Let’s be honest—these days, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, reactive, and worn down. Whether it’s the relentless news cycle, a difficult interaction, or just your own mind revving up again, it can feel like calm and happiness are out of reach.

So in this episode, I unpacked some of the biological machinery underneath our stress and reactivity—and offered practical ways to work with it. I talked about how your nervous system gets rattled (it’s not your fault!), and how small shifts in awareness, social connection, and even the way you look at the world can help you settle down, open up, and feel more content and effective in daily life.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

What does it feel like to simply be yourself—without all the striving, fixing, and fabricating?

In this episode, I explore six key turning points in my own journey of practice, from realizing I could shape my mind, to discovering concentration, to resting more deeply in love and a growing sense of oneness.

Along the way, I reflect on the challenges of modern life—overthinking, anxiety, emotional overwhelm—and how contemplative practice helps us come to rest in something deeper, steadier, and more peaceful.

I talk about what it means to truly clock out, how to face what you cannot control, and why letting the sediment settle in the pond of the mind reveals the inner treasures already inside you. I also offer thoughts on anxiety, craving, self-compassion, and how to honor your own path of awakening—wherever you are on it.

Whether you’re new to practice or have been on the path for years, I hope this reflection helps you rest more fully in your own being.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.

When life feels heavy—when people let you down, when things don’t go your way, when the world just keeps coming at you—it’s easy to feel like you’re not strong enough, not doing enough, or like you have to hold everything together all the time.

So this week, I invite you to pause and look a little deeper. Because underneath all the noise, all the stress, all the striving... there's a quiet strength already inside you. The part of you that keeps showing up. That wants to know what’s true. That wants to help. That wants to grow—even when it's hard.

When we recognize that strength, we can live more from it and stop trying to fix everything. Instead, we can give ourself a break—without giving up. We can listen for the wiser voice inside that knows the next right step, even when it’s small.

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about trusting the good in you—and letting that carry you, one moment at a time.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.