Before You Die: What a Hospice Doctor Knows About Regret, Reinvention, and Waking Up Now

In this episode of Code 3: Life. Reinvented., I reconnect with Dr. Luyi Kathy Zhang, a palliative care and hospice physician, TEDx speaker, coach, and host of The Purpose Filter podcast. Kathy has spent years sitting with people at the end of life, and what she has learned is both sobering and strangely hopeful: most people are not afraid of dying as much as they are haunted by the life they postponed. We talk about her own near-death experience at 13, the emotional toll of practicing palliative care in New York City during COVID, and how that breaking point became a catalyst for her own reinvention. Together, we explore why our brains keep us stuck on autopilot, why failure feels immediate while regret feels distant, and how small, intentional “daily doses” of courage can help us change before crisis forces the choice. Kathy also shares what she calls the ABCs of deathbed regrets: authenticity, bravery, and connection. This conversation is a powerful reminder that life is not just short. It is unpredictable. And the work is not to wait for the wake-up call, but to take one tiny step toward the life you already know you want to live. To find Kathy, please check out: Her website On Instagram @drluyikathyzhang Her TEDx talk To learn about MORE, please go to bemorealigned.com.