How can you face holiday stressors without falling back into old habits? How can you make your holidays meaningful and connected? In this episode, psychologist Dr. Diana Hill teaches you science-backed, practical tools from Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) and compassion to survive and thrive this holiday season.

Listen and Learn:

• Common responses to holiday stress
• The ACT premise
• How Diana reclaimed her holiday dinners and how you can too!
• Why getting hopeless may be your best bet
• The research behind self-compassion and motivation to change
• How to focus on meaning, psychological richness, and fun
• Strategies to let go of your stories about yourself and others
• A physical way to accept the good, bad, and ugly of the holidays
• Simple ways to connect more with what matters most to you

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.

Related Resources

• Download Your Daily Practice for this episode
• Find out what kind of Striver you are and get your free Skillful Striving Toolkit
• Learn more about Dr. Diana Hill
• Self-compassion research by Juliana Breines and Serena Chen
• Watch Jennifer Payne talk about ACT on From Striving to Thriving
• Listen to Erin Westgate share her research on psychological richness
• Watch Brother Phap Huu talk about acceptance
• Diana’s Holiday Playlist!
  • Compassion by Lucinda Williams
  • Worthy by India.Aire
  • Better Together by Jack Johnson and Paula Fuga
  • One Love by Bob Marley
  • Let it Be by the Beatles

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] Introduction 
• [00:57] Common Unhelpful Responses to Holiday Stressors 
• [02:16] The ACT Premise 
• [03:20] Reclaiming The Holidays 
• [04:46] How To Use One Eye In During the Holidays 
• [06:18] Creative Hopelessness During The Holidays 
• [08:40] Step 1. Identify What Is Hopeless 
• [10:27] Step 2. Have Self-compassion 
• [14:21] Step 3. Do What Matters 
• [20:59] Step 4. Don’t Believe Your Mind 
• [24:43] Step 5. Remember You Are Not Your Story 
• [27:39] Step 6. It Is What It Is 
• [34:50] Step 7. Stay Committed To Your Values 
• [38:30] Episode Summary 
• [39:39] Connect With The Podcast