Best of Ourselves

Many of us experience stress during the holidays.  In this special episode we explore what helps us be resilient when stress shows up. Resources: University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality and Healing on Stress Busy without Stress Podcast Work Your Mindfulness Podcast Accepting What Shows Up Podcast The post BOO500- Encore – Holiday Stress Resilience appeared first on Marcia Hyatt...

Being human isn’t tidy. In this episode, I share two moments—one small, one life-shaking—that pulled me right into the rawness of shame, fear, and uncertainty. What I’m learning is this: the struggle isn’t a failure. It’s the place where honesty and grace can actually reach us. Resources Living in Uncertainty The post BOO499 – The Trouble of Being Human appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

A frown, a misunderstanding, and a lesson I’m still practicing: most of the time, it’s not about us. Here’s what that moment taught me about assumptions, boundaries, and staying true to ourselves. Resources Don’t Take It Personally The post BOO498 – The Frown appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

Ever had a day where everything goes sideways at once? Mine included dog poo, burr-covered terriers, a broken garage door, and a nurse cheering for Tom’s phlegm. This episode explores what happens when we let go of how life “should” be and meet what’s real—with humor, honesty, and a bit of Anne Lamott–style grace. Photo: engin akyurt Resources Living in Uncertainty The Should Shower The post BOO49...

Gratitude is a choice despite what is happening around us.  It is correlated with resilience, happiness and health.  Gratitude is always an option. Resources More about the  Haudenosaunee Research on Gratitude The post BOO496 – Encore – Gratitude is a Choice appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

Burnout doesn’t always show up as exhaustion—it can appear as impatience, numbness, or a heart that quietly tightens to get through the day. In this episode, Marcia Hyatt reflects on recognizing her own signs of burnout while navigating her husband’s medical care and life’s constant demands. Through the image  “It’s hard to hold hands with a tight fist,”  she explores how stress can clos...

Building our capacity to observe ourselves, builds our capacity to grow and change.  It can be uncomfortable to wake up to our the ways we limit ourselves.  And if you do, the quality of your life changes. Resources Freeing Ourselves From Our Stories Podcast Tuning In Vs Changing the Channel Podcast Anthony DeMello The post BOO495 – Encore – Awareness Changes Your Life appear...

How much do we share — and with whom? In this week’s  Best of Ourselves  episode, I explore the fine line between privacy and authenticity… and what it means to let a little more light in through the cracks in our lives. Resources Help, Please: Lessons From An IKEA Box The Should Shower The post BOO494 – How Much To Share? appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

Life doesn’t come in neat categories of good or bad. In this reflection, I explore how staying open to the mystery can transform how we meet whatever arrives. Resources Living in Uncertainty The post BOO493 – Bad Luck – Maybe Not appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

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 Power and Love show on building community The post BOO492 – Encore – Finding Community appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

Some Assembly Required. Turns out that’s not just a warning on an IKEA box—it’s a reminder about life. In this week’s show, I confess to my habit of saying “We’re fine” when we’re really… not. From sleepless nights to bolts and Allen wrenches, I discovered that asking for help isn’t weakness—it’s actually a gift to both giver and receiver. Because maybe the real self-care isn’t doing it all oursel...

I used to think “living one day at a time” meant glowing serenity. But lately it looks more like noticing my cranky, overtired self and walking her home before she has a meltdown. This show explores the messy, human side of being present in the moment. Resources Living With Uncertainty Resilience or What The post BOO490 – One Day At A Time, Sort Of appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

Creating art has been shown to support healing. It has been shown to reduce loneliness, anxiety and mood disorders.  Art and beauty have also been correlated with reduced need for pain medication an reduced recovery times.  We all have access to this powerful and fun way to grow and heal. Resources What Have I Mythed? Stories for Reflection Art and Healing Foundation The Art of Healing T...

In this episode, I share how unexpected gestures of kindness have touched me more deeply than I ever imagined. From potatoes harvested to simple words of encouragement, these acts have softened old walls around my heart. Together we’ll explore how the heart opens—not by force, but by tending the conditions of worthiness, courage, and compassion. Resources Kindness in Action How to Open the Heart b...

Life with uncertainty can feel like riding a seesaw with a 1000-pound gorilla—hope one moment, despair the next. In this episode, I share how “widening the lens” through simple practices like breathing, noticing beauty, or reaching for connection helps us find a space of grace. Resources Living in Uncertainty Should Shower Resilience or What? The post BOO487 – Widening the Lens appeared firs...

Resilience isn’t about being tough — it’s about living the “both/and.” When life brings hard news, can we let sorrow and joy share the same moment? In this episode, I reflect on how we adapt, what keeps us present, and why resilience might mean, as Joseph Campbell said, “joyfully participating in the sorrows of the world.” Resources Living in Uncertainty The Should Shower The post BOO486 – R...

The Should Shower  💦 Ever find yourself standing under a downpour of “shoulds”? I should be doing more. I should be feeling more. I should be… well, different than I am. In this week’s episode, I share what it’s been like navigating my husband’s health crisis while my inner critic offers constant commentary — and how I’m learning to step out of the should shower long enough to find what’s ac...

Life has a way of reminding us that uncertainty is the only thing we can count on. This week’s show is raw and real — no tidy answers, no “5 easy steps” — just what it’s like to live through sudden change and not know what’s next. As Pema Chödrön writes: “We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together...

Conversations about race and other uncomfortable subjects require us to do our own work, to build capacity in ourselves to listen to learn. Resources The Mindtrap of Rightness Podcast Resmaa Menakem Interview The post BOO483 – Encore – Building the Capacity for Uncomfortable Conversations appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

It was a retreat I will never forget. It was a precious time of connection and growth.  It reminded me of a core truth, we are all “Walking around shining like the sun.” Resources Grounded Presence Healing the Inner Divide The post BOO482 – Encore – Shining Like the Sun appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

I recently came across a photo of myself as a Brownie—standing straight in my uniform, with this tight little smile on my face. I wasn’t carefree or joyful. I was trying hard to get it right. Even back then, I had already learned how to shape myself to be acceptable—to be “good.” Good as in quiet, helpful, not too much. I became a chameleon, tuning into what others needed and editing myself to fit...

It is important to find a way to take a stand for love and at the same time face our own shadows.   Resources Understanding Our Shadow Implicit Association Test – About Implicit Association Test – Take the Test The post BOO480 – Encore – Facing Hatred appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

“What I think you should do is…”  These words are often intended to be helpful but may miss the mark. Resources Moving from Judging to Encouraging Listening Between the Words The post BOO479 – Encore – Advice on Advice appeared first on Marcia Hyatt .

Silence can be a refuge—or a hiding place. In this episode, we explore the ways silence shapes our inner and outer lives: when it helps us respond with clarity, and when it becomes a way to withhold our truth. What happens when we stay silent to stay safe? And what’s the cost of leaving our voice unheard? With reflections and a powerful quote from Audre Lorde’s daughter, this show invites us to li...

In this episode, the show takes a hard look at the power of words—how they shape our relationships, our communities, and the world we co-create. We challenge the old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” because we know that words do hurt—and they can also heal. From middle school memories to the courage of John Lewis, we explore how easy it is to mirror hate...