Best of Ourselves

After thinking about Mary Jo Leddy’s talk “Surprised by Goodness”, I wondered how much kindness I do overlook each day?  Where can I extend a bit more kindness? Resources Self Kindness – Neff Self-Kindness – Germer Random Acts of Kindness Cultivating Appreciation The post BOO528 – Encore – Finding More Kindness appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

It’s a subtle form of the inner critic, so subtle, you might miss it.  Comparison to others does not support you become your own, unique best self.  Being inspired is great, thinking you don’t measure up, not so much. Resources Disengaging the Inner Critic Identifying the Inner Critic The post BOO527 – Encore – Comparison appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

Silence can be a gift. The pause helps us step back from reactivity, gain perspective, and listen for something deeper than our internal chatter. But not all silence serves us. Sometimes silence protects comfort, allows harmful systems to continue unchecked, or keeps us from living our values fully. Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1967 speech  A Time to Break Silence , this episode...

Living from an appreciative stance can increase your life expectancy, resilience and creativity.  And it is hard to do.  This episode makes a case for increasing appreciation in our days and shares a few tips. Resources: Dr Rick Hanson on hardwiring our brain for happiness Brother David Steindl-Rast TED talk The post BOO523 – Encore – Cultivating Appreciation appeared first o...

We are stronger when we work together.  Reflections on finding community all around me. Resources Habits of the Heart  by Parker Palmer Full Parker Palmer Interview Trusting the Heart: Essential Connectedness The post BOO522 – Encore – Finding Community appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

Catching herself in a cycle of avoidance and self-judgment, Marcia explores the familiar urge to fix what feels off—and why that approach often backfires. Through a moment of honest reflection, she uncovers what was really underneath and discovers a quieter, more powerful starting point: acceptance. Not as a strategy, but as a doorway to real change. Resources Grounded Presence Living in Uncertain...

A simple, unexpected note interrupts a cycle of stress and worry, reminding us how easily we overlook everyday acts of kindness. This reflection explores how small, ordinary moments of care—across differences and in our own communities—quietly sustain us, if we remember to notice them. Resources Kindness Changes Everything The post BOO520 – The Bright Spots We Almost Miss appeared first on M...

When life changes and familiar roles fall away, it’s easy to feel unmoored. This reflection explores the quiet invitation in those moments—to pause, listen, and remember we are more than the roles we’ve played. Resources Connected or Separate?  – The Wave Story When I shared this radio show with my writing group, my friend Holly shared this poem facing the same question. Follow her on S...

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the forth mindtrap – control Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps Liv...

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the forth mindtrap – control Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps Liv...

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the forth mindtrap – control Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps Int...

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the third mindtrap – agreements Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps...

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the second mindtrap – rightness. The post BOO514 – Encore – The Mindtra...

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the first mindtrap – creating simple stories. Resources Unlocking Leaders...

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we cover the overview of the book released in 2019. Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps Interview with Jennifer G...

In Parker Palmer’s book, Healing the Heart of Democracy, he talks about 5 habits of the heart we need for a robust democracy.  Habit 4 is   A sense of personal voice and agency.  “Insight and energy give rise to new life as we speak out and act out our own version of truth, while checking and correcting it against the truths of others. But many of us lack confidence...

Parker Palmer believes that if taken together, the 5 habits are critical to sustaining a democracy.  The habits are described as deeply ingrained ways of seeing, being and responding to life that involve our minds, emotions, our self-images, our concepts of meaning and purpose in life.  This podcast explores Habit 3:  An ability to hold tension in life-giving ways. Resourc...

This podcast explores Habit 2 in the Parker Palmer’s  5 Habits of the Heart ; habits that are critical for a vibrant democracy.  This habit is entitled:  An Appreciation of the Value of Otherness. Resources: Healing the Heart of Democracy  by Parker J Palmer — link to the book, discussion guide and resources. Full interview with Parker Palmer in 2012 and 2013 Don&#8...

In Parker Palmer’s book, Healing the Heart of Democracy, he cites 5 habits of the heart that will help us move beyond fear.  Using excerpts from a 2013 interview, we examine the first habit — we are all connected. Resources: Parker’s full description of Habit One An Hour Interview with Parker Palmer For More Best of Ourselves Podcasts on Community and Relationships The post...

In this episode, I reflect on a familiar story about an elephant held in place not by a rope, but by a belief that trying no longer matters. Living in northern Minnesota, and hearing directly from friends and family witnessing events in the Twin Cities, I explore how that same limiting story shows up in moments when constitutional rights are being tested. Drawing on the First, Fourth, and Fourteen...

A casual question during a cell phone upgrade sparked an unexpected political exchange—and a deeper inquiry into how we meet one another across difference. This episode reflects on presence, sacred engagement, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s reminder that love and power must work together if we’re to create justice and avoid becoming what we oppose. Resources Healing the Divide The post BOO505 &#8211...

Thanks to Kathy Magnuson for sharing her Awe Journal practice and it’s impact on her life. Resources Finding Awe Awe: The new Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life The post BOO504 – Encore – Noticing Awe-full Moments appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

A Thanksgiving moment went wrong—a small dog, a sudden crisis, and my brain completely freezing. What followed wasn’t competence or quick thinking, but a powerful lesson in how stress disconnects us from our bodies. In this episode, I reflect on what that scare revealed about presence, uncertainty, and the quiet wisdom our bodies carry—especially during long, difficult seasons. A reminder that whe...

When we contemplate significant changes in our lives, our flight, fight, or freeze response may kick in. We tend to prioritize safety, and our autonomic nervous system can pose a significant barrier to transformation. Learning to move forward without waging an internal war is crucial. Resources Acceptance as a Step Towards Growth Curiosity as a Growth Tool Intentions: Allies for Growth The post BO...

What if strength isn’t something we build for ourselves alone? Inspired by the Grand Portage Band’s response to the closure of our local Coast Guard station, this reflection explores how Indigenous wisdom challenges our dominant story of competition, scarcity, and separateness—and invites us into a different way of living, grounded in connection, love, and shared belonging. Resources Imprisoned by...