The Power of Appreciation – and How to Get More of It from Others
We all want to feel seen, respected, and appreciated—but so often, we’re overlooked. Feeling unappreciated can be quietly painful—and surprisingly common. Our efforts go unnoticed, our sincerity unacknowledged, and over time it can really wear us down and even cause resentment toward those we care about.So this week I explored the deep human need for appreciation—not as ego-stroking, but as a vital nutrient in relationships, work, and personal growth. Appreciation is more than just “being nice”—it’s a powerful practice that supports lasting inner strength. There's also a lot of science, psychology, and Buddhist teachings behind generosity and appreciation: how they help us grow, feel connected, and internalize positive experiences.So get comfy and listen in to find out how to offer these gifts skillfully and what to do when your efforts aren't recognized or returned.You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.
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The Seductions of Healthy Desires: Getting What You Want Without Burning Out
This week I'd like to focus on something both personal and practical: What is a core practice that you return to when things go sideways? When you're overwhelmed, irritated, frustrated, or just worn out? What’s the thing that centers you and brings you back to who you really are?In this episode, I explore how even our healthiest desires—those driven by love, purpose, or care—can quietly pull us away from that inner home base. We often get caught up in doing good, striving for goals, or helping others… and still find ourselves exhausted, contracted, or discontent. Why? Because even wholesome desires can seduce us into over-efforting and losing touch with the deeper peace that’s always available.Here are the timecodes for some of the highlights:00:00 - How to recognize your own core practice in daily life10:35 - The difference between healthy desire (chanda) and craving (tanha)17:15 - How “doing the right thing” can still lead to stress and burnout27:13 - What it means to relinquish effort for the sake of a greater happiness34:51 - How to return again and again to contentment, presence, and easeThis is a reflection on how to stay connected to what really matters—without getting caught in the endless push to do more. The goal isn’t to suppress your good intentions, but to hold them with wisdom, and rest more often in that quiet place of being already full.This is also an invitation to come back home to yourself—to the deeper kind of happiness that’s available not when everything goes your way, but when you let go in wise and loving ways.You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.
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How to Calm the Biological Machinery of Stress and Suffering
Let’s be honest—these days, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, reactive, and worn down. Whether it’s the relentless news cycle, a difficult interaction, or just your own mind revving up again, it can feel like calm and happiness are out of reach.So in this episode, I unpacked some of the biological machinery underneath our stress and reactivity—and offered practical ways to work with it. I talked about how your nervous system gets rattled (it’s not your fault!), and how small shifts in awareness, social connection, and even the way you look at the world can help you settle down, open up, and feel more content and effective in daily life.You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.
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Key Steps in Your Personal Growth Journey
What does it feel like to simply be yourself—without all the striving, fixing, and fabricating? In this episode, I explore six key turning points in my own journey of practice, from realizing I could shape my mind, to discovering concentration, to resting more deeply in love and a growing sense of oneness. Along the way, I reflect on the challenges of modern life—overthinking, anxiety, emotional overwhelm—and how contemplative practice helps us come to rest in something deeper, steadier, and more peaceful. I talk about what it means to truly clock out, how to face what you cannot control, and why letting the sediment settle in the pond of the mind reveals the inner treasures already inside you. I also offer thoughts on anxiety, craving, self-compassion, and how to honor your own path of awakening—wherever you are on it. Whether you’re new to practice or have been on the path for years, I hope this reflection helps you rest more fully in your own being.You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.
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The Quiet Strength You Already Have Inside
When life feels heavy—when people let you down, when things don’t go your way, when the world just keeps coming at you—it’s easy to feel like you’re not strong enough, not doing enough, or like you have to hold everything together all the time.So this week, I invite you to pause and look a little deeper. Because underneath all the noise, all the stress, all the striving... there's a quiet strength already inside you. The part of you that keeps showing up. That wants to know what’s true. That wants to help. That wants to grow—even when it's hard.When we recognize that strength, we can live more from it and stop trying to fix everything. Instead, we can give ourself a break—without giving up. We can listen for the wiser voice inside that knows the next right step, even when it’s small.This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about trusting the good in you—and letting that carry you, one moment at a time.You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.And you'd like to check out any of my online programs, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.
Led by psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Rick Hanson, these talks provide a down-to-earth way to develop greater resilience, compassion, and happiness. More at rickhanson.com
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