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It can be difficult to love how your body looks, or even like it. But what if you could expand the way you think about your body? This episode, psychologist Diana Hill shares how to practice body image flexibility and appreciate all of the ways your body allows you to experience the world. She gives mental exercises that help you fixate less on your appearance in an image-obsessed culture.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show's perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
It can be difficult to love how your body looks, or even like it. But what if you could expand the way you think about your body? This episode, psychologist Diana Hill shares how to practice body image flexibility and appreciate all of the ways your body allows you to experience the world. She gives mental exercises that help you fixate less on your appearance in an image-obsessed culture.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Dr. Diana Hill shares how retreat helps clarify where your energy is aligned or depleted, drawing on her family's annual week at Plum Village, a Buddhist Monastery founded by Thich Nhat Hahn. When you go on retreat, you come back to yourself and things become more clear for you about how you want to use your energy, about where you're off track, where you're out of alignment. Listen to this episode to hear five lessons she learned from Plum Village that you can apply to your daily life right now.Listen and learn:Lesson One Let Yourself CryLesson Two Sometimes HappensLesson Three Missing InstrumentLesson Four Disease PurifiesLesson Five Movement Has LifeIf this episode helps, share it with someone whose energy is misaligned and drained.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeBecome a Wise Effort Community memberSign up for my newsletterOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Diana's EventsSee Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.Mentioned in this episode:Join the Wise Effort CommunityWise Effort Community
Psychologists Off The Clock: A Psychology Podcast About The Science And Practice Of Living Well
We spend an exhausting amount of energy trying to outrun our own difficult thoughts and feelings.For this episode, Jill Stoddard brings back ACT therapist, trainer, and author of The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Workbook, Matt Boone for a refreshingly grounded look at Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Matt shares how his own path through chronic pain led him to ACT, breaking down why trying to "fix" uncomfortable inner experiences usually backfires.You'll hear about why we procrastinate, how to unhook from spiral-inducing thoughts, and how to get unstuck when uncertainty feels overwhelming. Plus, Matt shares how ACT helps therapists dodge burnout. Join us for this practical guide to making peace with the noise in your head so you can finally move toward what actually matters.Listen to POTC ad-free for just $5 a month by becoming a Mega Supporter on Patreon! Or, support the podcast with a one-time donation at Buy Me A Coffee!Listen and Learn: How ACT moves away from trying to "fix" or eliminate difficult emotions, teaching people to live alongside their pain so they can focus energy on what truly matters Matt's personal journey from chronic pain patient to ACT therapist, exploring how real-life experiences shaped their approach to therapy and led to designing experiential ACT training courses How Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) shifts the focus from managing symptom scores to creating meaningful, real-world behavior changes through experiential, values-based action Why "we hurt where we care," how procrastination and avoidance function to give us short-term relief, and how reconnecting with your deeper "why" can help you step through discomfort toward a full life How to define values as actionable, ongoing ways of being rather than fixed feelings, and discover practical tools Aligning small everyday actions with your values to allow you to act with intention, kindness, and self-acceptance, even in hard moments Major clinical hurdles and creative, practical exercises to act in alignment with your values anyway How mindfulness allows you to step back and observe unhelpful thoughts without getting tangled up in them or taking them as "capital-T truth Why arguing with your mind often backfires, how to shift focus from thought content to thought impact, and why taking a "leap of faith" empowers you to take meaningful action aligned with your values Resources: The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Workbook https://www.matthewsboone.com/acceptance-commitment-therapy-skills-workbook Matt's Website https://www.matthewsboone.com/ Connect with Matt on Social Mediahttps://www.facebook.com/matthew.boone.794/about https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewsboone https://www.praxiscet.com About Matt Boone: Matt Boone is a social worker, psychotherapist, and author who specializes in translating mental health concepts for the general public. His books include The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Workbook, co-authored with Jennifer Gregg, and Stop Avoiding Stuff: 25 Microskills to Face Your Fears and Do It Anyway, co-authored with Jennifer Gregg and Lisa Coyne.He is the Associate Director at the Student Wellness Program (SWP) of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry. As the Clinical Director of Mental Health Coaching at Lyra Health, he oversaw the clinical development of Lyra's mental health coaching program and offered workshops and webinars on mental health topics to workers in the tech industry. Lyra partners with eBay, Lyft, Uber, Servicenow and others to provide evidence-based care to their employees.At Cornell University, he oversaw the development of Let's Talk, an outreach program that has since been replicated at nearly 100 other colleges and universities. He lives and works in Little Rock, Arkansas with his wife, guitars, and cats, Giorgia (a sassy Tortie) and Finley (a gentle giant orange kitty with a superhuman -- or superkitten-- capacity for empathy).Related Episodes:77. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Jill Stoddard106. Therapy from “The Heart of ACT” with Robyn Walser116. Building a Meaningful, Values-based Life with Jenna LeJeune121. Be Mighty: An Episode for Stressed Out, Worried Women with Jill Stoddard128. ACT for Food Restriction and Anorexia with Rhonda Merwin190. ACT for Suicide Prevention with Sean Barnes195. ACT Daily with Diana Hill and Debbie Sorensen226. ACT for Perfectionism with Jennifer Kemp279. ACT for Healing Black Racial Trauma with Jennifer Shepard Payne301. Seven Daily ACT Practices for Living Fully with Diana Hill and Debbie Sorensen313. ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety with Brian Pilecki and Brian Thompson338. ACT for Burnout with Debbie!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On The Wise Effort show, Diana Hill talks with Dr. Joseph Ciarrochi, a researcher in process-based therapy and ACT, about self-righteous anger and how to stay honest and kind when others aren't. They explore the psychology of getting “hijacked” in conflict, describing outrage and being right as an addiction (experiential attachment) distinct from experiential avoidance, with different intervention implications. Using examples like a conflict with neighbors, online outrage, and relationship fights, they discuss wise distance, not adding fuel to the fire, asserting boundaries when effective, and directing core human yearnings (competence, connection, purpose, meaning, orientation, and feeling) toward what truly satisfies rather than empty status pursuits.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeBecome a Wise Effort Community memberSign up for my newsletterOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Diana's EventsSee Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.Mentioned in this episode:Tell the Truth Salon Series You are invited to join me live in person or streaming online here in Santa Barbara to Tell the Truth Salon Series. This is something that I have been dreaming up for a while now. I want us to gather in person, online, and have real conversations, unedited, unscripted, with people who are change-makers in our world, but also to uncover our own inner truths. https://drdianahill.com/salonTell the Truth Salon Series
Dr. Diana Hill interviews contemplative social scientist and emotion researcher Dr. Eve Ekman, senior fellow at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center and co-creator (with her father Paul Ekman) of The Atlas of Emotions, a tool requested by the Dalai Lama to help people understand how emotions arise and are experienced. They discuss why “emotion regulation” can miss the larger richness of emotions, and how the Atlas emphasizes triggers, physiology, personal history, and—most importantly—our responses, which can be constructive or destructive. Ekman describes building awareness over time rather than relying on quick fixes, the costs of suppression, and the role of sangha and relationships in working with emotions. The conversation also explores grief, caregiving, Father's Day, impermanence, and Ekman's experience losing her 91-year-old father after dementia, including relief, tenderness, and the social nature of emotions.Listen and Learn:Emotions are more than something to regulate.Emotional awareness is built through practice.Making room for grief can deepen love and connection.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeBecome a Wise Effort Community memberSign up for my newsletterOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsSee Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.Mentioned in this episode:Tell the Truth Salon Series You are invited to join me live in person or streaming online here in Santa Barbara to Tell the Truth Salon Series. This is something that I have been dreaming up for a while now. I want us to gather in person, online, and have real conversations, unedited, unscripted, with people who are change-makers in our world, but also to uncover our own inner truths. https://drdianahill.com/salonTell the Truth Salon Series
Are you feeling disconnected from what you know is true for you—and overriding it anyway? In this live-recorded Wise Effort episode, Diana Hill explores “truth” (personal, collective, spiritual, and scientific) and how it's often simple, close, profound, or even hard to accept. She shares ways truth emerges through rough initiations, deep listening to the body and intuition, unexpected states of consciousness, solitude, real conversation with epistemic humility, and connection to nature as a resilience factor. She closes with a “truth or dare” invitation to name a truth and take one action to live it this week.Listen and Learn:There are overlapping truths from science and spirituality, including that we're not separate selves, the mind extends beyond the brain, attention shapes the brainAvenues to finding your truthsHow awareness is different from thoughts and feelings. Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeBecome a Wise Effort Community memberSign up for my newsletterOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsSee Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.Mentioned in this episode:Tell the Truth Salon Series You are invited to join me live in person or streaming online here in Santa Barbara to Tell the Truth Salon Series. This is something that I have been dreaming up for a while now. I want us to gather in person, online, and have real conversations, unedited, unscripted, with people who are change-makers in our world, but also to uncover our own inner truths. drdianahill.com/salonTell the Truth Salon Series
On the #amwriting podcast's “Margin Notes,” Jennie Nash talks with Dr. Diana Hill (author of Wise Effort) about how the urge to prove yourself—through resumes, accolades, or “pre-order my book” pleas—undermines authenticity and connection, especially when pitching ideas, proposals, or personal brands. Hill describes confronting this while rebranding her website and shifting from listing credentials to articulating the real user experience and who the work is and isn't for, using specific language that reflects her core value of awareness/attunement rather than generic, AI-like claims. They unpack the psychology behind proving (seeking safety, belonging, and autonomy) and suggest asking which need is driving the behavior, aiming instead to demonstrate value, embrace vulnerability, and rely on trusted “tough love” feedback.Books Mentioned* Wise Effort by Dr. Diana HillJoin the Blueprint Summer ChallengeStarting a book? Stuck in a draft? Planning a revision?The Blueprint Summer Challenge is designed to help you make meaningful progress on your manuscript this summer.Over six weeks, beginning July 10, you'll use the Blueprint—a proven framework for developing stronger books with greater clarity, purpose, and reader impact—to move your project forward, wherever you are in the process.Whether you're writing nonfiction, memoir, fiction, or another genre entirely, the goal is simple: spend six focused weeks making your book stronger.Start with the Blueprint CourseWe're offering an all-new Blueprint course in Teachable, which includes:* The full text of The Blueprint* Fourteen video lessons covering every step of the framework* Real coaching examples that show writers applying the Blueprint to their own projects* Practical guidance you can use immediatelyThe course is designed to help you develop a stronger foundation for your book—whether you're beginning from a blank page, working through a draft, or planning a revision.Course enrollment: $19
In this episode, Diana Hill explores the concept of Wise Effort and how our regrets can become powerful guides to what matters most. Drawing from psychology, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Buddhist wisdom, she explains why the things that hurt most often point directly toward our deepest values. Diana also discusses how to work with regret without getting stuck in it, why discomfort can be a doorway to meaningful action, and how to focus your precious energy on what is truly worth your time and attention. Along the way, she explores psychological flexibility, the wisdom found in paradox, and practical ways to align your daily actions with the life you most want to live. Have you ever ended the day feeling like your choices didn't quite match the person you wanted to be? Maybe you slipped into autopilot, or self-doubt made it harder to stick to your goals. If so, The Six Saboteurs of Self-Control can help you recognize the hidden patterns that quietly derail your progress and offers simple, effective strategies to move past them. If you're ready to take back control and make meaningful, lasting change, download your free copy at oneyoufeed.net/ebook. Exciting News!!! How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life is out NOW! Order today! Key Takeaways: What "Wise Effort" means and how to focus your precious energy on what matters most How regret can reveal your deepest values and point you toward meaningful action Why the things that hurt most are often clues to what you care about most The difference between toxic regret that keeps you stuck and healthy regret that helps you grow How to turn toward difficult emotions instead of avoiding them—and why it changes everything The connection between psychological flexibility, resilience, and living a values-driven life Practical ways to work with worry, grief, loneliness, and other uncomfortable emotions The role of wisdom, mindfulness, and self-awareness in making better decisions Why paradox is an essential part of growth, meaning, and a well-lived life Simple practices for accessing your own wisdom and taking the next wise step forward For full show notes: click here! If you enjoyed this conversation with Dr. Diana Hill, check out these other episodes: How to Lose Regret and Choose Fulfillment with Marshall Goldsmith How To Build Mental Strength, Cope with Stress, and Thrive Under Pressure with Amy Morin By purchasing products and/or services from our sponsors, you are helping to support The One You Feed, and we greatly appreciate it. Thank you! This episode is sponsored by: Brodo Broth: Shop the best broth on the planet with Brodo. Head to Brodo.com/TOYF for 20% off your first subscription order and use code TOYF for an additional $10 off. Quince: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince by going to Quince.com/feed for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Shopify – The commerce platform that helps you build, grow, and manage your business all in one place. Start your $1/month trial at shopify.com/feed. David Protein bars deliver up to 28g of protein for just 150 calories—without sacrificing taste! For a limited time, our listeners can receive this special deal: buy 4 cartons and get the 5th free when you go to www.davidprotein.com/FEED Alma has a directory of 20,000 therapists with different specialities, life experiences, and identities, and 99% of them take insurance. Visit helloalma.com to learn more! Aura Frames: Named #1 by Wirecutter, you can save on the gifts moms love by visiting AuraFrames.com. For a limited time, listeners can get 25 dollars off their best-selling Carver Mat frame with code FEED. Support the show by mentioning us at checkout! Rocket Money Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at rocketmoney.com/feed. Taskrabbit: When life happens, your to-do list grows. Get ahead of it now and get fifteen dollars off your first task at Taskrabbit.com or on the Taskrabbit app using promo code FEED. Taskers book up fast, especially for same-day tasks, so book trusted home help today. Hello Fresh – Get 10 free meals + a FREE Zwilling Knife (a $144.99 value) on your third box. Offer valid while supplies last. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Do you feel stuck in worry loops that drain your energy and pull you out of the present moment? In this episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill talks with neuroscientist and psychiatrist Dr. Judson Brewer about “inside information” on the brain—especially the default mode network and how self-focused rumination and worry activate the posterior cingulate cortex. They explore new, encouraging research showing that experienced meditators don't show the same activation during worry recall, and that even beginners can deactivate this brain region quickly using a simple mindfulness “noting” practice (labeling seeing, hearing, feeling, thinking). Diana and Jud also discuss using technology to interrupt addictive habit loops (like compulsive checking) and how moving beyond anxiety can open the door to integrity, kindness, and flourishing—grounded in the reminder that “your actions are your only belongings.”Listen and learn:Your brain has a “me network” that can drain your energy.Noticing changes your relationship to experience.The goal is not just less anxiety, but more integrity, energy, and flourishing.“My actions are my only belongings.”Suggested Next Episode:Busting Brain Myths With Dr. Judson BrewerRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeBecome a Wise Effort Community memberSign up for my newsletterOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsSee Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.Mentioned in this episode:Join The Wise Effort Community.The Wise Effort Community exists to help people keep doing the work — applying ACT and contemplative practice to a real life — long after the book is closed, the workshop is done, and the retreat is over. The thing they're buying is sustained, guided practice with me and with each other, so the insights don't evaporate. The Wise Effort Community is your guided home for ongoing Wise Effort practice — monthly live teaching with me, a weekly practice rhythm, an on-demand library, and a community of people doing the work alongside you. Also, sustaining members get “Member's Special" early access and special pricing to Diana's In-Person Events, including Diana's gatherings, courses, programs, and retreats.Wise Effort Community
Have you ever felt panicked and untethered when you're lost—at work, in a relationship, or even in your own mind? In this episode, Dr. Diana Hill explores how “lostness” can send us into panic, false refuges, and strange loops that make things worse, and how it can also open a doorway to transformation. Drawing from her own story about thinking she'd left her computer at a New York hotel, Diana shares practices to help you stay where you are, take in a bigger perspective, and ask more beautiful questions in meditation and life.Listen and learn:How strange loops keep us tangled in unhelpful patternsThe inner dimensions we can get lost in: self, attention, thoughts, purpose, feelings, and behaviorWhat to do when you're lost: pause, broaden your view, and ask beautiful questions ("What is here?", "What else?", "What do I really want?")If this episode helps you find steadier ground, share it with someone who feels scattered or stuck.Suggested Next Episode:You can also enjoy Diana's related Bonus Meditation: LostRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeBecome a Wise Effort Community memberOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsSee Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
Do you feel stuck in a tug-of-war—like you have to choose between two things that both matter? In this Secret Sangha episode, Diana Hill shares on the topic of paradox, and how the tension you're trying to “solve” may actually be the place where growth happens. Drawing on examples from relationships, parenting, work-life balance, and her own struggle between service and making a living as a therapist, Diana explores Marianne Lewis's “both/and” approach—shifting the question, seeing interdependence, and rethinking outcomes so you can walk the tightrope with more ease.Listen and learn:The three core features of paradoxWhy trying to eliminate a paradox often keeps you stuck in struggleHow to shift from “either/or” to “both/and” thinkingShare this episode with someone who feels forced to choose—and practice holding both sides with wise effort.Suggested Next Episode:The Power Of Both/And Thinking To Find Creative, Integrative Solutions To Paradoxes With Dr. Marianne LewisRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodePlay bigger and have more impact in your therapy and coaching practice. Apply for my Wise Effort: Business of Therapy and Coaching 8-week programOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
Dr. Diana Hill welcomes author and Idea Architects founder Doug Abrams live from Blue Spirit Costa Rica to explore how to stay grounded, joyful, and hopeful in uncertain times. Abrams shares lessons from working with leaders like the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Jane Goodall, including Tutu's guidance to “never surrender your joy,” taking the wider perspective, and resisting without “othering” opponents. He describes his in-progress book inspired by his daughter's question, “Are we gonna be okay?” Abrams discusses living with ADHD, shame, and vulnerability in relationships, and highlights Goodall's four reasons for hope—human intellect, nature's resilience, young people, and the indomitable human spirit—emphasizing that hope is an action.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodePlay bigger and have more impact in your therapy and coaching practice. Apply for my Wise Effort: Business of Therapy and Coaching 8-week programOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.Mentioned in this episode:Business of Therapy and CoachingMake a big move in your therapy or coaching practice. Join the New Cohort Starting May 11Wise Effort: The Business of Therapy
In this first installment of Margin Notes—a new series on the big decisions writers face—we explore a question many writers quietly carry:When life falls apart, do you keep writing… or step away?Jennie Nash is joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill, author of Wise Effort, for a conversation about grief, illness, recovery and the psychology of returning to your work. Dr. Hill will help us explore the emotional and cognitive side of a creative life.Together, we discuss:* Why “little by little becomes a lot” matters in recovery* How grief, illness, addiction, or heartbreak reshape your creative capacity* The two common paths writers take: stepping away vs. writing to survive* What negativity bias is—and why it gets louder during hard seasons* When writing supports healing—and when it becomes avoidanceAt the heart of this conversation is a simple idea:You don't have to return to writing all at once.Sometimes, getting to the “mailbox and back” is enough.Whether you're navigating loss or a major life transition, this episode offers a compassionate way back to the page—on your own terms.Books Mentioned* Wise Effort by Dr. Diana Hill* Little by Little Becomes a Lot by Eric Zimmer#AmWriting is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Transcript(00:00:03):Hi,(00:00:04):I'm Jenny Nash,(00:00:05):and you're listening to the Hashtag AmWriting Podcast,(00:00:08):the place where we help writers of all kinds play big in your writing life,(00:00:12):love the process,(00:00:13):and stick with it long enough to finish what matters most.(00:00:17):This is Margin Notes,(00:00:19):a new part of the podcast where we're talking about the big decisions writers face(00:00:23):in their work on creative lives.(00:00:25):I'm here today to talk about(00:00:28):this idea of recovery from illness or a breakup or a major life transition and how(00:00:34):you get back to your work.(00:00:36):And I have with me the most of special guests,(00:00:40):uh,(00:00:40):Dr.(00:00:40):Diana Hill,(00:00:41):who is my friend and my client and my colleague.(00:00:45):She's a clinical psychologist.(00:00:47):Who's the author of wise effort, how to focus your genius energy on what matters most.(00:00:52):And she's going to help us dig into this.(00:00:55):Welcome Diana.Diana (00:00:57):I am so glad to be here.Diana (00:00:58):And another form of recovery, recovery from addiction is another one.Diana (00:01:02):Like if people are prioritizing their health and recovery in that way,Diana (00:01:07):how do you write through that?Diana (00:01:09):So I'm super excited to talk with you because I think I've been through everyDiana (00:01:11):single one of those recoveries in some form or another.(00:01:15):Well, yeah.(00:01:16):And we don't have to get into it, but you have recently been through some big grief.(00:01:21):You've been through all these things in your life.(00:01:23):So how do you counsel somebody who's trying to get over something or get through(00:01:28):something and also doesn't want to abandon their writing?Diana (00:01:33):Well, there's a great book that's coming out.Diana (00:01:36):We have to mention a book, support our fellow writers by Eric Zimmer.Diana (00:01:40):And I always pick books by their titles in some form or another.Diana (00:01:44):And so there's a great, how about this?Diana (00:01:46):There's a great book title coming out, which is Little by Little.Diana (00:01:49):becomes a lot.Diana (00:01:51):And I think that's something to remember in recovery.Diana (00:01:54):I remember after I had a C-section,Diana (00:01:57):I had two C-sections with my kids and the little by little was,Diana (00:02:01):you know,Diana (00:02:01):first you make it up to the mailbox and back,Diana (00:02:04):right?Diana (00:02:05):You're trying to get back to that three mile walk that you used to do,Diana (00:02:08):but up to the mailbox and back was pretty darn amazing after you had a C-section toDiana (00:02:12):get to that milestone.Diana (00:02:13):And when you're in recovery from something, you need to shift thatDiana (00:02:19):the expectation to what is a lot.Diana (00:02:21):It's what is a lot in the context of what you are going through.Diana (00:02:24):When you've had a C-section, a walk to the mailbox is a lot.Diana (00:02:27):When you are in recovery from losing a family member,Diana (00:02:31):writing 10 minutes in the morning is a lot.Diana (00:02:34):And being able to shift that expectation would be the first thing and rememberingDiana (00:02:37):that little by little becomes a lot.Diana (00:02:40):That's how we grow it.Diana (00:02:41):That's one of the most foundational aspects of habit formation and psychology,Diana (00:02:45):And, uh, really is how I do most everything I do little by little.Diana (00:02:50):And then sometimes when I have a boost of energy, I do a lot.(00:02:54):And is that, do you think that that's true all the time?(00:02:58):Like,(00:02:58):does it become more true when something intends happens in your life or is it(00:03:03):actually true all the time,(00:03:04):but we don't quite see it so clearly?(00:03:07):Yeah.Diana (00:03:07):Well,Diana (00:03:08):I think it's all the time,Diana (00:03:09):but more so when you're in recovery,Diana (00:03:12):because when you're in recovery from something,Diana (00:03:16):you may get exhausted more easily.Diana (00:03:19):You also may have some shifts in the way that you see the world and the way you seeDiana (00:03:25):yourself that,Diana (00:03:27):um,Diana (00:03:28):That negativity bias may be extra strong or your threat system may be on extraDiana (00:03:34):alert so that you're a little bit more hypervigilant depending on what kind ofDiana (00:03:38):thing you're recovering from.Diana (00:03:39):And so in that sense,Diana (00:03:40):we do need to dial up the gentleness factor that,Diana (00:03:44):you know,Diana (00:03:44):other times in your life,Diana (00:03:45):you maybe just to brush off the intensity of something.Diana (00:03:49):But when you're in recovery,Diana (00:03:50):yeah,Diana (00:03:50):you need to be extra focused on little by little becoming a lot.(00:03:54):Can you explain what you mean by negativity bias, just so our listeners understand that?Diana (00:04:00):The negativity bias is just how our brains evolved.Diana (00:04:03):We evolved brains to keep us safe, not always to live our best lives.Diana (00:04:09):And so that means that you are the ancestor of people who were a little bit anxious.Diana (00:04:16):And when they looked out on the savannah and they saw some kind of obscure objectDiana (00:04:20):out there,Diana (00:04:21):they had a tendency to think that that object was dangerous or negative in someDiana (00:04:25):way.Diana (00:04:25):Yeah.Diana (00:04:26):And so they went back into the cave and that's how you came about because youDiana (00:04:30):We're born from that,Diana (00:04:31):but we've inherited these negativity biases and they get extra strong when we'reDiana (00:04:36):under threat.Diana (00:04:37):It doesn't mean that we can't override them.Diana (00:04:40):It's more that we learn how to notice them and in some ways allow them to be thereDiana (00:04:45):while you still move forward towards what your values are,Diana (00:04:48):what your goals are,Diana (00:04:49):what's important to you,Diana (00:04:50):even with that little bit of a chatter,Diana (00:04:52):that little what if mind in the background.(00:04:55):So I feel like when a writer is under the thread of something intense,(00:05:01):they tend to either take one of two paths in the recovery phase.(00:05:07):One path would be, I don't have the time, energy, bandwidth.(00:05:13):to add this in, I'm going to push this way off.(00:05:17):And the other is the opposite.(00:05:20):And it's this is going to keep me alive.(00:05:22):And I, I have to do it.(00:05:24):I have to keep my project going, keep my writing going, keep my voice up.(00:05:31):Can you help make sense of those that kind of binary response that I sometimes see?Diana (00:05:38):Well,Diana (00:05:38):like any kind of story,Diana (00:05:40):both of them are stories or frames or interpretations of your experience.Diana (00:05:45):There's usually some kind of nugget of truth in it.Diana (00:05:47):And then sort of like that yin-yang sign, there's also a nugget of not truth in it.Diana (00:05:52):So I don't have enough time is a classic one.Diana (00:05:54):I mean,Diana (00:05:54):that's again,Diana (00:05:55):whether you're in recovery or not,Diana (00:05:56):that's a classic writer's statement of I don't have enough time.Diana (00:05:59):And so we put it off.Diana (00:06:01):You know, we say things like in six months when I have things more in order, I'll get this done.Diana (00:06:07):Or I will, would I feel better?Diana (00:06:10):I'll start working on it.Diana (00:06:11):But the nature of our experience is that we really never have enough time.Diana (00:06:16):It's more about prioritization of our time.Diana (00:06:19):And we miss that reality that when we engage in things that are more meaningful toDiana (00:06:25):us,Diana (00:06:25):we feel like we have more time.Diana (00:06:26):So there's some research by Cassie Holmes out of UCLA that showed that folks thatDiana (00:06:32):devoted their time towards others or engaged in meaningful projects actually hadDiana (00:06:36):more what's called time affluence.Diana (00:06:38):They feel like they had more time.Diana (00:06:40):So if you have that feeling,Diana (00:06:40):if I don't have enough time,Diana (00:06:42):what you actually may find is if you prioritize your time towards writing,Diana (00:06:45):if that's something you care about,Diana (00:06:46):it's a value that you had prior to the thing that you were struggling with,Diana (00:06:50):you actually may end up feeling like you have more time or you may experience aDiana (00:06:54):shift in your perspectiveDiana (00:06:57):as a result of doing that writing.Diana (00:06:59):I find that all the time.Diana (00:07:00):There's something like exercise is the same thing.Diana (00:07:02):Like I don't really want to do it and then I go do it or I don't have enough timeDiana (00:07:05):for it and then I go do it and then I ask myself,Diana (00:07:07):why am I not spending more time doing this thing,Diana (00:07:10):right?Diana (00:07:11):So it can be, yeah.Diana (00:07:12):But then the second side of it is that I want to go do this because in some way IDiana (00:07:21):feel like it's going to either help me through or maybe even be a little bit of aDiana (00:07:24):distractorDiana (00:07:26):Sometimes our work can distract us from other parts of our lives.Diana (00:07:30):If it's aligned with your values, you need a break.Diana (00:07:33):So something like grief in particular,Diana (00:07:35):people wanna feel really obligated to not feel good or feel obligated to beDiana (00:07:43):grieving in a certain way or all the time or not go back to work right away.Diana (00:07:49):But the reality is that when you start toDiana (00:07:52):do things that bring you joy,Diana (00:07:54):it helps you,Diana (00:07:55):it gives you more resources for the recovery and the grief that you're goingDiana (00:07:59):through.Diana (00:08:00):It's not that we need to be in the bad, dark space all the time.Diana (00:08:05):So it can,Diana (00:08:05):healthy distraction,Diana (00:08:07):especially when it's aligned with your values,Diana (00:08:09):is in psychology,Diana (00:08:10):we call it productive procrastination.Diana (00:08:13):Maybe you're actually procrastinating on the grief a little bit by being productiveDiana (00:08:16):in other ways.Diana (00:08:17):And that can be a good thing.Diana (00:08:18):It actually can be a helpful thing.(00:08:20):Wow, there's so much to think about here.(00:08:23):So in your own experience, which path do you tend to take?(00:08:28):Or have you taken both paths at different times?Diana (00:08:31):I think I've taken both.Diana (00:08:34):This most recent round of recovery that I'm kind of a recent loss that I've had,Diana (00:08:40):I started out with just not wanting to do anything.Diana (00:08:45):That kind of like lead weight feeling of I can't,Diana (00:08:50):I'm like walking through molasses in my day and not interested in doing the thingsDiana (00:08:56):that I used to be interested in.Diana (00:08:57):I kept having a hard time even getting myself toDiana (00:09:00):get dressed,Diana (00:09:01):you know,Diana (00:09:01):kind of put on nice clothes,Diana (00:09:03):blow dry my hair,Diana (00:09:03):those kinds of things that I usually do.Diana (00:09:06):And what I have found in terms of the writing process for myself,Diana (00:09:11):I'm not writing a book right now,Diana (00:09:12):but I do write newsletters and I write preparation for podcasts and I write postsDiana (00:09:17):and things like that,Diana (00:09:19):is that led to me just not wanting to write.Diana (00:09:22):And what got me a little unblocked, I hadn't written my newsletter in quite a while,Diana (00:09:26):And I knew I had to do and I was like in the back of my head,Diana (00:09:28):like you're supposed to do a newsletter every month or every two weeks or everyDiana (00:09:31):week,Diana (00:09:32):whatever your cadence is.Diana (00:09:33):And so I knew that was in there.Diana (00:09:37):And when I,Diana (00:09:39):what kind of got me unstuck from that space was when I just decided,Diana (00:09:44):this is a little by little becomes a lot thing.Diana (00:09:46):When I just decided to take like, what's one thing I did today that IDiana (00:09:51):kind of felt interesting and was connected to a better bigger concept or belief.Diana (00:09:55):And I just wrote on that.Diana (00:09:56):And it was actually I wrote on doing push ups.(00:09:59):Because it was such a great newsletter.(00:10:01):I left it.(00:10:02):Yeah, it was so great.Diana (00:10:03):It was on push ups, because I had I was helping a client who was in their own form of recovery.Diana (00:10:07):And, and he's in was had make that made this goal for himself.Diana (00:10:12):And then he challenged me to doing push ups.Diana (00:10:14):AndDiana (00:10:15):This little pushup goal was really helpful for me because it was so orthogonal to my grief.Diana (00:10:20):It had so nothing to do with it.Diana (00:10:21):What does that mean?(00:10:22):I don't know what that means.Diana (00:10:23):It was so orthogonal.Diana (00:10:26):It's going in the opposite direction.Diana (00:10:28):It's not parallel.Diana (00:10:30):to my grief.Diana (00:10:32):And so my grief was like, had nothing to do with pushups, right?Diana (00:10:35):It had to do with friendship and loss and death and,Diana (00:10:38):you know,Diana (00:10:38):all those things and doing pushups feel so insignificant.Diana (00:10:41):But then I was able to,Diana (00:10:42):in this newsletter and in this teaching that I ended up doing for a talk that IDiana (00:10:46):gave,Diana (00:10:47):was able to connect that really small thing to something much bigger,Diana (00:10:52):but that came from writing on it.Diana (00:10:55):And I wouldn't have gotten there if I hadn't written on it.Diana (00:10:58):And then what I got to is like,Diana (00:10:59):oh,Diana (00:10:59):this,Diana (00:11:00):you know,Diana (00:11:00):doing something small in this way,Diana (00:11:02):if you can connect it to love or you can connect it to caring for someone else orDiana (00:11:08):supporting someone else or supporting yourself,Diana (00:11:10):these four kinds of love in Buddhism.Diana (00:11:13):that I wrote about,Diana (00:11:14):then you might be,Diana (00:11:16):you know,Diana (00:11:16):motivated to stick with it a little bit longer.Diana (00:11:18):So I guess I started out with the sluggish one of like running away from it,Diana (00:11:22):not wanting to feel it,Diana (00:11:24):needing to do little by little.Diana (00:11:25):And then I moved more into this is like actually a good distraction from my grief,Diana (00:11:28):but then it transformed into more meaning for me.(00:11:32):And it sounds like now you're feeling a little energized.(00:11:35):Yeah, I'm pumped.(00:11:36):I've been working today.(00:11:37):I like I was back at work and excited.Diana (00:11:40):It's funny because it's a Sunday, but I'm working and excited.Diana (00:11:43):But I was excited to get to work,Diana (00:11:45):to work on a project,Diana (00:11:47):a talk that I'm giving,Diana (00:11:48):which involves,Diana (00:11:49):I don't know,Diana (00:11:49):I guess in some ways,Diana (00:11:51):talks are a form of writing,Diana (00:11:52):like making out your slides.Diana (00:11:53):It's sort of like outlining a talk.(00:11:55):100%.(00:11:56):It's figuring out what you think, raising your voice, deciding what you want to say.(00:12:02):It's all good.(00:12:03):Well,(00:12:04):what would you,(00:12:05):what nugget would you give our listeners to take away if this is resonating with(00:12:09):them,(00:12:09):this idea of I'm recovering from something and trying to figure out where my(00:12:13):writing fits in?Diana (00:12:16):I think the nugget is that we're always in recovery from something.Diana (00:12:20):You know, sometimes it's big recoveries and sometimes it's small.Diana (00:12:23):And the beauty of recovery is that when something gets broken,Diana (00:12:30):you're not necessarily gonna put it back to how it was before,Diana (00:12:34):but you get this chance to rearrange it.Diana (00:12:36):It's sort of like if you throw a deck of cards in the air and they fall on theDiana (00:12:39):ground and you put them back in order in a different way,Diana (00:12:43):like what card do you wanna have on top?Diana (00:12:45):So you move from this harmony to disharmony to a new harmony.Diana (00:12:49):And if you do it in a way that has just like,Diana (00:12:51):go at the pace that you can go a little bit by little bit and sometimes a big bit,Diana (00:12:57):But trust that this recovery process is part of a new harmony for you.Diana (00:13:02):There will be magic that comes out of it.Diana (00:13:08):And we don't always get to control the pacing and timing of when that magic happens.Diana (00:13:12):But it'll come to you.(00:13:14):That's beautiful.(00:13:15):Thank you for that.(00:13:16):And thank you for joining me.(00:13:17):I hope you'll do it regularly.Diana (00:13:19):Thank you.(00:13:20):And thanks, everyone, for listening.(00:13:22):Now let's get back to work and finish what matters most.Jennie (00:13:33):The Hashtag AmWriting podcast is produced by Andrew Perilla.Jennie (00:13:37):Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday, was written and played by Max Cohen.Jennie (00:13:44):Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output because everyoneJennie (00:13:49):deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe
Psychologists Off The Clock: A Psychology Podcast About The Science And Practice Of Living Well
If you've ever avoided saying yes to something meaningful because you were waiting to feel less anxious or more “ready,” this episode is for you.Cohosts Yael and Michael Herold sit down for a chat about his confidence-building online course and the misconceptions that keep people stuck, especially the idea that motivation and the “right mindset” must come first. You'll hear how acceptance and commitment therapy reframes anxiety as a passenger you can bring along while you drive toward your values, why rigid social scripts don't work, and how low-stakes “comfort zone challenges” (like lying down in public) help you practice courage, defuse unhelpful thoughts, and tolerate discomfort without real-world consequences.Join Michael and Yael for lots of practical insight, humor, and a preview of tools that can help you step into the life you want.Listen and Learn: Why confidence isn't built by fixing your mindset first, but by taking action on what mattersWhy you can't learn confidence from scripts or perfect phrases, and confidence only develops through practice, not preparationHow to step outside your comfort zone by practicing small, low-stakes challenges that reveal how thoughts and emotions create avoidance, and how to disarm them so you can act on what matters instead of defaulting to fear-based reactionsWhy worrying about annoying others can hold you back from confidence, and learning confidence means acting respectfully on what matters, even when that fear is presentComfort-zone challenges to expand confidence and even meaningfully change the direction of your lifeBuilding confidence through practical, real-world exercises with Michael's courseResources: Michael's Course: herold.coach/courseLilly and the Wildflowers:www.instagram.com/lilyandthewildflowerswww.lilyandthewildflowers.comAbout Michael HeroldMichael (he/him) is a confidence trainer and social skills coach, based in Vienna, Austria. He's helping his clients overcome their social anxiety through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and fun exposure exercises. (Though the jury is still out on whether they're mostly fun for him). He is also a certified therapeutic game master, utilizing the Dungeons&Dragons tabletop roleplaying game to train communication, assertiveness, and teamwork with young adults. Or actually, anyone ready to roll some dice and battle goblins in a supportive group where players want to level up (pun!) their social skills. Michael is the head coach of the L.A. based company The Art of Charm, running their confidence-building program “Unstoppable” as well as workshops on small talk, storytelling, vulnerability, and more. He is the scientific advisor and co-producer of their large podcast with more than 250 million downloads. As a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), Michael is the current President of the ACT Coaching Special Interest Group with nearly 1,000 coaches worldwide, and the co-founder of the ACT in Austria Affiliate of ACBS, a nationwide meetup for ACT practitioners in Austria. He's a public speaker who has spoken at TEDx, in front of members of parliament, universities, and once in a cinema full of 500 kids high on sugary popcorn. In a previous life, he was a character animator working on award-winning movies and TV shows such as “The Penguins of Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda”. That was before he realized that helping people live a meaningful life is much more rewarding than working in the film business – even though the long nights in the studio allowed him to brew his own beer in the office closet, an activity he highly recommends. Michael grew up with five foster kids who were all taken out of abusive families. His foster sisters showed him how much positive change is possible in a person if they have the love and support they need.Related Episodes173. Confidence, Self-Doubt, and Overcoming Limitations with Michael Herold313. ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety with Brian Pilecki and Brian Thompson195. ACT Daily with Diana Hill and Debbie SorensenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Do little annoyances keep piling up until you feel overwhelmed and reactive? In this episode, Diana Hill explores why annoyance isn't just about what's happening—it's shaped by your capacity (stress, heat, hunger, sleep) and the story you tell about the incident. Diana shares how noticing her own story with an airline agent, Wade, helped her soften, connect, and respond differently—ultimately increasing her ability to be with what is.Listen and learn:How stressors like heat, hunger, and poor sleep reduce your capacity and increase irritationWhy the “story” you tell can turn a small incident into a bigger threat.How separating from others fuels annoyance—and connection can shift itSuggested Next Episode:You can also enjoy Diana's related Bonus Meditation: AnnoyanceRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
Enjoy this Secret Sangha talk where Dr. Diana Hill describes recovery as a non-linear, stop-and-start process. She emphasizes psychological flexibility as a key predictor of doing well after major life events: knowing what matters most in the moment, using your skills, and taking feedback about what isn't working. She highlights additional supports like social connection, positive emotion amid difficulty, and meaning-making. Diana shares her own recovery story and offers core practices.Listen and learn:To decide what and who recovery is worth it forWays to leave your “imaginary box”The importance of focusing on small daily actions without waiting to feel differentSuggested Next Episode:You can also enjoy Diana's related Bonus Meditation: RecoveryRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.Mentioned in this episode:Business of Therapy and CoachingMake a big move in your therapy or coaching practice. Join the New Cohort Starting May 11Wise Effort: The Business of Therapy
Dr. Diana Hill guides a non-dual, open-awareness meditation beginning with listening to a bell, landing in the body through sound, contact with the ground, and breath (“Breathing in, I'm alive; breathing out, I'm here”). Participants visualize their life as a timeline stretching left into the past—through birth, ancestors, and even a star's “cracking open”—and right into the future through their continuing influence. They are invited to meet a younger self from a moment of growth, bring that self to sit on the left, and then welcome an older, more authentic, flexible, focused, and harmonious self to sit on the right, offering stability while feeling “lost” in the unknown. The practice emphasizes presence, radical acceptance, and saying “I don't know,” followed by a Shel Silverstein reading on “growing down,” and closes with the three refuges: being, becoming, and belonging.Suggested Next Episode:You can also enjoy Diana's related talk--Episode 193 Secret Sangha: Growth.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
Do you keep trying to make big changes, only to burn out or get stuck at the choice point? In this episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill talks with Eric Zimmer, host of The One You Feed and author of How a Little Becomes a Lot, about why lasting transformation happens through small, consistent actions—shaped by clear values, a “middle way” mindset, supportive structure, and compassionate self-talk. Drawing from Eric's recovery from heroin addiction, Diana's pushup challenge, and everyday examples like food choices and pain language, they explore how to navigate motivation, self-doubt, autopilot, and other traps, and why meaningful change requires both inner skills and connection with others.Listen and learn:How “little by little” creates real change over timeHow to decide what is worth wanting and work with values conflictsHow the middle way and self-compassion help you move through setbacksShare this episode with someone who needs a steadier, more sustainable approach to change.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
Dr. Diana Hill guides a Compassion Practice beginning with soothing rhythm breathing, slowing the breath to match one's nervous system while breathing in clarity and breathing out tension. She then leads a grounding visualization, rooting the body into the earth and calling to mind compassionate teachers, people, or animals, distilling their wise, loving essence into light that illuminates the body and evokes a warm face, strong back, and open heart. From this “Bodhisattva” compassionate self, the listener offers care to their own current struggle, then brings in a person they find difficult and holds both perspectives with understanding. The practice expands to include the suffering of the wider community and world, offering intentions for unity, freedom from suffering, and peace, followed by silent sitting.Listen to the Diana's Secret Sangha talk on CompassionRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
Do you shut down, look away, or push yourself harder when you're faced with suffering—your own or someone else's? In this Secret Sangha episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill continues the month-long series on the “four immeasurables” by exploring compassion as both sensitivity to suffering and a commitment to alleviate it. Using examples from neuroscience, the Milgram experiments, and personal stories, she unpacks common blocks to compassionate action—like overwhelm, avoidance of difficult feelings, the “just world” bias, deferring to outer authority, and diffusion of responsibility. Diana offers a grounding-based compassion practice to help you stay present, connect with your values and inner authority, take responsibility with care, and build wise action from small moments to bigger conversations, including civil discourse with people you don't understand.Listen and learn:How compassion includes both sensitivity to suffering and committed actionWhat the Milgram experiments reveal about authority, responsibility, and harmHow grounding helps you stay present and act from values and inner authorityShare this episode with someone who wants to meet suffering with steadiness and courage.Listen to the Meditation: Compassion.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
Clinical psychologist, international trainer, and a leading expert on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dr. Diana Hill joins Anna and Raven today for workout motivation and the psychological barriers that come between you and the gym!
Is it the downfall of ChatGPT? People believe they are being spied on. Have no fear, your entire phone is spying on you! Are we scared of AI or using it to the fullest potential? The white lotus effect? Are you envious of the beautiful locations? Maybe it is just the adrenaline rush of the murder mystery. Good news, keep an eye out- they are coming around! Anna's Oura ring slightly disappointed her when she realized it didn't save her life. Her ring spoke to her again. To let her know her true thoughts about Annas recent activity. However, She's not being very gentle anymore. Clinical psychologist, international trainer, and a leading expert on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dr. Diana Hill joins Anna and Raven today for workout motivation and the psychological barriers that come between you and the gym! Anna's not a crier- her mom and daughter both are. Her mom yelled at her for this. Made Anna wonder who is and isnt really a crier? Producer Justin, Sophia, and Raven all discuss if they are or are not and when the last time they cried was. Ravens wife, Alicia celebrated her birthday all weekend. Her one birthday wish was that Raven actually attempts to dance with her- two songs. He succeeded. 67 is out, mogging is in. Mogging is apparently looking better than everyone else. Outshining. The evolution of trending words- Middle schoolers are first to discover just about any word that will soon be trending. There is a new pope-mobile and it is a ford explorer. He even has a vanity plate. Where does the pope even drive? Vatican City? The LA marathon took place yesterday. A Kenyan woman led the entire race. Finisher medals for an unfinished marathon...? Is Anna Zap out of line? Where do we stand on this matter these days as parents? Anna would rather let her kids swear and teach them the right way to do so. Others disagree. What do you think about your kids swearing? They were at Edgar's sister's house, and their son threw a baseball in the home and damaged their TV screen. It wasn't a ton of damage, but it clipped the bottom and put a weird mark on the screen. Edgar and Marie offered to buy them a replacement TV, they agreed. Now, Edgar's been thinking about it, and texted his brother-in-law and asked if they could have the broken tv because it would be great for their basement living area, even if it is slightly busted. His brother-in-law said they're going to use it in their bedroom. He's upset and since they bought them the TV, they should be able to keep the old one or be reimbursed. Marie says that he needs to let it go, it was $700, and not worth a family argument. He says his brother-in-law is cheap and should never have accepted the offer in the first place, all the kids were roughhousing! What do you think? Tom has a chance to win $400! All he has to do is answer more pop culture questions than Raven in Can't Beat Raven!
This breathwork and guided meditation session, led by Dr. Diana Hill, is part of the Diana's weekly Sangha community. This meditation guides a mindfulness practice beginning with “butterfly breath" and then invites listeners to rest attention on calming sounds arising from silence, adopt a stable and open posture of equanimity, and notice the natural steadiness of breathing. Listeners are asked to inquire inwardly what part of themselves needs tending to, meet sensations or emotions with steady love, and ask what that part wants them to know, responding with “I hear you, I see you.” The practice emphasizes being the spacious “prior condition” that holds sounds, feelings, worries, and others' pain with presence, and offers three anchors to return to when off balance: breath, body/posture, and heart. Suggested Next Episode:You can also enjoy Diana's related talk--Episode 188 Secret Sangha: Equanimity.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
Do you feel thrown off balance by praise, blame, fear, or stressful news when life hits hard? In this Secret Sangha episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill continues the four-week “four immeasurables” series by focusing on equanimity—steady love—as the prior condition of balance from which pleasant and unpleasant experiences arise. She explores how the “eight worldly winds” can destabilize us, how the near enemies of equanimity show up as indifference, control, adding on stories, or acting out, and shares personal examples from her own life. Diana offers practical ways to return to steadiness through essential self-care, stillness and silence, flexible attention to what stabilizes you, remembering “enoughness,” and being the calm you seek.Listen and learn:How the “eight worldly winds” can knock you off balanceThe near enemies of equanimity: indifference, control, adding on, and acting outHow stillness, silence, and essential self-care support steady lovePractices like flexible attention, remembering enoughness, and “being the calm” you seekShare this episode with someone who could use steadier love this week.Suggested Next Episode:You can also enjoy Diana's related Bonus Meditation: EquanimityRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.Mentioned in this episode:Wise Effort Retreat in Costa RicaJoin me for a real transformative experience on retreat at Blue Spirit in Costa Rica. Only a few spaces are left. Reserve your spot today! Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica
Are you doing “all the right things” and still feeling like happiness keeps slipping through your fingers? In this episode, Dr. Diana Hill talks with Yale psychology professor and The Happiness Lab host Dr. Laurie Santos about the biggest mind traps that block joy—and the small, research-backed shifts that help you feel better in real life. Together, Diana and Laurie unpack why mind-wandering, hedonic adaptation (getting used to the good), and comparison quietly drain wellbeing—and how practices like mindfulness/savoring, treating negative emotions as helpful signals, radical acceptance, and “time affluence” can bring you back to what matters most.Key takeaways you'll learn in this episode:The three biggest “happiness traps” (mind-wandering, adaptation, and comparison) and how to work with them.Why chasing “good vibes only” can backfire—and how to redefine happiness as flourishing.How to use negative emotions as signals (like a dashboard light) instead of problems to eliminate.Why more money and achievement often don't move happiness much—and what tends to help more (sleep, friends, free time, and presence).Press play, then share this episode with a high-achiever friend (or anyone feeling stuck in the comparison spiral) who could use a science-backed reset on what actually creates joy.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram,
Do you keep getting stuck in the same fights or feeling rejected in your relationship? In this episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill shares an evidence-based talk on the science of “wise and fierce” relationships, then follows with a conversation with athlete and entrepreneur Gabby Reece about what helps partnerships last.Diana draws on relationship research and her clinical experience to explain why conflict isn't the main problem—repair is—and on what predicts relationship satisfaction: commitment, appreciation, responsiveness, and sexual satisfaction. She also discusses research on sexual frequency and how motivation matters more than frequency (“getting it on” vs. “getting it over with”).Diana offers a practical exercise to help listeners “put down the broom” of rigid stories: write your story about your partner and their story about you, identify the “negative truth,” then (1) create disconfirming evidence by noticing what contradicts your story about them, and (2) do something that proves their story about you wrong. In the conversation, Gabby describes how respect, emotional honesty, daily connection rituals, and sustaining momentum—along with supporting each partner's individual passions—strengthen her decades-long marriage to Laird, and they discuss reframing intimacy bids and avoiding complacency.Listen and share this episode with someone you want to strengthen a relationship with.Listen and learn:Why repair after disharmony matters more than avoiding conflictThe key relationship ingredients identified across 43 studies: commitment, appreciation, responsiveness, and sexual satisfactionWhat the research suggests about sex frequency and why “getting it on” vs. “getting it over with” changes satisfactionRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
This breathwork and guided meditation session, led by Dr. Diana Hill, is part of the Diana's weekly Sangha community. This meditation walks you through breathwork techniques and mindful presence to foster kindness within yourself and extend it to others. Diana shares techniques to anchor yourself in the present moment and invites you to connect with your 'invisible helpers' for support and kindness. Join this guided meditation to replenish your mind, body, and spirit.Suggested Next Episode:You can also enjoy Diana's related talk--Episode 182 Secret Sangha: Kind Love.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
Are you seeking more empathy, less fear, and stronger connections in a divided world? In this episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill discusses the power of the four immeasurables—loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Dr. Hill explains how these qualities can positively affect your brain, body, and relationships, and offers practical exercises and insights to cultivate them. Join us to learn inspiring techniques to bring more kindness into your life and to those around you.Listen and learn:The impact of loving kindness on mental and physical well-beingHow simple acts of kindness can reduce anxiety and foster a sense of belongingPractical exercises like Tadasana and alternate nostril breathing to practice loving kindnessThe importance of invisible helpers in daily life.Suggested Next Episode:You can also enjoy Diana's related Bonus Meditation: Kind LoveRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to
We all know exercise is good for our health, but have you already quit your New Year's fitness goal? Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with psychologist Dr. Diana Hill to break down why we don't want to move and how to find our personal motivation to exercise throughout the year. This episode was produced by Leying Tang Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Are you aware of how your environment and context influence your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? In this Secret Sangha episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill delves into the role of context and how it affects our inner experiences, which is a major concept of contextual behavioral science. Dr. Hill explains how our biology, social-cultural context, and environment shape our daily lives, and she encourages us to adopt a contemplative approach centered on love to transform these influences and helps us develop our psychological flexibility. Join us to understand the interdependence of context and individual experience and learn how love can serve as a healing context for all.Listen and learn:The interdependence of context and individual experienceHow love can serve as a healing context for all.Suggested Next Episode:You can also enjoy Diana's related meditation--Episode 181 Bonus Meditation: Context.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of
This breathwork and guided meditation session, led by Dr. Diana Hill, is part of the Diana's weekly Sangha community. This meditation walks you through breathwork techniques and a deep meditation to cultivate a spacious, free mind, heart, and self while understanding the many contexts that impact our lives. Listen as Diana guides you on this journey towards total and complete freedom. Share this episode with someone who could benefit from a moment of peace and freedom.Suggested Next Episode:You can also enjoy Diana's related talk--Episode 181 Secret Sangha: Context.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
How can we use our imagination to transform individually and our collective consciousness? Clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill explores this question with Dr. Cassandra Vieten on The Wise Effort Show. Dr. Vieten, a clinical professor and director of research at multiple institutions, shares her extensive research on the subject, emphasizing the profound impact transformative spiritual experiences can have on changing our worldview and behaviors. Listeners will learn about the conditions that support transformation, the importance of imagination in altering future outcomes, and practical approaches to fostering a shift in consciousness. Vieten's compelling personal anecdotes and scientific insights provide a roadmap for understanding and achieving deep, lasting change.Listen and learn:Scientific Approach to TransformationThe Power of Imagination in TransformationImagination and Worldview TransformationImagination in Practice and TherapyImagining a Better FutureRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and
This guided meditation session, led by Dr. Diana Hill, is part of the Diana's weekly Sangha community. This meditation uses the bell to bring your' attention to the present moment, encouraging flexibility in focusing on various aspects of your external and internal worlds. It emphasizes your ability to shift attention to sensory experiences, feelings, thoughts, perspectives, purpose, and actions. The meditation advocates for self-acceptance and openness, referencing Pema Chödrön's teachings on befriending oneself as the foundation of meditation practice. The session closes with three bows to acknowledge true nature, teachers, and the community.You can also enjoy Diana's related talk on by listening to Episode 179 Secret Sangha: Flexibility.
Today's episode is about something we all do… or don't do enough of:Move.And not just in your workouts. I'm talking about how you move throughout your day — outside the gym. At home. At work. On the couch. In your car.Because here's the truth: A one-hour workout is great… but it's only 4% of your day. What you do with the other 96%? That's what truly shapes your body, your energy, your health span — and your life.Let's dive into why that matters, and what science says about the power of “movement snacks.”Resources:Book:Dr. Diana Hill and Katy Bowman “I know I should exercise but… 44 reasons we don't move & how to get over them.”https://www.audible.com/pd/B0FV4J8V57?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=library_overflowBrain.fm App(First month Free, then 20% off subscription)Discount Code: coachdamiensdCaldera Lab Skin Carewww.calderalab.comDiscount Code: CoachDLinks:IG:@coachdamien_sd@damienrayevans@livinthedream_podcast YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTgFB:https://www.facebook.com/coachdamienSD/
As we wrap up 2025, we're doing a shortened version of our annual recap—part reflection, part intention. Katy and Jeannette share their biggest movement wins, smartest health decisions, and one-word themes for the year, then look ahead to what they're prioritizing in 2026 (strength, power, simplicity, and efficiency). Then we distill the past year's episodes into a clear set of movement rules for 2026 including: movement works locally (not just systemically), the 5 S's of aging (strong, steady, straight, supple, swift) and the reminder that there will always be something else… move anyway.If you only listen to one episode to catch up on the year and set your movement intentions for the next, make it this one.Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript06:25 Katy and Jeannette review 2025 and look ahead to 202620:40 The Dynamic Collective22:36 Movement Rule Number One: Movement works locally, not just systemically32:05 Movement Rule Number Two: You should be getting the 5 S's of aging38:46 Movement Rule Number Three: It's not the mode, it's the load43:13 Movement Rule Number Four: The upward climb – why you need to exercise more as you age51:29 Movement Rule Number Five: Hearts are like hip joints, or why you need to do more for your heart than just cardio56:01 Movement Rule Number Six: There will always be something else – move anywayLINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONEDMy Perfect Movement Plan by Katy BowmanI Know I Should Exercise But... by Diana Hill & Katy Bowman CONNECT, MOVE & LEARNJoin Our Newsletter: Movement Colored GlassesFollow Katy on SubstackTry Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs that encourage dynamic sitting.Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT.My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA.Smart Playrooms: Beautiful playroom design and movement-rich equipment—save 10% on monkey bars and rock-wall items with code DNA10.Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10.Thoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.comYour Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits
How can we practice the power of the pause? In this week's episode of the Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill sits down with meditation and yoga teacher Jillian Pransky to explore this profound concept. They dive into the bardo, a transitional state perfect for reflection, and share practical steps from Jillian's LAR LAR method (Land, Arrive, Relax, Listen, Attend, Respond, Repeat) designed to help you cultivate a calmer and more intentional life. Jillian also highlights ways to infuse these practices into your daily routine for a smoother transition into the new year. You'll also get a preview of Diana's new weekly saga Dharma talks and meditations. Join them in learning to pause, reflect, and enter 2026 with wise effort.Listen and learn:An in-depth look at Jillian Pransky's LAR LAR method and how it can transform your lifeThe importance of grounding and breath in calming the nervous systemHow to create space for your emotions and respond more wiselyRelated ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeOrder my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.Diana's EventsReserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaSubscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of
Diana Hill, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, and sought-out speaker on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and compassion. Diana is the host of the podcast Wise Effort and author of The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, The ACT Daily Journal, I Know I Should Exercise But…, and her newest book Wise Effort. Diana works with organizations and individuals to develop psychological flexibility so that they can grow fulfilling and impactful lives. Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:Struggles with change and concept of experiential attachmentThe intersection of ACT and Buddhism in Diana's bookHow our environment impacts our energyThe our genius can be under or over-utilized The importance of feedback and honesty—————————————————————————Diana's website: https://drdianahill.com/Wise Effort: https://a.co/d/81mws9E—————————————————————————Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexiblePlease subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truthCheck out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw
Psychologists Off The Clock: A Psychology Podcast About The Science And Practice Of Living Well
Are you wisely using your genius energy? In this episode, Michael reconnects with Diana Hill, a therapist and author who has recently explored the concept of focusing your genius energy on what matters most through her book Wise Effort.Their discussion spans from insights from ancient Buddhist wisdom to the application of commitment therapy to the practice of finding one's unique 'genius energy.' If you're interested in practical ways to maximize your strengths, handle emotional challenges, and cultivate a meaningful and balanced life, you'll want to join them to unearth actionable tips and exercises for making the most out of your efforts and ultimately enhancing your well-being.Listen and Learn: What is “Wise Effort” and how can this practice reshape your energy, choices, and well-being?Identifying and using your unique “genius energy” while also recognizing how overusing those strengths can become a stumbling block, and how cultivating awareness, curiosity, and context helps direct those strengths with wisdomPractical self-reflection questions to uncover your geniusA simple four-question “energy audit” for knowing when to dial your genius up or downWhere true wisdom really comes from, and what if rethinking how growth happensAdopting “Wise Effort” helps you understand your struggles in context, align your actions with your values, and transform both self-judgment and relationshipsBringing mindful intention to even mundane tasks to transform how you use your time, connect with yourself, and balance structure with flexibility in a meaningful lifeResources: Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most: https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9781649633361 Diana's Website: drdianahill.comConnect with Diana on Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdianahillhttps://www.facebook.com/drdianahill/https://www.youtube.com/drdianahillhttps://www.instagram.com/drdianahill/https://insighttimer.com/drdianahill FREE Energy Audit guide: https://drdianahill.com/energy Wise Effort: The Business Of Therapy Program: https://drdianahill.com/wise-effort-the-business-of-therapy Michael's Real Play Episode on The Wise Effort Podcast: https://wiseeffortshow.com/episode/living-life-on-your-own-terms-with-michael-herold-real-play About Diana HillDr. Diana Hill, PhD is a clinical psychologist, author, international trainer, and recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), compassion-based interventions, and psychological flexibility. With a background that bridges neuroscience, mindfulness, and behavioral science, she is known for making complex psychological concepts both practical and inspiring.A summa cum laude graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she majored in Biopsychology, Dr. Hill earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She later collaborated with Dr. Debra Safer at Stanford University, researching Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Appetite Awareness Training (AAT) for bulimia nervosa. She completed her clinical internship at the University of California, Davis, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at La Luna Intensive Outpatient Center, where she later served as Clinical Director and developed their ACT- and AAT-based treatment program.A leading voice in the evolution of ACT and Process-Based Therapy, Dr. Hill works closely with pioneers in the field. She co-leads ACT BootCamp Training for Therapists with ACT founder Dr. Steven Hayes and is actively involved in shaping the future of therapy—including applications of AI, advances in diagnostic systems, network modeling, and process-based approaches. She serves as a senior meditation teacher and curriculum developer for the University of California's Climate Resilience Initiative, integrating ACT and mindfulness into interdisciplinary environmental education.Dr. Hill has contributed to publications in the International Journal of Eating Disorders and co-authored a seminal article on Process-Based Therapy, advancing evidence-based clinical practice. She is a contributor to PsychFlex, a digital platform that helps clinicians incorporate ACT into their work and track client outcomes in real time through ecological measurements. She also speaks regularly at global conferences including the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) World Conference, Innovations in Psychotherapy, and the Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference.In addition to her clinical and academic work, Dr. Hill teaches at organizations and retreat centers such as InsightLA, Blue Spirit Costa Rica, PESI, and PraxisCET. She serves on the clinical advisory board of Lightfully Behavioral Health and is a board member of the Institute for Better Health.She is the author of Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most (Sounds True, 2025), The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, I Know I Should Exercise But…, and ACT Daily Journal. Her insights have been featured in NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today, Mindful, Prevention, Real Simple, Woman's Day, and other leading media outlets. She is also the host of the Wise Effort podcast.With more than 20 years of study and practice in yoga and meditation—including training in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh—Dr. Hill integrates contemplative practice into her approach to healing and growth. She lives in California, where she raises two sons, cares for bees, and embodies the Wise Effort principles she teaches—living a life guided by presence, purpose, and compassion.Related Episodes:48. Practical Wisdom with Barry Schwartz349. The Hunger Habit with Judson Brewer188. Unwinding Anxiety with Judson Brewer122. Taking in the Good with Rick Hanson138. Exploring Existence and Purpose: Existentialism with Robyn Walser320. Anger and Forgiveness with Robyn Walser346. Self-compassion Daily Journal with Diana Hill301. Seven Daily ACT Practices for Living Fully with Diana Hill and Debbie SorensenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
About Diana:Short Bio:Diana Hill, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, and a leading expert on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—a revolutionary approach to psychology that is changing our understanding of mental health. Drawing from the most current psychological research and contemplative wisdom, Diana bridges science with real-life practices to help people grow fulfilling and impactful lives. She is the author of four books including I Know I Should Exercise, But…, The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, ACT Daily Journal, and her latest Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most (September 2025). She's the host of the Wise Effort Podcast and her insights have been featured by NPR, Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today, Real Simple, and other national media.Long Bio: Dr. Diana Hill, PhD is a clinical psychologist, author, international trainer, and recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), compassion-based interventions, and psychological flexibility. With a background that bridges neuroscience, mindfulness, and behavior science, she is known for making complex psychological concepts both practical and inspiring.A summa cum laude graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she majored in Biopsychology, Dr.Hill earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, in collaboration with Dr. Debra Safer at Stanford University where she researched Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Appetite Awareness Training (AAT) for bulimia nervosa. She completed her clinical internship at the University of California, Davis, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at La Luna Intensive Outpatient Center, where she later served as Clinical Director and developed their ACT and AAT-based treatment program.A leading voice in the evolution of ACT and Process-Based Therapy, Dr. Hill works closely with pioneers in the field. She co-leads ACT BootCamp Training for Therapists with ACT founder Dr. Steven Hayes, and is actively involved in shaping the future of therapy—including the applications of AI, revolutionizing the diagnostic system, network modeling, and process-based approaches. She serves as a senior meditation teacher and curriculum developer for the University of California's Climate Resilience Initiative, helping integrate ACT and mindfulness into interdisciplinary environmental education.Dr. Hill has contributed to publications in the International Journal of Eating Disorders and co-authored a seminal article on Process-Based Therapy, advancing evidence-based clinical practice. She is a contributor to PsychFlex, a digital platform that helps clinicians incorporate ACT into their work and track client outcomes in real time with ecological measurements, and she regularly speaks at global conferences, including the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) World Conference, Innovations in Psychotherapy, and the Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference.In addition to her clinical and academic work, Dr. Hill teaches at organizations and retreat centers such as InsightLA, Blue Spirit Costa Rica, PESI, and PraxisCET. She is on the clinical advisory board of Lightfully Behavioral Health and a board member of the Institute for Better Health.She is the author of Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most (Sounds True, 2025), The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, I Know I Should Exercise But…, and ACT Daily Journal, and her insights have been featured in NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today, Mindful, Prevention, Real Simple, Woman's Day, and other leading media outlets. She is also the host of the Wise Effort podcast.With over 20 years of study and practice in yoga and meditation, including studying in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, Dr. Hill integrates contemplative practice into her approach to healing and growth. She lives in California where she raises two sons, cares for bees, and embodies the Wise Effort principles she teaches—living a life guided by presence, purpose, and compassion.Links:Connect with her at drdianahill.com or on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Insight Timer @drdianahill.
Feeling overworked, overwhelmed, and still unsatisfied? In this episode, psychologist and author Dr. Diana Hill is back to share how to transform anxious over-effort into meaningful action. Based on her new book Wise Effort, Diana breaks down how to align your drive with your values, use your body as a source of wisdom, and stop wasting energy on fear, guilt, and proving yourself. We talk about why achievement alone won't fulfill you, ways to work through feedback, burnout, and uncertainty. Tune in to learn how to find your genius energy and show up wisely, especially when life feels like it's falling apart. Check out our sponsors: Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Why did you write Wise Effort for high achievers running on empty? 02:00 How to use music as a nervous system regulator and create a “Losing My Sh*t” playlist. 07:45 What Wise Effort really means and how it helps you stop striving on autopilot. 10:15 Why the body holds deeper wisdom than your pros and cons list. 14:15 How to reframe your struggles and build psychological flexibility. 17:30 How to turn your worries into clarity around your values. 24:00 Four questions to challenge unhelpful stories. 33:12 How to prioritize your genius energy and align work with your core values. 41:30 Ways to use feedback as information. 45:45 Tips to cope with layoffs, uncertainty, and fear without toxic positivity. 52:15 Why showing up with dignity creates lasting impact. Resources + Links Grab your copy of Dr. Diana Hill's book Wise Effort HERE Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Dr. Diana Hill: on LinkedIn @drdianahill + Instagram @drdianahill
How to focus your "genius energy" on what matters most. Diana Hill, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, podcast host, and a leading expert on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—a revolutionary approach to psychology that is changing our understanding of mental health. She is the author of four books including I Know I Should Exercise, But…, The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, ACT Daily Journal, and her latest, Wise Effort. In this episode we talk about: The concept of "Wise Effort" ( aligning your energy and actions with your core values) The practice of diffusing your thoughts Three things that get in the way of "Wise Effort" The role of radical acceptance How to spot "energy depletors" A practice she calls "Yes, yes, thank you, thank you" And much more Join Dan's online community here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Tickets are now on sale for a special live taping of the 10% Happier Podcast with guest Pete Holmes! Join us on November 18th in NYC for this benefit show, with all proceeds supporting the New York Insight Meditation Center. Grab your tickets here! Tickets are now available for an intimate live event with Dan on November 23rd as part of the Troutbeck Luminary Series. Join the conversation, participate in a guided meditation, and ask your questions during the Q&A. Click here to buy your ticket! To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris Thanks to our sponsors: AT&T: Staying connected matters. That's why AT&T has connectivity you can depend on, or they will proactively make it right. Visit att.com/guarantee for details. Function: Our first 1000 listeners get a $100 credit toward their membership. Visit www.functionhealth.com/Happier or use the gift code Happier100 at signup to own your health.
The Love, Happiness and Success Podcast With Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
Have you ever said yes when every part of you was quietly screaming no? Or pushed through your day on fumes, wondering where your energy went? We've all been there - doing a million things that look productive but leave us totally drained. In this episode, I'm talking with psychologist and author Dr. Diana Hill about how to reclaim your energy and focus by using them wisely. Diana's new book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, is about learning to tell the difference between what fuels you and what quietly burns you out. We get into how to recognize “unwise effort” - those moments when you're forcing, overdoing, or holding on too tight - and how to reconnect with your genius energy, that natural flow that feels effortless and alive. She also shares simple ways to check in with yourself: a 24-hour “regret scan” to see where your energy went off-track, and four questions to help you decide what's actually worth your time, attention, and heart. It's all about being intentional, not perfect, and remembering that the most powerful thing you can do is choose where your energy goes. As you listen, notice where your energy feels pulled, and what choices leave you feeling lighter, freer, more yourself. What are you still holding on to that's quietly exhausting you? And what would it look like to let that go? Episode Breakdown: 00:00 What Is Wise Effort and Why Energy Matters 02:50 Three Patterns That Drain Your Energy 07:04 Finding Your Genius Energy 11:04 Regret as a Compass for Wise Energy 22:00 The Four-Question Filter for Wise Decisions 29:39 How Relationships Affect Your Energy 42:30 Reclaiming Energy and Focus Through Wise Effort If you've been feeling scattered or depleted, this may be your moment to pause and realign. Working with one of our expert therapists or coaches can help you understand where your energy and focus are going - and guide you toward choices that feel more grounded, intentional, and restorative. Schedule your free consultation to start creating the balance you've been craving. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self
Clinical psychologist and author Dr. Diana Hill joins Gabby to explore how to channel your energy with intention and align your strengths for greater clarity and purpose. While discussing her new book Wise Effort, she explains to Gabby and the audience that each of us has a “genius” that we haven't yet tapped into. Drawing on mindfulness and behavioral science, Diana shares how to move from striving to wise effort by knowing when to push, when to pause, and how to focus your time on what truly matters. Together they discuss self compassion, discipline and how to cultivate balance while pursuing meaningful goals. Dr. Diana Hill Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drdianahill/ Dr. Diana Hill Facebook https://www.facebook.com/drdianahill/ Dr. Diana Hill Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdianahill/ Dr. Diana Hill Website https://drdianahill.com/ Thank You to Our Sponsors Timeline - My friends at Timeline are offering 20% off, just for my listeners. Head to timeline.com/gabby to get started. Ritual - Get 25% off your first month at ritual.com/GABBY Get 10% off TUSHY with the code GABBY10 at https://hellotushy.com/GABBY10 For more on Gabby Instagram @GabbyReece: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/ TikTok @GabbyReeceOfficial https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial The Gabby Reece Show Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabbyReece The Gabby Reece Show podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative (https://www.rainbowcreative.co/) Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Today's Message 00:26 Guest Introduction: Diana Hill 00:48 Sponsor Message: Timeline Longevity Gummies 02:57 Diana Hill's New Book: Wise Effort 05:46 Diana's Personal Journey and Struggles 06:34 The Myth of Persephone and Personal Genius 08:05 Understanding and Managing Personal Traits 12:08 The Role of Supportive Relationships 14:08 Finding Balance and Self-Acceptance 34:47 Curiosity and Its Importance 37:44 Navigating Grief with Curiosity 39:06 The Rise of Openness in Psychology 40:42 The Tushy Bidet Experience 42:48 Understanding Wise Effort 50:51 Compassion vs. Empathy 58:32 Possibility vs. Probability 01:04:11 Final Thoughts and Reflections Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Clinical psychologist and ACT expert Diana Hill returns to help us do what feels nearly impossible in a loud, burned-out world—focus our energy where it actually matters. We talk psychological flexibility, why curiosity beats quick answers, and how “positive energizers” can lift a whole family system. Diana explains neuroception and interoception in everyday terms, then makes it practical: hum to downshift your nervous system, rub your palms and rest them over your eyes, take a short walk outside, and remember that sometimes you can't think your way out—you have to move your way out. Along the way, we explore why nature reliably restores attention and creativity, and how parents can help kids build real-life wisdom that no app can deliver. Drawing from her new book Wise Effort, Diana shares the simple moves that metabolize stress hormones and turn big feelings into forward motion (plus the story behind her own “get unstuck button.”) We dig into genius energy, the shadow side of our strengths, and how tiny, values-aligned experiments shift relationships, work, and family life. If you're overcommitted yet under-involved, this conversation is your trailhead back to presence, purpose, and playful resilience. Get your copy of I Know I Should Exercise But... here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I don't have time to exercise.” Sound familiar? In this episode, Katy Bowman talks with clinical psychologist and author Dr. Diana Hill about one of the most common barriers to movement—and why it's really an issue of energy management and prioritization, not time. Drawing from her books Wise Effort and I Know I Should Exercise, But... Dr. Hill shares how recognizing “choice points” throughout your day can help you move past procrastination and toward the exercise you truly want to do. Through practical psychology and real-life examples, Katy and Diana explore how to recognize your stalling loops, reduce transition friction, and align your daily movement habits with your values and genius energy. You'll learn compassionate, doable strategies for getting unstuck—whether it's setting your sport shoes out the night before, reframing movement as energy renewal, or aligning movement with your relationships. This episode offers fresh insight and motivation for anyone who wants to move more and make exercise feel possible again.Enhanced Show Notes and Full TranscriptEPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:07:40 – Wise Effort: Using your energy in alignment with your values08:10 – Genius Energy: Recognizing your unique strengths12:44 – Overcoming “I Don't Have Time to Exercise” with wise effort15:40 – Stalling Behavior: How to recognize and manage it20:03 – Productive Procrastination: Turning stalling energy into productive movement27:12 – Choice Point Tool: Decision moments to redirect energy toward exercise32:47 – Supporting Your Future Self: Setting up routines and contexts that help you stay active36:10 – Relationship Map: Aligning movement goals, energy, and relationships45:38 – Movement, Community, and Celebrations: Engaging others in activity49:58 – Energy Audit for Decision Making: Four questions to guide your choices57:02 – Listener Question: Floor sleeping and neck tensionBOOKS & RESEARCH MENTIONEDI Know I Should Exercise But... 44 Reasons We Don't Move and How to Get Over Them by Diana Hill & Katy Bowman Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most by Diana Hill CONNECT, MOVE & LEARNJoin Our Newsletter: Movement Colored GlassesTry Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! About Dr Diana Hill MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:Ikaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10Earth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the officePeluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENTThoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.comYour Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits
Learn how to move beyond trivial, distracting goals and tap into your hidden (and most fulfilling) motivations and latent "genius gifts," with clinical psychologist Diana Hill's research-backed "Wise Effort Method." Have you ever felt on a gut level that you've been distracting yourself with "surface-level" goals—rather than being passionately pulled toward what truly fulfills you? In this episode of Insights At The Edge, Tami Simon joins Diana Hill, PhD, a leading psychologist and the author of Wise Effort. With them, you'll learn and practice some of Diana's most effective, research-backed exercises for discovering your heart's deepest hidden motivations—and your overlooked "genius gifts" for empowering those desires. Don't miss this exceptionally practice-rich episode to explore: The difference between surface goals and deep motivation. "Deep Motivation" – Why willpower and discipline never win long-term, and how to let your true North Star values pull you passionately into your days. 3 questions for getting unstuck from unhealthy relationships, work situations, and addictive behaviors. How to identify your "genius qualities" (yes, you have plenty of them!) An incredibly effective one-minute exercise: "To reveal your deepest values, just follow your pain." "Choice Points" – Tuning in to the daily crucial moments where our values and actions accrue a life of either joy or regret. How to gain "psychological flexibility," the one science-backed strength crucial to positive emotional wellness, and more. Intrigued? Tune in now! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Listeners of Insights At The Edge get 10% off their first month at www.betterhelp.com/soundstrue. Note: This interview originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.
Learn how to move beyond trivial, distracting goals and tap into your hidden (and most fulfilling) motivations and latent “genius gifts,” with clinical psychologist Diana Hill's research-backed “Wise Effort Method.” Have you ever felt on a gut level that you've been distracting yourself with “surface-level” goals—rather than being passionately pulled toward what truly fulfills you? In this episode of Insights At The Edge, Tami Simon joins Diana Hill, PhD, a leading psychologist and the author of Wise Effort. With them, you'll learn and practice some of Diana's most effective, research-backed exercises for discovering your heart's deepest hidden motivations—and your overlooked “genius gifts” for empowering those desires. Don't miss this exceptionally practice-rich episode to explore: The difference between surface goals and deep motivation. “Deep Motivation” – Why willpower and discipline never win long-term, and how to let your true North Star values pull you passionately into your days. 3 questions for getting unstuck from unhealthy relationships, work situations, and addictive behaviors. How to identify your “genius qualities” (yes, you have plenty of them!) An incredibly effective one-minute exercise: “To reveal your deepest values, just follow your pain.” “Choice Points” – Tuning in to the daily crucial moments where our values and actions accrue a life of either joy or regret. How to gain “psychological flexibility,” the one science-backed strength crucial to positive emotional wellness, and more. Intrigued? Tune in now! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Listeners of Insights At The Edge get 10% off their first month at www.betterhelp.com/soundstrue. Note: This interview originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Your energy is one of your most precious resources; it allows you to pour into your relationships, accomplish your fitness goals, and so much more. But with our busy schedules and constant distractions, it can be easy for our energy to become misguided and misdirected. Today, you're going to learn how to focus in on what really matters, using principles from psychology. Our guest is Dr. Diana Hill, a psychologist and author of the new book, Wise Effort. In this interview, you're going to learn how to tap into your unique genius energy, and the three psychological mechanisms that can keep us trapped in negative patterns. These simple principles will help you recharge, refocus, and spend more time doing the things that energize you. So listen in and enjoy this interview with Dr. Diana Hill! In this episode you'll discover: The difference between burnout and unfulfillment. (8:01) Where the term wise effort comes from. (10:38) What genius energy is and how to identify yours. (19:18) The five key components that make you unique. (20:21) A question you can ask yourself to find your natural interests. (21:16) The importance of aligning your energy with your values. (21:52) Three things that can misdirect your energy. (22:50) How avoiding discomfort can create more problems. (28:20) Why highlighting someone's strengths is so powerful. (36:46) How your environment can affect the way you respond. (40:34) What the abbreviation HEART is. (41:30) What interoceptive awareness is, and how to improve it. (43:21) The definition of neuroception. (48:02) What post traumatic growth is. (50:35) How to use choice points to redirect your energy. (58:22) An exercise you can use to tap into your subconscious. (1:03:38) Items mentioned in this episode include: Paleovalley.com/model - Use code MODEL for 15% off! Wise Effort by Dr. Diana Hill - Get your copy today! Connect with Dr. Diana Hill Website / Podcast / Instagram / Facebook Be sure you are subscribed to this podcast to automatically receive your episodes: Apple Podcasts Spotify Soundcloud Pandora YouTube This episode of The Model Health Show is brought to you by Paleovalley. Use my code MODEL at Paleovalley.com/model to save 15% sitewide on nutrient dense snacks, superfood supplements, and more.
Ann Kelley and Diana Hill dive into the concept of wise effort and its impact on how we manage our energy in both personal and professional life. They explore the difference between life force energy and anxiety, the role of emotional sensitivity, and why community resilience matters. Diana shares insights on how to wisely channel your “genius energy,” break free from stuck patterns, and cultivate compassionate connections that support growth and balance. Listen to the full episode at TherapistUncensored.com/TU280