Instead of a cross-country road trip, this summer we took our kids to Plum Village, a Buddhist monastery in southwest France founded by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Master. Faced with pandemic stress, we were on screens too much, taxed by relentless to-dos, and felt increasingly dissatisfied. Teetering on parental burn-out, we were craving peace, time away from devices, and strategies to handle increasingly uncertain times. It’s a stretch to sign up 9-year-old and 12-year-old boys for a week of mindful walking, silent meals, and sitting meditation. We were willing to take the leap if it could reconnect us and help us find our grounding as a family again. In this episode, I share with you 6 lessons and related practices helping us to restore our homeostasis and how you can try them at home.

About Dr. Diana Hill

Diana Hill, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, speaker, and co-author of ACT Daily Journal: Get unstuck and live fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. A specialist in Acceptance and Commitment Training, Diana guides high achievers, leaders, and organizations to develop psychological flexibility so that they can take wise action toward more fulfilling and meaningful lives. Diana hosts the podcast Your Life in Process, blogs for Psychology Today, teaches on Insight Timer, is on the clinical advisory board of Lightfully Behavioral Health, and is a guest teacher at InsightLA, Blue Spirit Costa Rica, PESI, and PraxisCET. Go to drdianahill.com or her channels on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@drdianahill) to learn more.

 Key Takeaways

• Lesson 1: I Have Arrived I am Home
• Lesson 2: Happiness Is Here and Now
• Lesson 3: There’s No Need To Hurry
• Lesson 4: Are You Sure?
• Lesson 5: Let Your Work Be A Gift Of Service
• Lesson 6. Your Future Is Today

Related Resources

• Download Your Daily Practice for this episode
• Find out what kind of Striver you are and get your free Skillful Striving Toolkit
• Mission Joy Movie by Doug Abrams about the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu
• About Plum Village
• The 5 Contemplations of Eating
• YLIP episode on Eating with Jud Brewer

Diana’s Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana’s Reset and Restore Retreat in Costa Rica in 2023!
• Sign up for Diana’s From Striving to Thriving Summit!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

Connecting With Diana

Thank you for listening to Your Life in Process! Subscribe to the podcast for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts. If you have any questions or feedback you can contact Diana by email podcast at yourlifeinprocess dot com or leave Diana an audio message at (805) 457-2776. Follow Diana at YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thank you to the team Craig, Angela Stubbs, and Ashley Hiatt. Thank you to Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Remember when you become psychologically flexible, you become free.

Episode Segments

• [00:00:00] Welcome to Season 3 of Your Life In Process
• [00:02:01] About Plum Village
• [00:04:35] Lesson 1: I Have Arrived I am Home
• [00:08:52] Learning To Stop
• [00:14:02] Lesson 2: Happiness Is Here and Now
• [00:18:30] How To Cultivate More Joy
• [00:19:48] Diana’s Event: Costa Rica Retreat
• [00:21:13] Lesson 3: There’s No Need To Hurry
• [00:22:22] The Problem With Hurrying
• [00:24:02] Walking Meditation
• [00:26:31] The Five Contemplations Of Eating
• [00:29:58] Noble Silence
• [00:31:13] How Not To Hurry
• [00:32:09] Lesson 4: Are You Sure?
• [00:35:29] Lesson 5: Let Your Work Be A Gift Of Service
• [00:37:49] The Four Nutriments
• [00:42:46] Lesson 6. Your Future Is Today
• [00:52:27] Connect With The Podcast