Sharing the Secrets for a Long and Healthy life
Taking place in the TOR86 space we sat down with Dr. Kati Ernst, the founder of ooia and podcast Lifestyle of Longevity, to speak about the secret to a long-life, how to thrive and the key on how to be your best self.
Kati began the evening by sharing how, during maternity leave with her third child, she felt a strong sense that her next project would be life-changing. A few weeks later, a conversation with friends about menstrual underwear sparked the idea that would become the foundation of her business. Continuing, she emphasized the importance of partnering with a co-founder who shares your vision, noting that the right support is crucial and should come from people who align with your goals and values.
“I would always look for a co-founder with values and the same vision as me.”
The conversation naturally moved on to topics of longevity and health, speaking about Kati’s newest project, the podcast, Lifestyle of Longevity, which she co-hosts with Kristine Zeller. It was during the first COVID lockdown that she found herself thinking about her lifestyle and health, and found herself searching news articles highlighting risk factors of COVID-19 - such as age and obesity - something that made her realise that she too was overweight.
This realisation sparked her to take a look at her responsibility not only to herself, but also to her children and the loved ones around her, which in turn motivated her to make meaningful life changes.
“Society tells us that we should be skinny, but I had freed myself from that. I liked myself the way I was and wasn’t looking to change, I wanted to be healthy.”
Guided by her personal mantra "I can do hard things", she spoke about the challenges she faced in all areas of her life, determined to allow herself to grow without allowing work to dominate her life or lead to burnout. It was a statement that resonated with many in the audience, with Kati going on to speak about the misconception that relentless work at the expense of family and social life is necessary to be successful as a business owner or entrepreneur, and instead called for a restructuring of how we combine success with ambition and well-being.
“When you are an entrepreneur, YOU decide how you want your life.. It’s 100% up to you.”
Her journey towards sustainable and long-lasting change eventually led her to explore intermittent fasting, a practice she found to be instrumental in supporting her long-term health goals. In taking these steps, she realised how important it is that these small changes lead to positive outcomes that not only impact on the immediate future, but also accompany you on your life journey well into your 40s, 50s and 60s.
“You’ve always got to remember to check in with yourself. You’re like an athlete-in-waiting.”
As a personal cheerleader for everyone's long-term healthy lifestyle, Kati closed the evening by talking about something close to everyone's heart: don’t forget to be kind to yourself.
Reminding us all to have compassion and realistic expectations, she urged everyone in the room to remind themselves and their loved ones of the importance of self-checking and self-kindness to avoid exhaustion and maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle and mind. We're in this for the long run after all!
Thank you to TOR86 space by BOLD Communication & Marketing for being our hosts for this evening, and to Triumph and KIKO for the goodies that awaited our guests. A heartfelt thank you also goes out to Limon Limon's finest for their exquisite selection of olives, Rheinsberger Preussenquelle for keeping us hydrated and Terravinossa for the ultra-stylish chairs!