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What does it mean to live life fully — without any unfinished business? Today’s guest, Diane Button, knows the answer. As a compassionate end-of-life doula and author of What Matters Most: Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living, she’s spent years walking beside people at the end of life — and she’s learned lessons that help all of us live more fully right now.
In this podcast conversation, Diane shares what she’s learned about forgiveness, gratitude and legacy — and how each of us can create peace long before the final chapter. You’ll hear touching stories of regret, reconciliation, and joy — including how one man’s “joy counter” became a simple but profound reminder to notice beauty in everyday moments.
If you’ve ever wondered how to live more intentionally, strengthen your relationships, and make sure nothing important is left unsaid — this episode will move you, inspire you, and change how you think about how you want to use your time.
Diane Button joins us from California.
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Bio
Diane Button is a founding partner of the Bay Area End-of-Life Doula Alliance in Northern California, a frequent podcast guest, and best-selling author of several books related to end-of-life, meaningful living, and the growing impact of death doulas worldwide. She is an instructor at the University of Vermont’s End-of-Life Doula Certificate Program and was a former board member of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA). She holds a master’s in counseling psychology from Goddard College in Vermont. Her master's thesis, The Components of a Meaningful Life, became the genesis for her life's work of supporting people to find meaning, comfort, joy, and peace in life and in death.
Diane’s best-selling books have been featured on numerous programs and podcasts, inspiring others to leave a meaningful legacy. Her other books include the best-selling titles Dear Death: Finding Meaning in Life, Peace in Death, and Joy in an Ordinary Day which combines the insights gained from her research on "The Four Pillars of a Meaningful Life," with over a decade working with hospice and doula clients in their final days and The Doula Tool Kit: The Complete Practical Guide for End-of-Life Doulas & Caregivers, which was co-authored by Angela Shook and Gabby Jimenez.
In October of 2022, during the pandemic, Diane wrote an article that went viral article for Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper that remains widely-read and one of their most popular articles. What Matters Most: Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living is her latest book, written at the invitation of Maria Shriver and published by Penguin Random House.
Diane is also a breast cancer survivor. Immediately following her diagnosis of breast cancer at 48, Diane and her young children established the nonprofit Dream of a Better World. Through grassroots fundraisers and local events, they have supported underserved children and families around the world. Their motto is: “You’re never too young or too old to make a difference!”
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For More on Diane Button
Website
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Podcast Conversations You May Like
The Well-Lived Life – Dr. Gladys McGarey
Live Life in Crescendo – Cynthia Covey Haller
The Inspired Retirement – Nathalie Martin
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About The Retirement Wisdom Podcast
There are many podcasts on retirement, often hosted by financial advisors with their own financial motives, that cover the money side of the street. This podcast is different. You’ll get smarter about the investment decisions you’ll make about the most important asset you’ll have in retirement: your time.
