- Wise Effort is one step in the Eightfold Path of Buddhism (along with wise view, wise intention, wise speech, wise livelihood, wise action, wise mindfulness and wise concentration)
- In Buddhism, Wise Effort is often associated with a mindset–finding the right balance of effort and surrender
- In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Wise Effort is increasing your effort toward valued activities and taking time to savor and enjoy low-effort, high-value activities
- Wise effort in meditation is a balance of attention and alertness with relaxed awareness.
- Begin with settling into soothing rhythm breathing (long slow breaths)
- Practice box breathing (inhale, hold four counts, exhale four counts, hold four counts)
- Return your attention to the breath. Use the anchor of your breath when your mind becomes loose and wanders. When your mind is tense or overfocused, expand your awareness a little beyond the breath
- Notice your tendency to want to control or change what is happening in the present moment or your tendency to wander from the present. Use Wise Effort to return again and again to the present
- Compassionately and calmly abide by whatever shows up
- Create your grid of Wise Effort (x-axis is “values” and y-axis is “effort”)
- Fill in your high-effort, high-value activities and your low-effort, high-value activities.
- Where do you want to put your energy and attention today to create the life you want to live and the world you want to build?
About Dr. Diana Hill
Dr. Diana Hill is a clinical psychologist who thinks of herself as your psychological flexibility guide. She helps you apply modern psychology to your daily life through her podcast Your Life in Process, her book ACT Daily Journal, and her thriving therapy and workshop practice in Santa Barbara, CA. Diana practices what she preaches as a mom, bee-keeper and long-time yoga practitioner. Diana encourages people to build psychological flexibility so that they can live more meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Related Resources
- Become a MORE Life in Process member to support the show
- Subscribe to the Wise Effort newsletter
- Find out what kind of Striver you are and get your free Skillful Striving Toolkit
- Want to learn more about ACT? Take Diana’s on-demand course Foundations of ACT
- Order ACT Daily Card Deck
- The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche
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Practice Wise Effort with your movement. Watch my conversation with Katy Bowman
Diana’s Events
- Diana’s Reset and Restore Retreat in Costa Rica in Spring 2024!
- Meditate with Diana at Yoga Soup
- Register for Diana’s ACT workshop at Yoga Soup!
- Sign up for Diana’s From Striving to Thriving Summit!
- See Diana at an upcoming event
Connect With Diana
Thank you for listening to Your Life in Process!
Subscribe to the podcast for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts.
Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.
Leave feedback for the show or a voicemail at (805) 457-2776
Thank you to the team Craig and Ashley Hiatt. Thank you to Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.
Remember, when you become psychologically flexible, you become free.
