
  "[16:10] Avery Woods: Just keep pushing through because the universe eventually works out and you will dig yourself out of whatever hole you keep getting knocked into."

9. Advice for New Moms

Topic: Navigating the challenges and joys of first-time motherhood.

Avery offers compassionate advice for new mothers, addressing the physical and emotional demands of parenting while maintaining mental health.

• Key Insights:

  • Sleep Training: Establishing routines to ensure adequate rest for both mother and baby.
  • Partner Involvement: Sharing responsibilities with a partner to prevent burnout.
  • Emotional Resilience: Acknowledging and addressing postpartum emotional challenges.

• Notable Quote:
  "[18:50] Avery Woods: Enjoy every single second. It goes by so fast. Even though it's hard and it's stressful, you'll never get that time back."

10. Dealing with a Cheating Partner

Question: "My boyfriend of two years cheated on me. I'm riding an emotional roller coaster. Help me."

Avery provides straightforward advice for those dealing with infidelity, emphasizing self-worth and the importance of moving forward.

• Key Insights:

  • Self-Prioritization: Focus on personal healing and self-care rather than immediately addressing the relationship.
  • Setting Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries to prevent further emotional harm.
  • Moving On: Recognize that the cheating behavior reflects the partner’s issues, not the individual’s worth.

• Notable Quote:
  "[21:15] Avery Woods: You deserve to set boundaries, block, and start moving on. You deserve to love yourself and find someone who will treat you like the queen that you are."

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In wrapping up the advice segment, Avery expresses gratitude towards her listeners and shares personal updates about upcoming events and content. She reinforces the episode’s theme of seeking balance and resilience in the face of life’s challenges.

• Final Quote:
  "[25:00] Avery Woods: I'm so glad that I never gave up and didn't stop. Love you guys so much. Cheers."

Episode Highlights:

• Emphasis on communication and prioritization in relationships.
• Practical study and organizational strategies for students.
• Personal anecdotes on building confidence and navigating career changes.
• Insights on maintaining friendships during life transitions.
• Advice on self-care, mental health, and resilience.

This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for listeners seeking advice on personal growth, relationship management, and overcoming life’s hurdles, all delivered with Avery Woods’ characteristic warmth and authenticity.