The Wise Effort Show

Have you ever felt flat, even when life is good? The sky is blue, you got what you wanted, and you still can’t seem to feel it. That’s ennui, a listless, lost-interest kind of flatness we all move through. In this Sangha talk, I share why we go flat and what to do when you can’t find joy: stop faking it, find a yes in a sea of nos, listen for the sounds of joy that are already here, wake up your n...

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...

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 wh...

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 throu...

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...

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...

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 episod...

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...

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...

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 emoti...

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 c...

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, encouragin...

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” op...

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...

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, hed...

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...

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...

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 y...

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...

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 wel...

Gabby Reece is a force—in sport, in leadership, and in how we love and parent. In this episode of The Wise Effort Show , she shares the formulas she’s dialed in over the years, the non-negotiable that keep her steady, and the radical flexibility that lets her ask, “Is it true?” and adjust with grace. Listen and learn: Formulas to keep a long-term relationship alive (including “shining eyes”) What...

Are you struggling to find inspiration and express your creative self? In this special episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill shares a vulnerable and insightful conversation from the bonus episode of the Emerging Form podcast. Delving into the nuances of creativity and recovery, Diana discusses her journey with poetry, metaphor, and wise effort. She reveals how personal imperfection and v...

Are your thoughts holding you back from doing wise effort? In this episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill shares how our thoughts can both facilitate and hinder our efforts. Drawing from ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), contemplative science, and her insights from going on a surf trip with her 16-year-old son and three of his buddies, Dr. Hill provides practical strategies for wor...

Do you find yourself trapped in the cycle of chasing things that ultimately make you unhappy? Dr. Diana Hill, a clinical psychologist, explores how non-attachment can help you redirect your energy towards more fulfilling pursuits rather than harmful ones. Through personal anecdotes and insights from Buddhism and clinical psychology, Dr. Hill discusses the nature of experiential attachment and offe...

How can we cultivate more openness in our lives? In this episode, Dr. Diana Hill explores this question with cognitive psychologist Dr. Jonathan Schooler on The Wise Effort Show. They delve into the essential role of openness, mind wandering, and curiosity in enhancing creativity, well-being, and empathy. Dr. Schooler shares his insights on the distinctions between openness and mindfulness, the sc...