bestofourselves podcast

Life doesn't always unfold as we'd like, and sometimes the stress of it all leaves us impatient, irritable, or less gracious than we'd like. What if, instead of judging ourselves, we focused on building our capacity to meet life as it is? Drawing on Carol Dweck's work on growth mindset, I explore how we can expand our ability to navigate life's challenges with greater awareness, flexibility, and c...

How much of our personal stories should we share, and why? When a friend called me courageous for writing openly about my husband's illness, it prompted some unexpected questions. When does sharing create connection, and when does it become self-indulgent? Reflecting on a memorable conversation years ago, I explore the courage of vulnerability and the importance of discernment. Perhaps the greates...

A community is built one act of kindness at a time. From neighbors stopping to help with a stranded car to showing up with paintbrushes, these everyday moments weave a web of connection and care. But I've been learning that strengthening this web isn't just about giving. It's also about being willing to receive. What if accepting kindness is itself a gift? Resources Choosing Love in a World Built...

What if we didn't have to wait for life to get easier before we could fully live it? Drawing on the Buddhist story of the tiger and the strawberry, Marcia reflects on finding moments of sweetness in the midst of fear, uncertainty, and grief. The tiger may still be there—but so are a warm blanket, a deep breath, the love of friends, and the sweetness of this moment. Resources Breathe Living in Unce...

Why is it so easy to stop doing the very things we know help us feel grounded and well? Instead of beating ourselves up or trying to force our way back with willpower, perhaps there's another way: notice what's happening, get curious, and try one small thing. This is nothing to fix, just awareness and choices.

When words fail us, what remains? Marcia shares a deeply personal reflection on caregiving, uncertainty, and the moments when experience reaches beyond language. Inspired by John O'Donohue's blessing Beannacht , this episode offers quiet companionship for anyone navigating life's darker waters. Resources Beannacht from To Bless the Space Between Us Living in Uncertainty

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 explores th...

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.

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.

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

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

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...

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...

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

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

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  

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 close us off and...

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

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

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

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?

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