Sam and I discuss his youth, his early drug experiences, structured meditation practice, resilience, social media, apologizing, fame, and more.

It was a very hot day, and the secluded Sicilian beach with shaded grottos and crystal-clear water would have been a lovely place to be stranded.  I decided to get stranded somewhere else: on a busy road with no shade, no tire pressure, no spare, no tools, and no Italian.

Jayasāra and I discuss her journey into mindfulness and monastic life, her spiritual influences, her academic pursuits, the day-to-day life of a nun, booze, love, lust, and lots more.

We’re not always our best selves, but maybe by letting go of past mistakes we reduce future ones. Has Waking Up helped you outgrow unhelpful behaviors or habits? Has your mindfulness journey brought out a better version of yourself?

Knowledge is power, but there’s lots of knowledge I don’t have: solutions to global conflicts, effects of emerging technologies, outcomes of elections, the weather next week.  Mindfulness is also power, and there’s lots I can be mindful of: aboriginal rock carvings, scurrying lizards, sparkling surf, the weather right now.

True: I can improve my life and make progress. Also true: My circumstance in this very instant simply is as it is. Also-also true: With acceptance and presence, my circumstance in this very instant can be the basis for profound freedom.

Joan and I discuss her early “spiritual bent,” her political activism, addiction, compulsion, mindfulness, free will, and the interplay between ambition and acceptance.

Join me and my niece for milk, berries, and infinitely many rainbows.

If you ever need a reason to keep on going, just remember that dancing exists—and it didn't have to.

Mark and I discuss his Waking Up courses, his youth, punk rock, the importance of self-compassion, digital technology and attention, the ethics of killing mosquitoes, and much more—yes, including nature.

I ran through the neighborhood in which I grew up. I figuratively dove into a wave of nostalgia. It felt like I actually jumped through a portal into my childhood. I know that only the present moment exists, but this trip down memory lane felt pretty real—and was totally welcome.

Maybe your mood is good. It’s a great time to be mindful. Maybe your mood is not good. It’s a great time to be mindful. More likely, your mood is in flux, quietly shifting without you noticing. It’s a great time to be mindful.

I’ve got lots to learn, so concise, no-nonsense, efficiently-transmitted lessons are useful. Know what else is useful? Laughing your butt off.

Robert Waldinger helped me realize that my brain tends to look for what's negative—but that I don’t have to. I'm alive, which means that even my daily grievances are opportunities for awe and gratitude.

Drew wrote in about fresh baked goods, his sweet-toothed daughter, and maybe “the most valuable lesson” he’s ever learned. The story is so delicious that it gets its own episode.

I had some pesto. Thousands helped make it. Thousands helped package it. Thousands more helped deliver it to my plate. Same goes for the rice and beans that I put the pesto on. And that was just lunch! Thanks to the gazillions who keep me fed, and thanks to Jan Chozen Bays for making me thankful.

The Waking Up search function has become a much more powerful tool—but maybe not quite as powerful as metta meditations, which are evergreen, dynamic, and full of possibility.

After 211 episodes of Work in Progress, I feel like I’ve made some...progress. For instance, I have a greater understanding of the illusion of the self, a softer ego, and much more gratitude.