In this episode of Awakening Mindfulness at Work, we explore one of the most challenging—and common—topics in mindfulness at work: dealing with difficult people.

We begin by acknowledging the power of compassion and understanding, and why they are often a necessary first step. But we also examine their limits. What happens when compassion is not reciprocated? When empathy turns into exhaustion? When kindness starts to drain rather than heal?

This conversation looks at how to discern when to lean in and when to step back, how to practice equanimity without disengaging from values, and how to set boundaries that protect well-being—especially for highly empathic people. We also discuss the importance of community, “mindfulness friends,” and trusted perspectives when situations become emotionally charged.

A grounded, honest exploration of how to stay human, wise, and whole in difficult relationships—at work and beyond.

In this episode of Awakening Mindfulness at Work, we explore how to relate skillfully to difficult, recurring thoughts—especially those rooted in worry, self-doubt, comparison, and self-criticism.

We begin with mindfulness of thoughts: noticing, labeling, and letting thoughts pass without getting entangled. From there, we introduce two additional approaches for when thoughts feel “sticky” and hard to release. The first is dialoguing with the thought—questioning it with curiosity and kindness. The second is taking small, wise actions to test beliefs and gather real-world data, becoming “your own scientist.”

This conversation weaves together mindfulness, cognitive inquiry, habit formation, and neuroplasticity—offering a grounded, empowering framework for influencing our thoughts without trying to control or eliminate them.

In this episode of Awakening Mindfulness at Work, we explore the difference between pain and suffering—and how mindfulness can help us meet discomfort with more ease and less resistance.

We talk about physical pain, emotional pain, and the everyday discomfort that shows up when we slow down and pay attention. Through practical reflections, personal examples, and a simple but powerful formula—suffering = pain × resistance—we unpack how our relationship to pain often matters more than the pain itself.

This conversation is an invitation to pause, set your burdens down for a moment, and explore how curiosity, kindness, and presence can transform difficult experiences into gateways for awareness and care—at work and in life.