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The Wise Effort Show

Dr. Diana Hill

The Wise Effort Show with Dr. Diana Hill is a show about how to live wisely.

You’ll learn how to put your energy into places that matter most to you while making a difference in the world.

This show is for you if:
...you’re a high achiever feeling burned out from tasks that don’t matter.
...you want to invest your energy in fulfilling and sustainable ways.
...you seek holistic living without the pressure of a rigid wellness checklist.
...you care about your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
...you appreciate science but are open to exploring spirituality and contemplative practices.
...you have an open, beginner’s mind.
...you believe there’s a better way to live and are ready to apply your wisdom.

We don’t have to burn ourselves out or engage in things that are not worth it. We can put our energy where it matters most and savor the good along the way.

Join us at the Wise Effort Show!

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  • 24 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 40 min
  • English

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  • S9 · E213
    Yesterday · 1 hr

    Joy Is a Risk Worth Taking with Kelly McGonigal

    What if joy isn't something you wait for until life gets easier, but the very thing that helps you get through it? Stanford psychologist Kelly McGonigal joins me to talk about her new book, Joy Is a Risk Worth Taking, and how small moments of joy remind us that life is worth living, that we belong, and that good things are still possible. We talk about how joy and grief live side by side, why joy is contagious (you can actually smell it), and simple experiments you can try today, even when you're not feeling it. Listen and Learn Small moments of joy signal that life is worth living Sharing your joy builds trust, connection and belonging Keep doing what you love, even when joy feels muted Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E212
    October 21 · 14 min

    Scattered: Five Ways to Find Your Way Back

    Have you ever felt scattered: your attention in one place, your feelings in another, your motivation somewhere out of reach? I came home from leading a retreat at Esalen feeling just like the grass I saw scattering its seeds across the hillside on the drive up. In this episode, I share five ways to find your way back when you feel scattered, from expanding your space to connecting the dots, and why the goal isn't to get rid of the scatter, but to be with it in a different way. Listen and Learn Why expanding your space, like looking at the hillside rather than the seeds, can ease the feeling of being scattered How asking "What are you loving about yourself right now?" shifts you out of self-criticism What attention residue is, and what a two-week mobile-internet study shows about sustained attention The difference between incubating and procrastinating, and why stepping away can help ideas connect A paper-folding practice for connecting the dots when you feel scattered Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

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  • S9 · E211
    September 30 · 36 min

    Relief

    Dr. Diana Hill invites listeners to focus their energy wisely by prioritizing experiences and community, announcing a live/streaming sangha at Art and Soul Gallery in Santa Barbara on the first Monday of each month at noon, plus other Mondays online for free. She introduces the community’s “word of the week,” Relief, and explores relief as something available in the present rather than only through eliminating stressors, finishing work, or buying solutions. Using a bio-psychosocial-contextual lens, she describes ways to create conditions for relief through breath (including butterfly breath), voice, movement, acceptance of “clean” versus “dirty” pain, perspective-taking, truth-telling and confiding, generosity, supportive relationships, and restorative nature. The episode includes a guided meditation with breath-following and offers relief practices shared within a global sangha. Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live October 1 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Community to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

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  • S9 · E210
    September 16 · 16 min

    Endings: How to End Things That Are Difficult to End

    What do you do when you know something needs to end, but you can't quite let go? This episode gives you the psychological science behind why endings are so hard, plus a six-step practice for moving through them with more ease. Drawing on the concept of the "action crisis" — that push-pull of doubt, confusion, and rumination we feel when we're clinging to something past its time — Diana walks through what she learned by ending something in her life, and the concrete steps that helped her let go and begin again. Listen and Learn: Why endings feel so hard — and the four signs you're stuck in an "action crisis" A six-step practice for letting go: from "so be it, and so it is" to honoring what continues, to giving yourself permission to begin anew Why getting the "kitten" doesn't mean replacing the "cat" — and why that's okay How a simple ritual can turn a hard ending into an honored one Listen to the full episode now — and if you're moving through an ending of your own, share it with someone who needs the reminder that beginnings always follow. Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

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  • S9 · E209
    September 7 · 57 min

    It's Your Turn To Live a Larger Life with NPR's Alison Aubrey

    Have you hit a wall in midlife and started wondering if it's too late to build something bigger? This episode gives you concrete, science-backed practices for answering that question and reclaiming the life you actually want. Diana talks with NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey, author of Your Turn: How to Create a Midlife You Love, about what it took for her to move from decades of striving and burnout toward something freer and more her own — from parts work that names the "striver" running the show, to turning a big dream into a realistic plan, to the strength training that keeps you capable and free as you age. Listen and learn: How IFS (parts work) can help you find the striver part driving your burnout — and make room for who you were before the world had expectations of you The WOOP method for turning a big wish into a workable plan by naming the real obstacles in your way Why dream incubation is backed by real science, not superstition — and how to try it tonight The "nine lives" exercise: a two-minute writing prompt that reveals what you actually want, underneath what you think you should want Listen to the full conversation now — and if it speaks to you, share it with someone standing at the edge of their own larger life. Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E208
    August 24 · 18 min

    The Space You Need

    After a client checked in on her wellbeing following a newsletter that said she felt overwhelmed, Diana reflects on how modern life collapses the space we need to know what fuels us versus drains us. She shares creating space through an “energy audit,” moving commitments, stepping back from Instagram, and hiring help, alongside preparing for an emotionally significant talk at her son’s prestigious prep school where her eating disorder and perfectionism began. In her Sangha/Dharma talk, she reframes “space between stimulus and response” into space within, between, and around us, emphasizing psychological distancing—relating to thoughts and feelings rather than being inside them. Drawing from time in the ER with a close friend recovering from extensive cancer surgery, she explores interbehavioral fields, brain “syncing” research, and the idea that what holds everything is consciousness. Listen and learn: How space is not between stimulus and response but within, between, and around us. Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E207
    August 3 · 29 min

    Sometimes These Things Happen & Other Lessons From Plum Village

    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 Cry Lesson Two Sometimes Happens Lesson Three Missing Instrument Lesson Four Disease Purifies Lesson Five Movement Has Life If this episode helps, share it with someone whose energy is misaligned and drained. Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E206
    July 17 · 23 min

    The Dark Side of Control

    Do you get grippy, anxious, or self-critical when life doesn’t go the way you planned? In this Secret Sangha episode, I explore the paradox and dark side of control—sparked by what happened at a private dinner after my Tell the Truth Salon event with Dan Siegel. Drawing on Dan’s ABC motivational systems (agency, belonging, certainty), we unpack how control spirals show up as rumination, self-blame, people-pleasing, or criticism. I also share how one question at dinner revealed that many pivotal moments in our lives come when control is ripped away. Listen and learn: The ABC systems behind your control habits: agency, belonging, and certainty Common “dark side” control strategies (inner focus, outer focus, and push-pull) What’s not up to you (others’ actions, happiness, thoughts/feelings, outcomes) and what is (your actions and response) The Wise Effort method: get curious, sort what you can/can’t control, and focus your energy If this episode helps, share it with someone who’s stuck in a control loop. Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E205
    July 6 · 57 min

    How to Be a Decent Human When Someone Is Not Decent to You With Dr. Joseph Ciarrochi

    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 Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E204
    June 22 · 45 min

    The Atlas of Emotions With Eve Ekman

    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 Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

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  • S9 · E203
    June 15 · 20 min

    Dare to Live What Is True

    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 brain Avenues to finding your truths How awareness is different from thoughts and feelings. Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E202
    June 1 · 52 min

    Inside Information About Your Brain with Dr. Jud Brewer

    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 Brewer Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

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  • S9 · E198
    April 20 · 1 hr 11 min

    Hope, Joy, and Are We Going To Be OK? Live in Costa Rica With Doug Abrams

    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 Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E191
    March 16 · 46 min

    How A Little By Little Becomes A Lot with Eric Zimmer

    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 time How to decide what is worth wanting and work with values conflicts How the middle way and self-compassion help you move through setbacks Share this episode with someone who needs a steadier, more sustainable approach to change. Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

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  • S9 · E186
    February 23 · 50 min

    The Science of Happiness and Finding Joy with Laurie Santos

    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 Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

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  • S9 · E185
    February 14 · 49 min

    The Science of Wise and Fierce Relationships with Diana Hill and Gabby Reece

    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 conflict The key relationship ingredients identified across 43 studies: commitment, appreciation, responsiveness, and sexual satisfaction What the research suggests about sex frequency and why “getting it on” vs. “getting it over with” changes satisfaction Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E180
    January 26 · 56 min

    The Science of Transformation and Imagination With Cassandra Vieten

    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 Transformation The Power of Imagination in Transformation Imagination and Worldview Transformation Imagination in Practice and Therapy Imagining a Better Future Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E178
    Dec 29, 2025 · 44 min

    Power of the Pause with Jillian Pransky

    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 life The importance of grounding and breath in calming the nervous system How to create space for your emotions and respond more wisely Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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  • S9 · E177
    Dec 3, 2025 · 53 min

    Compassion, ACT, and Wise Livelihood With Dr. Dennis Tirch

    How can you live a compassion-focused life while navigating high-performance environments? In this episode of the Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill hosts Dr. Dennis Tirch, founder of the Center for Compassion Focused Therapy. They discuss integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) for actionable wisdom and flourishing. Dr. Tirch shares insights from his experience working with high-level clients in finance and leadership roles, accentuating the importance of compassion and mindfulness. Listen and learn: Compassion in Leadership Embodied Wisdom and Compassion The Power of Concentration Practices Effortless Action and Flow Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

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  • S9 · E176
    Nov 17, 2025 · 17 min

    Giving Good Things Freely: The Science of Generosity

    This episode will help you find inner peace through the practice of generosity. Dr. Diana Hill explores the concept of generosity, from personal stories to Buddhist teachings to modern science, revealing how giving freely can transform your mental and physical health. Diana highlights methods to cultivate generosity, empathy, gratitude, and awe, which can enhance your relationships and overall well-being. Tune in to learn practical tips on how to integrate these practices into your daily life and experience the flow of giving and receiving. Listen and learn: The three levels of generosity in Buddhism and their health benefits Scientific insights on how generosity influences attractiveness and social dynamics Personal experiences on the power of giving Practical tips to cultivate gratitude, empathy, and awe in daily life Suggested Next Episode: Episode 98: Savoring The Good: A Short Meditation With Dr. Diana Hill Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episode >>>Join Diana live November 2 for a free Sangha talk and meditation<<< Join the Wise Effort Sangha to access the live Sangha event and previous recordings. Get your ticket (in-person and streaming) to Diana’s Tell the Truth Salon Series, a live gathering in Santa Barbara, California. Sign up for Diana's newsletter Order Diana's book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts. Diana's Events Join our weekly live Sangha Come to Costa Rica in April 2027 with Diana See Diana at an upcoming event Connecting With Diana Subscribe 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 Psychology Today, Insight Timer, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website. Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter. Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music. Mentioned in this episode: Come to Costa Rica with Diana in April 2027 Diana's Retreat in Costa Rica

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